myUAE Times

ATM kicks off today!

Dubai, UAE Middle East's largest travel and tourism event, Arabian Travel Market (ATM) opens its door today at Dubai International Exhibition and Convention Center (DIECC). This year's ATM is the largest ever edition with exhibitor base of 2,208 participants from 70 countries (8% increase from 2007). ATM is to run till May 9. Report by Gulf News here

Timings:

May 6 1- 7pm Meridian Club and trade visitors

May 7 11am - 7pm Meridian Club and trade visitors

May 8 11am - 7pm Meridian Club and trade visitors

May 9 4 - 9pm Meridian Club, trade and consumer visitors

Car park: FREE car parking available in car parking area B and C, opposite Novotel hotel and car park F, adjacent to Za'abeel Hall.

Shuttle buses: Will run from 9am between the car park areas and the exhibition hall entrances nearthe Novotel and Ibis hotels

UAE News: Capital on the Spotlight!

Fewest ever vacancies in the Capital
Fewer than five out of every 1,000 flats and villas in popular residential areas of the capital are available to rent, property consultants say. It appears to confirm that the city’s vacancy rate is at its lowest ever, a situation analysts warn could hinder economic growth. More here

Rents in AUH continue to Soar!
The most in-depth study of rental prices in the capital was released yesterday, and broke down the increased costs by street and neighbourhood. The smallest increase was eight per cent for a two-bedroom apartment in Khalidiyah, while the largest was a hike of 50 per cent in just three months for single-bedroom units on Passport Road. More here

Capital's Plan to Attract More Visitors
Under the umbrella of the Travellers Welcome campaign, the emirate wants to promote itself as an upmarket city that retains the elements of being an authentic, friendly Arabian destination. Read further here

Abu Dhabi: Building a Creative City
In Abu Dhabi, a city of innumerable languages, home to migrants of all sorts – with various talents, some yet to be realised – there exists precisely this possibility. How might they together make both themselves and the city? Full article here

Seminar: Synergistic Investment Opportunities

EVENT A seminar and dialogue jointly organized by the office of the Consulate General of Malaysia, Malaysia Trade Center (Dubai) and SKRINE (one of Malaysia's law firms) on investment opportunities in Malaysia is to take place on April 13, 2008.

The event - "Synergistic Investment Opportunities: The UAE and Malaysia" will be held at Dubai Rooms C and D, Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center from 8:30am to 4:00pm. Deputy Governor Bank Negara Malaysia, Dato' Mohd Razif Abdul Kadir will deliver the opening key note address.

For more information & RSVP, click this link or contact Halimah or sn@skrine.com.

 

Dubai News Round-up

Brand your "own" Metro Station In what seems to be a first in the region, Dubai's RTA has announced the opportunity for companies to sponsor Metro stations for a period of up to 10 years. The scheme allows companies to name the stations, with proceeds from the sponsorship to be used to finance public projects. There will be a total of 23 out of 47 stations available for sponsorship. Dubai metro is said to be one of the most advanced mass urban rail system in the world. Can we have myUAE station please? More here

Number auction Dubai plates "43" and "61" were sold at a record Dhs.2.3 million each at RTA's (Road and Transport Authority) number plate auction. The total collection from the sale was Dhs.41 million - collected from the sales of two, three, four and five digit number plates. More here

The Arabian Business Power List!

It's out! The annual Arab list by Arabian Business has officially been released. The list of World's Most Powerful Arab for 2008 saw Saudi Prince, Al Waleed at numero uno. Iraq's football team caption Younes Mahmoud has been ranked at number two while Dubai World's Chairman - Sultan Ben Sulayem sits pretty at number three.

Al Waleed has been ranked as the most powerful Arab in the world for the past four years. He is also said the be the richest Arab in the world.

The 2008 list is claimed to be the most comprehensive compilation to date that includes influential Arabs who have the greatest impact in the past year as sports personality, doctors, scientist, academics (among others).

However, observers mentioned that the list is highly skewed towards the pop/media sphere - possibly due to the power these people possess among the majority of the Arab population (the young generation).

UAE has 21 on the list, having three among the top 10. The full list can be viewed here

Previous postings:
Gulf most admired companies here
Fortune's Power List here
Arabian Business rich list here

UAE News Round-up

Motorists told to be vigilant! Sandstorm to hit UAE on Saturday and Sunday; Temperature is set to go down with the arrival of the Shammal wind. Read it here and here

Dubai to have Prophet's Muhammad's museum soon! The museum to be under DACA (Dubai Authority for Culture and Arts) will be devoted to the life and message of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). More here

Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) tops Sovereign Fund list. With more than USD900 billion in assets, ADIA is the world's biggest SWF, leaving Singapore Investment Corporation a distant second. More here

Etihad to sponsor F1 team. Ferrari is set to fly high with UAE's air carrier, Etihad. Full story here

Food Festival is Here!

Dubai, UAE The 13th Gulfood Exhibition opens its door today till February 27. The exhibition, organized by Dubai World Trade Center is being held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center.

The trade only event allows interested parties to pre-register online where they can walk into the exhibition free. While those who do not pre-register will have to pay Dhs.40 for a one-day pass or Dhs.100 for a four day pass.

Several Malaysian companies are participating in the event. Exhibitor profile can be viewed here

Exhibition: Malaysian Services Exhibition

Malaysian Services Exhibition

Jan 13 - 15, 2008

Sharjah Expo Center, UAE

More info here

Register Online here

For more info, contact Matrade (Dubai) here and here

Book and Halal Fair in UAE!

Sharjah's annual book fair was officially open last 2 days by Sheikh Dr. Sultan al Qasimi, Sharjah Ruler. The fair (already its 26th edition!), Sharjah World Book Fair is open to public till December 14, 2007 at Sharjah Expo Center.

Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi is set host the first Halal expo from Sunday December 9th till 11th. The Halal World Expo organized by IIR Middle East will provide the UAE with an international platform for the Halal marketplace to network with businesses in the food, garments and other lifestyle industries. It will be held at ADNEC (Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center).

Fortune's Power 25 List!

Fortune magazine listed their Top 25 Business men. Mohammad Al Abbar, Emaar's boss was also mentioned in the December 17 edition (among the people at right place and at the right time!).

The Top 10 list:
1. Steve Jobs (who else! Apple's Think Different maestro!)
2. Rupert Murdoch (Chairman/CEO Newscorp)
3. Llyod Blankfein (Chairman/CEO Goldman Sachs)
4. Google's Trio (Eric Schmidt, Larry Page & Sergei Brin)
5. Warren Buffet ((Chairman/CEO Berkshire Hathaway)
6. Rex Tillerson (Chairman/CEO Exxon)
7. Bill Gates (Takkan tak kenal Mat ni?)
8. Jeff Immelt (Chairman/CEO GE)
9. Katsuaki Watanabe (President, Toyota)
10. A.G. Lafley (Chairman/CEO P& G)

Full report here