ArabWeeks

Dur Hospitality & Saudi Hospitality Heritage Company have signed a mutual cooperation agreement, by which the former will provide the latter technical and supporting services.

The agreement also included the development of The Saudi Hospitality Heritage Company’s first projects “Samhan Heritage Hotel”, which was inaugurated by The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz during the launch of AlBujairi project at the Historic Diriyah area.

HRH Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdul Aziz President of Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities and Member of the Supreme Committee of the Historic Diriyah Development, described the project as “the home of lofty history and glorious culture”.

Dr. Hamad Alismail, Chairman of Saudi Hospitality Heritage Company expressed his gratitude to Dur Hospitality, and to the efforts spent by the team handling this project. He also added that the Saudi Hospitality Heritage Company is looking forward to the establishment of the “Samhan Heritage Hotel” in Diriyah, after the completion of the detailed studies for the project construction.

Dr. Badr Al Badr Added:” Dur Hospitality will employ its capabilities and expertise in hotel development to design and build Samhan Heritage Hotel. Dur will also provide the Saudi Hospitality Heritage Company with the necessary support to achieve its destined purpose of “preserving our national cultural heritage” through developing heritage building.”

It is noteworthy that Dur Hospitality was one of the companies that have contributed to the establishment of the Saudi Hospitality Heritage Company, a closed joint stock under establishment, which aims at preserving, developing and raising awareness on the cultural heritage of the Kingdom nationally and internationally as well as highlighting its cultural dimension through the ages. Whereas “Samhan Heritage Hotel” in Diriyah is the first fruit of the projects of the Saudi Heritage Hospitality Company

The Saudi economy demonstrated its stability and strength throughout the political and economic changes occurring regionally and internationally, reinforcing the Kingdom’s leading position in the Arab and Islamic world.

Social theories assure the close correlation between the Social and economic development and the education and training. These theories come in line with our Islamic thought and heritage that supports the development of the human skills and education in order to  help build a new generation of highly qualified national caliber, who will possess the tools and knowledge to support a sustainable economic development.

As part of its strategy and vision, Aljazira Capital, the investment arm of Aljazira Bank, is committed to providing an inspiring and innovative work environment that motivates its employees to take a step further towards professional growth and development. Aljazira Capital provides its team with a variety of training and educational programs, it also offers them university sponsorship in the most renowned universities in the kingdom, and specialized training programs in personal and practical skills, in addition to regular seminars and workshops to keep them up-to-date with the latest findings of the financial and investment services in the Kingdom.

Eng. Ziad Aba Al-Khail, Managing director and CEO, “Aljazira Capital”, said that “We at Aljazira Capital, take pride in adopting special programs through which our team can reach their professional goals and ambitions. These programs are designed to provide the necessary support to the employees who wish to complete their undergraduate and master’s degrees, thus adding value to their professional and personal lives through taking their skills and knowledge to the next level, and eliminating all developmental barriers.

In addition, “Now that “Aljazira Capital” has achieved an 80% Saudization ratio, we are looking forward to generating young qualified and trained national calibers, armed with the necessary knowledge and skills to contribute in the development and the prosperity of Saudi economy, and enhancing the saudization ratio of the entire financial sector” .

LinkedIn (NYSE:LNKD), the world’s largest professional network, has announced the findings of its 2015 Talent Trends survey into the experiences and perceptions of candidates as they search for jobs, and the factors that will make them consider a new role. Some of the key findings included the fact that, while not actively looking for a new role, 87 per cent of professionals in the KSA are open to relevant job opportunities, while 53 per cent of all candidates are using professional social networks as part of their search for their next role.

The study included responses from over 750 professionals in Saudi Arabia, and offer valuable insights to empower companies more effectively find the best talent in the Kingdom.

Ali Matar, Head of LinkedIn Talent Solutions, MENA, said: “World over, LinkedIn is working to better connect talent with opportunity, and these results offer meaningful insights for companies looking to better attract talent. Our data shows that there is a huge premium placed on the interview experience: first impressions count, and this can be a pivotal moment in the relationship between company and candidate.”

Rise of social media

Responses from the KSA show that today’s job-search is moving online. Fifty-three per cent of respondents use professional social networks to identify the next opportunity, the most popular online destination for job seekers. The good news for employers looking for the right candidate is that 87 per cent of respondents in the KSA are open to being contacted with the right opportunity. This is higher than a global average of 78 per cent.

Professional priorities

For professionals in the KSA, money talks. Fifty-one per cent of respondents base their career decisions on the salary package offered, more than professional development (29 per cent) and a better work culture (25 per cent).

First impressions count

The vast majority of professionals (83 per cent) would be put off a potential employer by a poor interview experience, even with a company they like. Conversely, a positive interview experience would change the minds of 87 per cent of professionals who previously weren’t interested in the company.

A full 53 per cent of professionals surveyed said that they saw the first meeting with their prospective manager as the most important interaction during the interview process. A conversation with leadership is also appreciated by nearly half of the respondents

Follow-up gap

There are some simple ways for companies to improve the overall process for candidates. A follow-up after the interview process is a priority as for 94 per cent of the respondents, whereas only 41 per cent said that they have experienced this from companies they’ve interviewed. Interestingly, 77 per cent of professionals prefer to receive good news on the phone, and 65 per cent of them would rather receive bad news via email.

Matar continued, “It’s clear from this data that there are some simple changes companies can make to their interview process that will not only help them attract the best talent, but also ensure unsuccessful candidates leave with a great impression of the company. With the growing importance of employer branding to employers worldwide, this is an easy win for companies looking to improve their reputation among talent in the region.”

There were some housekeeping tips for today’s ‘always-on businesses’ as well – candidates don’t appreciate being contacted outside working hours (typically after 6pm) or on weekends.

LinkedIn gives employers access to both active and passive candidates; those not actively looking for a new job but who make up the majority of professionals. This greatly increases the number of potential candidates for companies, reducing the time and cost associated with acquiring the best talent.

LinkedIn has been available in Arabic since February 2015, offering a more relevant experience for professionals in the MENA region.

Dur Hospitality announced the signing of a 40 years land lease agreement of 7,600 square meters in Yanbu, with the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu.

Dur hospitality intends to invest the leased land in establishing a 3 stars hotel in Yanbu.

This step comes in line with the company’s strategy to develop hotels in emerging cities across Saudi Arabia, such as Jubail and Yanbu, which are increasingly attracting investments in residential, commercial and touristic projects.

The investments in the cities of the Royal Commission reached one trillion Riyals, and acquired 65% of the Industrial investments of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and produces about 10% of the global petrochemical output, thus contributing to 12% of the gross national product of the Kingdom.

This project is expected to take about three years, once the architectural design is complete, and it will be reflected on the company’s financial statement in the third quarter of 2018. Dur Hospitality also announced the project will be self-financed along with banking facilitations.

The premium Collection, a subsidiary of Nahwasharq Co., celebrated the showroom inauguration of the Italian-made premium sports car ‘Pagani”, the most expensive and luxurious car in the world. The ceremony was held at the Burj RAFAL Boulevard, on the 30th of May, and gathered a group of VIP guests and media representatives who had the chance to examine the Italian, artistic masterpiece.

“The PaganiHuayra has reached its Riyadh showroom after touring in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, which comes in line with Nahwasharq Co. (The premium Collection) Strategy, the exclusive agent of Pagani in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.” said Mr. Sabah Al-Kraidees, Vice President of Nahwasharq Co. Ltd (the Premium Collection).

Mr. Fawaz Al-Kraidees, General Manager, Nahwasharq Co. Ltd (the Premium Collection) said “We are keen on selecting unique premium sport cars and Pagani is considered the world’s finest luxury sport car. And as Pagani is getting ready to launch its convertible special edition Huayra roadster, the entire collection will be showcased at its showroom in Burj RAFAL Boulevard, the hub of the premium brands for luxury fans.”

The handcrafted and manufactured car features a carbon fiber structure that is known for its power and light weight along withits twin turbo engine, 6.0-litre V12 should pump out 720 hp and 740 lb-ft of torque and when combined with a quick-shifting seven-speed transmission and rear wheel drive, should accelerate to 100 km/h in the low 3.3 second range.

Nahwasharq Co.is a Saudi Company that was established in 2007 with a strategy to carefully select the finest and best luxury sports car brands, taking into consideration the requirements of their distinguished customers as well as being the first to offering unique brands that meet the demands and needs of customers who are seeking luxury and excellence.

The Premium Collection is the exclusive agent of several luxury sports cars and brands in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. They are the exclusive agent of Pagani and Koenigsegg, among other luxury sport car brands.

The company also offers highest level of quality services across all branches such as after-sales services and spare parts, covering major cities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to offer valued customers high quality services.

• Captivating design & stylish interiors command instant attention
• Top Class performance leads to  an outstanding driving experience
• Comprehensive safety features provide ample protection
• Fully loaded XSE sports variant makes a distinctive statemen

Toyota has raised the bar yet again in the mid-size sedan segment with a bold, bumper-to-bumper redesign of the new Toyota Camry to open a new chapter in the illustrious history of the world’s most popular mid-size sedan. With a striking new design, new model grades, and more dynamic handling, the new Toyota Camry which is being introduced in the Middle East, is Toyota’s best ever Camry  and puts the hot-selling model truly in a league of its own.

According to the car’s Chief Engineer Masato Katsumata, the new-look Camry was developed for customers who want a car with more emotional styling and greater driving enjoyment. “We wanted to produce a Camry that appeals to its traditional customers as well as to younger buyers,” he said. As a result, the latest Camry is the boldest-looking Camry ever. The car is more expressive, more athletic and more confident.”

Takayuki Yoshitsugu, Chief Representative, Middle East and North Africa Representative Office, TOYOTA Motor Corporation, said, “The new Toyota Camry blends an evolution of the car’s features– such as comfort, efficiency, reliability and safety – with a more appealing design and engaging driving experience. With its striking hood lines and statement-making front grille, the car is designed for those who dare to be bold, and combines refinement and performance like never before. I would like to thank our customers in the region for their loyalty and support over the years. The new Camry is our way of repaying their trust by making a truly special vehicle for them.”

Since its debut in 1982 and subsequent evolution over six generations, Camry has come to be embraced by people around the world for its excellent performance, ride quality and its high level of QDR (Quality, Durability and Reliability). The car has established an unshakeable presence in the standard mid-size sedan market – both in the Middle East and around the globe – selling more than 15 million units worldwide.

“The Toyota Camry has been a fixture on Saudi roads for ages,” said Dr. Adel Ezzat, Managing Director of Marketing at Abdul Latif Jameel, authorized distributor of Toyota in Saudi Arabia. “The Camry has had many changes incorporated into it through many generations, and it is still paving its way at the top of the midsize sedan totem pole today, not only in the Kingdom, but the world over.”

“We are very excited about the latest generation of the Camry, which sets new standards for many features this very popular brand has always been known for,” he added. “Today, we are witnessing along with you the continuation of the drive of innovation, reliability, performance, flexibility, and solid build quality. We are confident that the latest Camry will amaze its enthusiasts like no other

Camry has done before, thanks to its unique, modern styling and elegant design cues, both inside and out.”

For its latest upgrade, Toyota designers and engineers re-design nearly every exterior surface of the car, with only the roof remaining unchanged. The new, upscale interior features premium, soft-touch materials throughout the spacious cabin, and advanced instrumentation with intuitive controls helps keep the driver’s eyes safely on the road ahead.

The new Toyota Camry is offered in the Kingdom market in several variants – the GL Standard, GL, GL limited, GLX, GLX Premium, XSE and XSE Premium.

With a history of more than half a century of outstanding success, the partnership between Toyota Motor Corporation and Abdul Latif Jameel Company (ALJ) has grown into the leading automotive dealership in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the biggest Toyota independent distributor in the world.

Captivating Design & Sumptuous Interiors

An aggressive looking front bumper and grille and pronounced side character lines give the new Camry a far more expressive style. It’s a sleeker look that’s also slightly longer and communicates a dynamic stance and presence. In profile, a pronounced body line starts from the Camry’s muscular front fender and spans across the doors and rear quarter panel, conveying a sense of motion.

Sleek new headlamps are the eyes in a new Camry face that makes an immediate impression. The new Toyota Camry offers LED low and high beams, and front turn signal indicators and LED DRLs are integrated for an elegant appearance. Tail lamps wrap around into the tapered rear quarters for a more sophisticated look, while 17-inch wheels express an impressive performance, helping motorists get the most out of their drive.

The new Camry has an interior that thrills before the driver even starts moving. With its intuitive top-flight technology and high-contrast stitching, the cabin feels more like a cockpit than anything else, and the driver-focused layout is designed to reduce distraction. A sleek center stack with 4.2-inch TFT screen makes it easy to access content with an information layout which is simple and easy to understand.

Sit inside the new Toyota Camry to very quickly see, and feel, the difference. Genuine leather-trimmed surfaces are situated throughout the cabin, and trim elements are finished in wood-grain-style accents and satin chrome. A new generation frame construction has been adopted for the front seats to provide enhanced comfort. The front seatback height and the cushion shape have been modified, increasing the surface area that contacts the body, resulting in comfortable and anti-fatigue seats. A power 8-way adjustable driver seat and 4-way adjustable front passenger seat are also available. The rear seats split and fold forward so passengers can carry more things, and the ample leg room makes this space ultra-versatile, ensuring the Camry has some real utility that’s eager to be put to good use on the next trip.

Extensive real world road testing to fine-tune cabin noise levels has resulted in the creation of a cabin that allows those inside to easily hold a conversation and enjoy an unmatched level of quietness that stands out in its class. This special attention to reducing unwanted wind and road noise has resulted in the quietest-ever Camry cabin.

A high performance yet compact, lightweight and fuel efficient air conditioning system has been adopted to deliver top class cooling and comfort while being environmentally friendly. The independent left/right temperature controls allow separate temperature zones to be automatically set for the driver and front passenger seats.

Adding to the class-leading comfort and utility quotient of the new Camry is the availability of a 10-speaker JBL, resulting in efficient sound.

The new Toyota Camry is available in 10 colors, including two new colors – Dark Blue, a modern and rich metallic blue color with bright sparkle that indicates power and function, and Light Blue which expresses longevity, elegance and sophistication. Several interior colors are also available: Ivory, Black.

Top Class Performance

If the new Camry looks like a stunner, it drives like a dream. The car features a 2.5 liter four-cylinder engine that produces 181 horsepower and 235 NM of torque, allowing it to deliver best-in-class engine performance and quietness. The engine employs Dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (Dual VVT-i) which controls valve timing on both the intake and exhaust camshafts for optimal performance and efficiency at all engine speeds. A 6-speed automatic transmission enables smooth manual-like shift feeling and is complemented by an innovative flex-start control that proactively engages the lock-up clutch when starting off to enhance power transfer efficiency and lower the engine speed, contributing to excellent fuel economy. The newly developed Electric Power Steering (EPS) on all the new Toyota Camry models is tuned for better on-center feel, enhanced stability and more direct-feeling steering inputs.

The use of the latest in efficient, lightweight and low-emission technologies has helped reduce kerb weight while ensuring high performance across the entire rev range. A preload differential that provides torque to limit the differential motion under light loads or low rotational speed differences helps the car realize excellent starting off performance and straight line stability.

The chassis and body structure are bolstered with additional spot welds, enhancing rigidity for better ride quality. Re-tuned suspension and steering systems along with optimized aerodynamics take the new Toyota Camry’s handling to a whole new level of responsiveness.

Comprehensive Safety Features

The new Toyota Camry continues Toyota’s comprehensive approach to safety to ensure peace of mind for customers, with the car coming equipped with an array of safety features designed to give them the confidence they need every time they take the car out for a spin. These include Enhanced Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRAC), Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), and more. For e.g, EBD control utilizes ABS hydraulic control to optimize the distribution of braking force between the front and rear wheels in accordance with driving conditions and vehicle load. In the case of Brake Assist, if the brake pedal is suddenly and rapidly depressed, it helps the driver with braking by generating a larger braking force.

The new Camry also employs an advanced collision safety technology designed to not only ensure occupant safety but also to reduce pedestrian injuries. The body construction disperses collision energy through many frame components for effective energy absorption, thereby controlling cabin deformation to ensure survivable space after a collision. The front bumper absorber has been given a concave shape in order to reduce intrusion by controlling vehicle under-ride in a frontal collision.

There are also a suite of convenience equipment that includes Rear View Monitor with Guide Lines, a Parking Assist System that alerts the driver when approaching obstacles in blind spots behind, and a Back Sonar System that uses ultrasonic sensors to detect obstacles behind the vehicle and informs the driver of the position and distance between the sensors and the obstacle using a buzzer. The new Camry features 6 SRS airbags, including driver’s airbag and knee airbag, front passenger airbag, front side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags that help reduce the collision energy imparted to occupants’ heads in the event of a side collision. In addition, it is provided with 3 point Emergency Locking Retractor seatbelts for the driver along with 3-point Automatic Locking Retractor for the front passenger and rear seats.

Camry Sport Model XSE makes distinctive statement

Bold, aggressive and stylishly modern, the new sport model (XSE) makes an immediate design statement with its smoked chrome upper grill, piano black lower grill and dark chrome coated headlamps. The car’s edgy look injects some serious high-end sportiness to the Camry nameplate. The XSE grade comes loaded with a raft of exclusive features in the form of automatic air conditioning control panel, sporty seats dressed in Alcantara and genuine leather, a newly designed two dial Optitron meter, and race-inspired paddle shifters that put the power at customer’s fingertips.

The Camry XSE also gets 17-inch wheels and more sharply tuned suspension and steering along with satin chrome ornamentation with an enhanced quality feel that helps reduce light reflecting from each part. Additional under covers fins have been adopted leading to excellent aerodynamic performance and handling stability. A total of 9 exterior colours are available for the XSE grade which includes Super White 2, White Pearl CS, Gray M.M., Dark Steel MC, Silver ME, Attitude Black MC, Red MC, Lt. Yellow M.M. and Dark Blue M.M.

The distinguished relationship between Toyota and Abdul Latif Jameel goes back more than 50 years, during which the company grew to become one of the leading automotive concerns in the Kingdom, and one of the world’s largest independent Toyota distributors in the world. Based on a policy that always puts the guest first and demands nothing short of excellence, ALJ’s companies provide support for the great ubiquity of Toyota vehicles in the Saudi market through a sprawling network of strategically placed sales and service centers, which provides happy motoring and peace of mind to clients wherever they might be in the vast Kingdom.