During The Fifth version of the national Built Heritage Forum in Qassim, Saudi Hospitality Heritage Company “nuzul” Launches its new identity

Posted on December 12, 2015 by مشرف

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Saudi Hospitality Heritage Company “nuzul” Launched its new identity during The Fifth version of the national Built Heritage Forum held in Qassim in the period between of 17 and 21 Safar 1437 H (Nov.29th– Dec.3rd 2015 G)

The forum in its fifth version aims to transition the built heritage work “from establishment stage to investment stage”, in line with the new working strategy of the National Built Heritage Center that focuses on shifting heritage sites from deterioration into investment as per HRH Prince Sultan bin Salman instruction.

His Excellency Dr. Hamad bin Mohammad Alismail chairman of the Saudi Hospitality Heritage Company “nuzul”, said: “This Forum is the ideal platform to launch the Saudi Hospitality Heritage Company’s new identity, “Nuzul”, along with its new website, and to connect with the relevant authorities to develop this sector and contribute to the achievement of its preset goals. In addition we will display the company’s activities and projects that highlight the inherent value of heritage through developing and managing traditional touristic hospitality facilities. “

He Added:” the Saudi Hospitality Heritage Company “nuzul”, ” was founded to care for our civilization’s heritage throughout the years and to raise awareness locally and globally. The company is looking to provide an integrated experience of luxurious hospitality combined with the characteristics of our national heritage such as the traditional architecture and prestigious interior design and the authentic hospitality.”

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Google helps Kingdom’s businesses grow on web

Posted on December 12, 2015 by مشرف

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The company announced its intention to increase its efforts in supporting Saudi small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) get online through its SMB partner program launched earlier this year.
Government officials, business owners, marketing industry professionals and media gathered to learn more about how to use digital platforms to grow.
Speakers from Google discussed the trends that are characteristic of the Saudi web, the future of technology, how brands can target consumers in the moments that matter and in real time, branding in the digital age, and the evolution of mobile technology.
The event also featured panel discussions from local entrepreneurs who shared their success stories.
Digital advertising allows businesses to reach their customers with relevant information at the right time.
Ronan Harris, VP, large customer sales for Google in Europe and MENA, said: “Nowadays, businesses need to be digitally present, informed on consumer preferences, and connected to their customers at the right moment. Whether you are a small company, a large company or an advertising agency, Google can help you achieve these goals and grow your business on the web.”
Harris added: “Google Search, Google Maps, and YouTube are some of the products that help users navigate their daily life by operating under the same principle — to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”
Shant Oknayan, head of SMB marketing for Google in MENA, said: “Research has shown that small businesses with online presence grow twice as fast, generate twice as much in export revenue and create twice as many jobs as businesses with no online presence, so the benefit is clear. Furthermore, the online opportunity in Saudi Arabia is big.” 
The Internet allows anyone, anywhere access to the various products developed to empower businesses and in doing so digital advertising is redistributing business opportunities that strengthen the economy. 
Saudi Arabia’s digital landscape is among the most established globally: Internet penetration rates are above 64 percent with more and more individuals coming online every day. And users here are mobile consumers with smart phone penetration rates above 72 percent, among the highest in the world.
Although Saudi users are online, only 15 percent of businesses in Saudi Arabia have an online presence; this is low, especially when compared to 37 percent of businesses online in Turkey and 40 percent of businesses online in the United States. Through its SMB partner program, Google wants to help in overcoming this and provide the support needed for businesses to improve their digital presence.
So far, Google has invested heavily in upscaling its infrastructure of Google Search, Google Maps, YouTube and other products to address this rapid growth in Saudi Arabia. Google also launched numerous efforts and partnerships to support the rise of local talent, creators and entrepreneurs to further enrich the new wave of Saudi digital content.

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Constitution Day

Posted on December 2, 2015 by مشرف

الهند

 Pursuant to the decision of National Committee of the Government of India to observe the 26th November as the ‘Constitution Day’ every year, the Embassy of India, Riyadh as well as the 10 international Indian Schools in various parts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have observed today the ‘Constitution Day’ by reading out the ‘Preamble’ of the Constitution with participation of the officials and thousands of the students. It may be mentioned that the Constituent Assembly had adopted the Constitution of India on this day in 1949.

A short animated film titled ‘India – The Spirit of Freedom’ was also screened to the audience. The film celebrates the success story of India by tracing the journey of the rise of the nation from the shackles of the colonialism to becoming one of the pioneers of the innovation and development armoured by a constitution that encapsulates the true essence of freedom.

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Experience Tapas at Burj Rafal Hotel Kempinski with Chef Alvaro Hermosin

Posted on December 2, 2015 by مشرف

كمبنسكي

The Grand restaurant, Riyadh’s finest all-day-dining buffet located on Floor 3 at Burj Rafal Hotel Kempinski within the first Kempinski hotel in the Kingdom, invites taste connoisseurs to experience a new and unique food journey through an outstanding culinary experience called the “Festival de Tapas.” Hotel’s guest chef Alvaro Hermosin brings one-of-a-kind culinary indulgence forth.

Chef Alvaro, one of the pioneers in his field who has worked in numerous restaurants and hotels, will present an additional flair to the dinner buffet with freshly prepared tapas artistically put together to give guests not only an impeccable savoury experience but also a special leisure family time from 18– 29 November 2015.

The opening ceremony, which was held in The Grand restaurant in Burj Rafal Hotel Kempinski last Thursday, was attended by His Excellency the Spanish Ambassador in the Kingdom, Mr. Joaquín Pérez-Villanueva y Tovar​, and a number of official and diplomatic delegations.

“Festival de Tapas is a fresh concept bringing forward a Mediterranean flair to our all-day-dining buffet restaurant. Chef Alvaro shares delightful tapas and indulges in interactive guest sessions,” stated Mr. George Ganchev, General Manager at Burj Rafal Hotel Kempinski. Mr. Ganchev also added, “Besides the international buffet items presented daily at The Grand restaurant, our guests can now experience authentic tapas for the first time in Riyadh, all while watching Chef Alvaro’s create his Mediterranean masterpieces.”

Burj Rafal Hotel Kempinski aims to deliver fresh concepts to guests. Everyone is invited to experience the Festival de Tapas from 18 – 29 November 2015 at the all-day-dining restaurant, within the 70-floor landmark property Burj Rafal

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RAFAL Launches its Sales Office at Burj RAFAL Community

Posted on December 2, 2015 by مشرف

رافال

As part of its strategic customer service plans, RAFAL real estate company inaugurated the Company’s first sales office in the Kingdom.

RAFAL Sales office will serve RAFAL’s unique products portfolio, existing and future communities; it will also give the customers the opportunity to explore these products.

“This sales office aims at providing unique services to meet the increasing demand on innovational real estate products witnessed in the Kingdom. Through this office, customers will have the opportunity to review the existing and the projects under development which include, RAFAL Residence Community, Marvela Community, and RAFAL Living community” said Mr. Essam Al Ghamdi, Marketing and Strategy Manager, RAFAL Real Estate Development Company.

“This new sales office will put our clients in direct connection with our team where they can have a comprehensive idea on the standards that we abide by and apply within our projects; also they can benefit from the real estate consultancy service offered by our experienced team.” Concluded Mr. Essam Al Ghamdi.

RAFAL Sales Office offers dedicated customer support services, in addition to showcases 4 model apartments, fully furnished, of the future communities, so that clients can have a real preview of what is being offered.

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Impact of IFRS transition on Saudi Arabian businesses explored at high level ACCA event

Posted on November 26, 2015 by مشرف

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The impact that the move to International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) will have on businesses in Saudi Arabia was tackled at a high level panel discussion organised by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) in Riyadh on Wednesday.

With just over a year to go before all listed companies are required to report their business performance under IFRS in 2017, and with all non-listed businesses expected to follow suit a year later, ACCA bought together business leaders at a critical time to look at where businesses should be in their preparations and of which issues they should be aware.

 Anis Motorwala, ACCA’sHead of Business Development, Middle East & North Africa, said : “The clock is ticking for all businesses in Saudi Arabia who may need to make significant changes to the way in which they report their business activities. Many businesses have already begun work on tackling the conversion to the new standards, but others may still have plenty of work to do. We wanted to not only show business leaders where they should be in the convergence journey but also to offer advice.”

“ACCA was the first body to incorporate IFRS into its qualification 20 years ago, which means that our qualified professionals are well versed in the standards. We also believe that the adoption of global standards will further enhance business opportunities for businesses in the kingdom as it enables potential business partners and clients around the world who already use IFRS to more easily understand the figures they see,” he added.

“To further support the transition to IFRS ACCA has developed a Diploma in International Financial Reporting a globally recognised study program which is available to all professional accountants and auditors which gives them a greater understanding of the standards,” said Anis Motorwala

Delegates at the event at the Courtyard Marriot Hotel, Riyadh, heard from  Zubair Baloch – Financial Controller of Al Marai and Sami Abu Suraih – IFRS Conversion Project Manager of Saudi Electricity Company about how their companies were preparing for IFRS, along with Muhammad Asif Iqbal – Director Accounting Standards, SOCPA, Kashif Zafar – Senior Director Audit, KPMG and Manoj Shah –  Partner PwC Advisory  about the work being undertaken by SOCPA and the big accountancy firms. The discussion was moderated by ACCA member Taha Ali, a Senior Manager in PwC’s Capital Markets and Accounting Advisory team.

Asif Iqbal  said: “ Alhamdulillah SOCPA is very much on track towards achieving the project timelines of the landmark project for transition to international accounting and auditing standards which was initiated in 2012. SOCPA under the dynamic leadership of Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chairman SOCPA Board, H.E. Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al Rabiah, is working very closely with all stakeholders like other regulators, accountancy firms, corporate world and the international standard setters towards achieving this challenging task.”

In summing up the event Taha Ali told delegates that it was critical that they choose sustainable accounting solutions, that they manage and educate stakeholders early  and that they do not delay the conversion process. “The key message is act now,” he said.

Dur Hospitality Company CFO Yaser AlQuhidan said: “We are very pleased to host this significant event as it discusses a very critical subject that will have huge influence on the company’s operating in Saudi Arabia and will leverage the existing standards to international standards to ensure growth, transparency and sustainability. All companies are preparing for the transition to the IFRS standards and this workshop gathered business leaders from all sectors to benefit from ACCA Experience”

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RAFAL Silver Sponsor of Sara Expo

Posted on November 23, 2015 by مشرف

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RAFAL Real Estate Development company, participates in Sara Expo, as a Silver sponsor, from the period between 14 – 16 November.

The event, which was inaugurated by HRH Princess Moudhi Bint Abdulaziz Bin Masaed, is considered one of the leading female events in the Kingdom.

Mr. Essam Al Ghamdi, Marketing and Strategy Manager, RAFAL Real Estate Development Co., said” RAFAL’s mission is simply to develop innovative real estate products that will make a difference, and that is why we were interested to participate in Sara Expo as it aims at organizing unconventional events that will add value to the community.”

Mr. Essam Al Ghamdi Added, “The main objective behind our participation in this event is to showcase RAFAL Residence community, RAFAL’s latest innovation which has recently got the license to initiate map selling. RAFAL Residence offers a new concept of residential apartments in an integrated fully serviced community, which meet the modern requirements of the Saudi community.”

Mr. Essam Al Ghamdi concluded, “Sara Expo is the ideal platform that gathers Saudi ladies, and who are concerned personally in identifying the residential unit that meets her requirements and needs, her soon to be called Home.”

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VFS Global launches Visa Application Centre for the Czech Republic in Riyadh

Posted on November 16, 2015 by مشرف

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VFS Global is pleased to announce the launch of the Visa Application Centre for the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Riyadh. Applicants for visas to the Czech Republic from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia can now visit the centrally-located centre to submit visa applications and enrol for biometrics in a spacious and comfortable environment.

 The centre is located at the Schengen Visa Application Centre, Office @ 1st floor, Dove Plaza (Hyper Panda), Omm Al Hamam street, Omm Al Hamam, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Services at this location commenced on 04 November 2015.

 Another Czech Republic visa application centre is scheduled to be launched on 18 November in Jeddah for greater convenience for applicants in Saudi Arabia. This centre will be located at TasHeel Commercial Plaza, Ground Floor – Suwaid Bin Sakher Street, Off Jundub Bin Kaab Street (off Prince Sultan Street), Al Mohammadiyah District 1, Jeddah, KSA.

 Speaking about the launch, HE Mr Jiri Slavik, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, said,“Opening of Czech Visa Centers in Riyadh and Jeddah reflects the growing bilateral relations between the Czech Republic and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and comes in the year when the two countries celebrate 20 years of diplomatic ties. By visa outsourcing the Czech Republic aims at becoming more accessible to all applicants, including those travelling to visit our spas, be it for medical treatment or wellness stays only, to experience the atmosphere of our beautiful cities, castles and palaces, to play golf or to learn filming in a summer school. And of course, we believe that better accessibility of visa centres will also please future businessmen and investors interested in the numerous opportunities the strategically located Czech Republic has to offer. We are convinced that VFS Global, one of the most experienced and professional companies in the visa field, will prove itself our reliable partner”.

MrAjit Alexander, COO – Middle East and North Africa, VFS Global, added, “We are committed to streamlining the visa application process for travellers and providing best-in-class services for visitors to our centres. We are privileged to partner with the Embassy of the Czech Republic in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and are confident our services will enhance the overall experience for applicants.”

The key features of the centre include:

  • Convenient and centrally-accessed location
  • Professional staff with local language capability to handle queries and applications
  • Spacious, well-appointed centre for enhanced comfort of applicants
  • Automated queue governance for smooth flow of applicants
  • Dedicated website for easy access to information including visa categories, requirements, check-list and applicable fees
  • 100% secure handling of passports, documents and personal information
  • Door-step delivery of passports
  • Premium Lounge for personalised and comfortable service

 Since 2009, VFS Global jointly with its local partner M/s Al Etimad Modern Business Solutions Co. (ETIMAD) has been successfully operating visa application services and VACs for diplomatic missions of 11 sovereign governments in the cities of Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Czech Republic Visa Application Centre

Address: Schengen Visa Application Centre,Office @ 1st floor, Dove Plaza (Hyper Panda), Omm Al Hamam street, Omm Al Hamam, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Helpline: +966 11 4816467 Email: info.czechksa@vfshelpline.com

Website: http://www.vfsglobal.com/czechrepublic/saudiarabia/

 Business hours: 0900 hrs to 1700 hrs (Sunday to Thursday)

 Submission Timings: 0900hrs– 1500hrs| Sunday – Thursday (except holidays as declared by the Embassy)

Document Collection: 0900hrs – 1700hrs | Sunday – Thursday (except holidays as declared by the Embassy)

*VFS Global will be responsible only for accepting applications for the Embassy of the Czech Republic. All applications submitted will continue to be assessed and processed by the Embassy of the Czech Republic. Timelines for turnaround of visas are as per the discretion of the authorities.

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Burj Rafal Hotel Kempinski Promotional Offers from the tallest residential tower to date in Riyadh

Posted on November 16, 2015 by مشرف

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Burj Rafal Hotel Kempinski is proud to extend a selection of services to its guests, including special Levant barbecue evenings on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at the Skylight Pool Lounge & Restaurant located on Floor 6 of the 23-floor hotel. Also, the hotel is offering a special 10 to 15% discount on reservations (valid until 31 December 2015) exclusively through booking online and using the promotional code KEMP15.

“Kempinski is Europe’s oldest hotel group with a history of more than 110 years. It is definitely a pleasure bringing our European expertise and opening a landmark property in the city of heritage, Riyadh. Together with our remarkable European flair and warm Arabian hospitality, we create memorable experiences every day,” stated Mr George Ganchev, General Manager at Burj Rafal Hotel Kempinski.

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Covering an Area of almost 1 millionsquare meters SAEI announces The Launch of SR 2.87 billion MRO Facility

Posted on November 11, 2015 by مشرف

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Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries (SAEI) announced the launchof the largest state-of-the-art facilities in the Middle East for civil and military technical aviation serviceslocated at the northeast of King Abdul-Aziz Airport in Jeddah.

 The launching of the New MRO facility was announced in a press conference held on the sidelines of the Dubai Airshow, one of the largest and most successful airshows in the world.

 The new facility incorporates a new maintenance, repair and overhaul facility (MRO) in Saudi Arabia covering an average area of 1 million sq. meters and introduces the latest technology combined with enviable track record of aviation engineering backed up by an experience of more than 55 years and the highly qualified Saudi workforce.

 Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, Director General, Saudia, chairman of SAEI’s Board of Directors, said”Saudi Arabia is well-equipped to capture the increasing demand for aviation-related services from this market, and this state-of-the-art facility will definitely put the Kingdom on the global aerospace and aviation industries Map, and support itin achieving the diversification goals by driving the growth of the civil and military aerospace industry through ensuring the transfer of state-of-the-art technology and know-how in addition tocreating thousands of jobs for Saudis.”

 The SR2.87 billion MRO Facility was developed by a joint venture lead byTurkey’s TAV and including AlHabtoor Leighton Group (HLG), and Al Rajhi, and planned for completion by the end of 2016 placing SAEI in the top ranks of MROs worldwide and making it the largest in the region with a wide range of capabilities for aircraft, engines and component maintenance.

 “We are very excited for this new facility as it is the result of almost 56 years of operating experience across 28 stations in Saudi Arabiaand 25 international stations manned by SAEI personnel, and it entitles us to be the leading provider of high quality maintenance, repair, overhaul, and engineering services for aircraft, engines and components in the MiddleEast.” Commented Eng. Nader Khalawi, CEO, SAEI

 With 11 aircraft hangars, 28 aircraft component shops, modern warehouses, ground support equipment maintenance center and a design and manufacturing center, the new facility will provide highest quality maintenance, repair, overhaul, engineering and reliability services for civil and military aircraft, and components and offering added value services, to be a one stop shop for all SAEI customers in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East region.

 Eng. Khalawi concluded, “With over than 1100 exhibitors, gathering aerospace professionals across all areas of the industry, the Dubai Airshow is the ideal platform to launch this state-of-the-art facility.”

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