Category: Business News & Insight

A Resort You Can Rely On

Danat Al Ain Resort is a unique destination, located in the Garden City, Al Ain. We profile the establishment to find out more about what draws guests to enjoy its exceptional hospitality and sumptuous facilities.

Seeking to offer guests a truly exceptional experience on every visit, Al Ain boasts a wide array of facilities and amenities, all set amid a stunning backdrop of lush grass and perfectly manicured gardens.

The resort features 156 spacious rooms with breath-taking views of the hotel garden and swimming pools, 31 spacious and comfortable suites, as well as 22 luxuriously furnished villas with private access.

Flanked by lush greenery and picturesque gardens, the resort also features sensational dining venues, an elegant spa, three temperature-controlled pools, fitness centers, football and cricket pitches, basketball, volleyball, tennis and squash courts, and shaded parking. Ideal for rest and relaxation, the resort offers a unique world of leisure that includes perfect spaces to unwind and recharge such as the tranquil swimming pool and rejuvenating spa. As such, there is something for everyone at Al Ain.

Alongside holidaymakers and guests, the resort also caters for a wide variety of events. The resort offers elegant venues as well as bespoke dining and leisure options that can be designed to meet the requirement of any event. Its

Pearl Ballroom, one of the largest meeting venues in Al Ain is a sprawling space that holds gathering of up to 1,000 guests in a theatre style set-up, perfect for weddings as well as corporate galas.

Ultimately, the team at Al Ain constantly strive to improve guest satisfaction through innovative and competitive packages paired with great service from its experienced employees. This will remain the team’s ongoing focus as it looks towards a bright and prosperous future.

Company: Danat Al Ain Resort
Address: P.O. Box 16031, Al Ain, AbU Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Phone: 0097137046 000
Website:https://www.danathotels.com/

Leading Conference Call Provider Meetupcall Announces Expansion Into The Middle East

‘         Dr. Al AWar: Great necessity for End of Service Funds

‘         Investment in workers incentives serves production process parties regionally

H.E. Dr. Abdulrahman Abdul Mannan Al Awar, Director General of the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources, confirmed that the accelerating global technological advancements, and the increased retirement age and years of service, leave no doubt that there is an excellent opportunity and an urgent need in the region to establish investment funds to manage retirement and end-of-service benefits, which will provide a saving opportunity to all the employees in the UAE and the region labor markets. As it will lift investment in our domestic economies, while considering market stability and the low risks associated with such investment opportunities in the UAE.

Spoken in front of participants in the first WIEOSB conference held in Dubai yesterday under the patronage of FAHR, he added that these funds will help employees plan properly by taking advantage of end of service benefits, enabling them to make use of their financial resources, and creating jobs for new generations.

FAHR Director General explained that creating saving schemes and funds in all sectors is an important strategic step and a new experience of its kind across the region. There are successful global practices in this field, as well as in the UAE with the leading organizations such as Emirates airlines, which has added to the competitiveness of Emirates Airlines, and such projects will have a significant impact on the social and economic levels according to latest Actuarial studies, recently done in the United Arab Emirates.

Finally, I would like to extend my appreciation to Mondial- Dubai for organizing this conference and welcoming the conference guests, speakers and participants and wishing you all a good stay in Dubai.

He praised the first conference of its kind in the UAE that opens the discussion and dialogue about a major issue that concerns millions of employees of the United Arab Emirates and the region both in governments and private sector; We trust that the conference will provide an opportunity to establish an ideal annual platform to attract experts and stakeholders to discuss and exchange ideas and visions on global best practices related to end-of-service reward systems at local, regional and global levels.

He also pointed out that the dialogues that took place at the conference come in line with the UAE’s vision and leadership directions that focus on creating jobs for future generations, protecting a healthy employee-employer relationship in the UAE and ensuring that their benefits are protected.  This will enhance and maintain a healthy social and individual well-being.

Participants in the conference agreed that the UAE is on the verge of a golden economic era with the launch of end of service benefits innovative and sophisticated schemes, that are becoming highly welcomed by the private and governmental institutions in the country. The establishment of a new integrated package of financial services will benefit a number of vital economic sectors such as banking, insurance, investment, and others, they said.

They also pointed out that there are significant social and economic benefits that can be gained when applying and adopting innovative systems to manage workers’ incentives, including enhancing the UAE’s ranking in attractiveness as a working environment, and a preferred destination for retirement, and the consequent strengthening of economic sectors related to consumers such as real estate, retail and governmental services.

Organized by Mondial LLC, a leading financial advisory firm in UAE on the subject of ‘severance pay’ strategies, the one-day conference addressed problems and find solutions currently experienced with the End of Service Benefits. This issue affects every working visa holder in the country. Therefore, this topic should be of interest to all business owners and HR Departments in the nation.

The conference’s first session titled “The Global Problem at Your Front Door” Moderated by Martin McGuigan, Partner McLagan, AON, where Mazen Abukhater, Consultant and Actuary, Mercer, presented an Overview of Retirement Systems Around the World. Followed by an Overview of the UAE’s Practice, Prevalence & Enhancements by Michael G. Brough, Senior Director, Willis Towers Watson. Then, Philip Wheeler, Senior Manager, MENA Pensions Advisory, Ernst & Young will give the audience an overview of corporates: Theory vs Reality.

The Second session: “Legal Consequences of Doing Things Wrong” was moderated by Peter Duke, Head of the Middle East & Africa Sales, Fidelity International, & Katherine Neal, Counsel. Afterwards, Ogier who shared a speech about “Options to Set Up International Solutions”. Ending this session will be Yannick Ramsamy, Counsel, Clyde & Co. will lead a discussion about Aligning EOSB Goals with Local Laws.

The following session “Present Position to the Future” was moderated by Paul Firth, Head of Wellbeing Services, ICAS. It Included Sean Kelleher, CEO, Mondial Dubai’s presentation titled: ‘A Road Map’, followed by Elaine Graham, Director, Zedra, explaining the “Client Discovery Process”.

The fourth session: End-to-End Solutions was moderated by Katy Hillside, Regional Sales Manager, FIS. Where Martin McGuigan, Partner McLagan, AON, shared a presentation titled; Bundled Options. Followed by Peter Cox, Head of Sales, Zurich International, describing the Bespoke Solutions & how to fill the void.

The fifth session moderated by Frank Carr, discussed the topic of “Technology Enabling Transformation”, where Roger David, Strategic Accounts Executive, FIS presented a case study about Corporate Savings Scheme Adoption. Followed by Richard Packman, Group Chief Executive, Vantage explaining how to establish and operate a company retirement scheme.

The Sixth session titled “Creating Employee Trust in End of Service Benefits” moderated by Philip Rose, Founder & Director, Halwyn, after which the guests had the chance to listen to Tania Bearryman, Executive Director, Intertrust explaining why trusts are considered powerful special purpose vehicles. Followed by Nina Johnston TEP, Managing Director, Equiom’s brief about managing EOSB Trust.

The last session was dedicated toward designing a portfolio to meet retirement objectives, it was moderated by Peter Duke, Head of the Middle East & Africa Intermediary Sales, Fidelity International Damien Maltwood, Investment Manager, Quilter Cheviot who gave a global outlook, and Steve Corrin, Head of Institutional and Wholesale Distribution, Emirates NBD will present a regional outlook.

The conference ended with a keynote speech about: Pioneering Enhanced EOSB in the UAE by a mystery speaker.

Latest Avaya Research Reveals That UAE Consumers Demand ‘SuperService’

• Four-in-Five UAE consumers want an immediate response from the organizations they contact
• UAE consumers want organizations to deploy new technologies such as voice biometrics and AI to improve convenience and security

Four-in-five UAE consumers expect an immediate response from the organizations and vendors they contact’part of a growing demand for ‘SuperServe’ customer engagement, according to the latest global research conducted by Avaya Holdings Corp. (NYSE: AVYA) and Davies Hickman Partners.

The two companies polled 8,000 consumers across Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, the UAE and the UK, on their views on interacting with large organizations. The findings reveal a demand among consumers for ‘SuperServe’ organizations-those that go above and beyond typical levels of service to anticipate and act upon customer requests.

According to the report, 82% of UAE consumers believe that large organizations should make customer contact easier, compared to a global average of 79%. The report also found that UAE consumers are more demanding of SuperServe organizations, with 86% wanting an immediate response from the organizations they contact. That figure is compared to the global average of 79%.

What’s more, UAE consumers are prepared to support organizations that make interacting with them easier. 81% of those surveyed said that convenience is more important than price, compared to 63% of consumers globally, who said the same thing.

‘SuperService is becoming a key demand among UAE consumers. We have conducted this research biennially since 2010, and this year’s results shows that customers will remain loyal to organizations that provide outstanding customer service, across every channel, and make communication easy,’ said Fadi Hani, Vice President ‘ Middle East, Africa and Turkey, Avaya.

‘Based on this research, the path to becoming a SuperServe organization involves taking on four key considerations. The first, and most obvious, is that SuperServe organizations will provide easy and immediate responses to customer queries across any channel. Secondly, they’ll re-think the self-service model by implementing new technologies that empower customers, rather than offload work onto them. They will also augment new channels with AI and predictive analytics. Finally, SuperServe organizations will extend the stellar customer experience to the entire enterprise, meaning employees are just as empowered as the customers they’re serving.’

Certainly, the UAE consumers polled for the report expressed a desire for large organizations to adopt emerging, advanced technologies that will improve the customer experience. Over 60% said they’d like to use a smart speaker such as an Amazon Echo to access customer service, while 78% would like to use voice biometrics to bypass identification and verification questions. Those figures compare to global averages of 50% and 71% respectively.

The research also found that consumers in the UAE would be happy to deal with organizations that use AI and predictive analytics to improve the customer experience. Over four in five say they like it when organizations notice if they’re having difficulty with a process, and 59% want AI to notify them if there’s a problem with a product or service. Additionally, UAE consumers expressed trust in the algorithm; 63% want AI to make better recommendations about new products and services.

Despite this desire to interact with organizations in exciting and advanced ways, however, the report noted that voice remains a crucial part of the customer experience. Almost two-thirds of UAE consumers prefer using the phone to explain customer service problems, and 73% say they get the best answer to queries by using the phone.

‘SuperServe organizations recognize the importance of high-quality human interactions, and will provide a contact center service that leverages AI to anticipate customer needs. The organizations aiming to be successful will also make it possible to provide the same great experience across every channel’be it social, chat, email or phone,’ said Hani.

SuperServe companies in the UAE do, however, need to be careful around the use of personal data, if the report is anything to go by. The results show that consumers do buy more from organizations that make it easier to do business with them, but 84% worry about security when giving out credit card details over the phone. What’s more, 78% believe that large organizations are not handling their data securely.

‘Too often, protecting personal data inevitably means poor customer experience as extra layers of interaction, data or passwords are required. SuperServe organizations will utilize technology to help enhance security whilst improving customer ease going forward,’ added Hani.

Falconry In The Middle East: What’s The Fascination?

Falconry is an ancient practice whose regal connotations go back centuries. Originally used for hunting, falcons were also a status symbol among the wealthy and influential. Today, thanks to the cost and time constraints of keeping these birds, as well as the licences required, falconry is not as common, and birds no longer hold the status they once did.

Despite the vast amounts of money, time and expertise needed to successfully keep, breed and hunt with falcons and other birds of prey, they remain incredibly popular in the Middle East, where many royals, wealthy individuals and even ordinary members of the public continue to enjoy flying falcons.

A few years ago a Reddit post showcased the true extent of the Middle East’s love affair with falconry, when a user shared a picture of a plane filled with hawks, allegedly owned by a member of the Saudi Arabian royal family.

Although the ownership of the birds is not verified, they symbolise the Middle East’s on-going passion for the sport. At the end of 2018 Gulf Today reported a 30% year-on-year increase in participation in the Sharjah Falconers Club Championship ‘ (Telwah).

Many may not be surprised by the Middle East’s continued fascination with falconry, particularly since many animals are still used as status symbols in the region. For example, camel racing remains a popular sport and many racehorses and pedigree dogs are owned by MEA residents who wish to use these animals as a symbol of their wealth and power.

Gary Timbrell, CEO of the International Association for Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey explores how falconry originally came to the Middle East and how far it has come over the years.

‘Western falconry almost died out. In Europe from the Middle Ages it gradually became the pastime of the rich, who then excluded the ordinary people. Then guns were invented that were a much more efficient method of getting food. By the 19th century, European falconry was hanging on by a thread. It struggled through the first half of the 20th century and then, in the £60s and £70s was hit with a sudden plunge in the peregrine falcon population.

‘In 1976 the late Sheikh Zayed brought together falconers and conservationists from all over the world to discuss two things: why the peregrine was in decline and how falconry and its traditional values could be revived. He was successful in both his visions: the falconers and conservationists worked together to discover the cause for the peregrine’s sudden demise (agricultural pesticides like DDT) and to restore the world population by captive breeding and release. Now there are more peregrine falcons than ever before in the history of mankind.

‘His Highness’ vision to revive falconry and its values also worked: first of all, he encouraged his own people to continue practicing ancestral values, while enjoying the wealth that modernity brought to his nation. The fact that falconry had never quite sunk in the Arab countries to the low level it had in Europe, helped a lot.

‘Sheikh Zayed and his sons, their Highnesses Sheikhs Khalifa, Mohammed and Hamdan, were all instrumental in the 2010 inscription of Falconry on the UNESCO Lists of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Mankind. Eighteen countries, led by UAE, are now part of this inscription and they will be joined in the next two years by at least five others. This initiative, which included the International Falconry Festivals in Abu Dhabi of 2011, 2014 and 2017, enabled falconers from up to 90 different countries, often countries where one or two falconers were just clinging to their passions, but sometimes from countries where authentic communities were still practicing the falconry of their ancestors, to come together and discuss and work out ways to save their heritage.’

Thanks to the sport’s popularity in the region, it hosts many exhibitions and events, where international falconry fans gather to share their passion. Gary explains the excitement these events evoke.

‘In 2017 International Festival of Falconry, held in the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed School of Falconry and Desert Physiognomy, near Remah, and in Khalifa Park in Abu Dhabi City, the values of traditional falconry were apparent on an amazing level, young people and old people mixing and learning from each other, 25-30 languages, people communicating even though they did not speak the same languages, no political or national differences, I have never experienced anything like it in my life.’

It is this shared passion and openness that is perhaps what sets the Middle East, in particular countries such as Qatar and the UAE, apart in terms of falconry. Whereas in Europe and America the sport is confined to a limited number of dedicated practitioners, in the Middle East there is a collective focus on falconry as a hobby, and it is this that has led the region to become one of the largest markets for falconry in the world. This passion for falconry offers businesses an insight into the mindset of the region, with its focus on prestige and heritage, and also provides many exciting opportunities for companies in this sector and many others to capitalise on the region’s passion for birds of prey.

Gearing Up for Growth’Critical Success Factors for Middle East Manufacturers

By: Terri Hiskey, Vice President of Product Marketing for Manufacturing at Epicor Software

Drivers of Immense Societal Change

The Hissah Enrichment Center (HEC) provides the Middle East with education, training and consulting services. In August, the center was named among the winners of the 2018 MEA Excellence Awards programme as the ‘Leading Mentoring Service Provider of the Year’. Following this deserved win, we spoke to Dr. Anastasia Kamanos who, as Director of Development, offered a remarkable insight into the center’s considerable achievements and core mission.

The United Arab Emirates has, for the last decade at least, been a region of extraordinary business growth. In more recent years, it has also been a hub of immense societal change, driving development across the Middle East. In light of this, the UAE has become a popular ‘hot-spot’ for young professionals and expats to achieve the long sought after equilibrium between career development and family life. The Hissah Enrichment Center was created to provide essential services to the region that truly put the client at the center, offering training and consultation to strengthen personal and professional relationships in the workplace, home and community.  

By all regards, Dr. Anastasia Kamanos can be considered an expert in the fields of gender, creativity, identity and empowerment. Her practised skill set makes her an invaluable asset to the center, as she enriches her client’s interpersonal skills, and teaches them about the importance of personal power and self-esteem. To start the interview, Anastasia explains the philosophy behind HEC’s dedication to the client experience. ‘HEC embraces a client service philosophy that is intrinsic to our workplace culture and is anchored in a simple though crucial principle of ‘the needs of our clients come first’. That said, the HEC ‘culture’ doesn’t exist on paper; it exists in the way we interact with our clients and each other. The success of our business relies on having the ‘right’ people in place who embody the practices, high standards and philosophy of well-being that we promote. When the core of your business is personal development, there is no room for mediocrity as each day is an opportunity to thrive.’

Anastasia continues, emphasizing the importance of the HEC in the context of the Middle East region. ‘The UAE is a popular hot-spot for young professionals, offering an unprecedented balance between home and work life. Abu-Dhabi in particular is a hub of cultural, educational and leisure opportunities that attract both expat and local families. However, the challenge of bridging home life and work life don’t occur seamlessly. Young families face personal, professional, economic, and mental stress. Businesses that want to attract and retain top talent must be ready to adopt a growth mindset that supports the needs of this very diverse cohort of professionals. Adapting to the changing profile of potential employees is challenging, and easier said than done.’

‘Success requires that knowledge be broadened, beliefs reshaped, and awareness heightened. For example, traditional infrastructures and business models that have not been the domain of women, now need to respond to the needs of women who want to pursue careers while bringing up their families. Acknowledging the economic and social benefits of day-care facilities, flexible work hours and at-home work possibilities requires an evolution and shift of business mindsets.’

This ties in closely to the unique advantages that the United Arab Emirates has to offer, as it looks to become the manifestation of modern living. ‘The UAE has a unique vibe that speaks to the very ethos of individuals, families, and businesses of 21st century who seek out personal and professional opportunities and challenges. Their quest for personal development is understood within an ecological framework of well-being that includes social, physical, emotional and psychological health. HEC is the service epicentre of a growth environment that provides individuals, families, businesses and educational institutions with diverse programs, workshops and individual sessions that respond to their specific needs.’ 

Within the UAE, the HEC remain leaders of an industry that is slowly seeing growth. Their honed expertise distinguishes them from the competition, and their record of success speaks volumes about their ability to provide best in class education and training. Anastasia believes that their reputation for excellence provides a springboard for further expansion as the region becomes rooted in the cultural paradigm shift. She takes a moment to explain how the HEC has forged itself as the go-to enrichment center. ‘Clients today are savvy. They have access to a wealth of information that allows them to make informed choices. They use the information readily available as a guide to recognizing and acknowledging their best options. Time and again, our clients seek us out because they have done their homework, researched the background of our accredited professionals and generally prefer a deeper, more meaningful and developed, professional relationship that matches their values and that goes beyond the information readily available on the internet or found in popular magazines.’

As drivers of this change, the HEC have settled themselves at the head of a rising demand for personal enrichment services. In the last couple of years, the area has seen a considerable injection of resources and investment, leading to swift advancements in research and available knowledge. In Anastasia’s eyes, this is a blessing and a challenge: ‘The sheer volume of information available requires critical thinking, understanding and thorough investigation of sources. It’s a daily challenge to ‘separate the wheat from the chaff’ when keeping abreast of research.’

‘The impact of recent research in neuroscience has revolutionized the way we understand brain functions and has spawned different trends in relation to well-being and lifelong learning. Knowing that not all trends are created equal is crucial. At HEC, we go beyond empty clich’s and provide our clients with practical steps that will improve their lives. Education, knowledge, curiosity, creativity and courage help us to seek out answers to questions we weren’t aware we were asking. This allows us to step out of our comfort zones to new forms of knowing that disrupt routine ways of thinking and seeing.’

In her closing comments, Anastasia offers a brief look into the future of the HEC, as they move towards expansion: ‘We have recently moved our offices from Dubai to Abu-Dhabi and are looking forward to providing our services to the larger GCC community.’

Company: Hissah Enrichment Center

Address: Office 102, Block 6, Dubai Knowledge Park, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Website: hissahec.com

Telephone: 971 4 391 4306