Etihad Airways and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank hold recruitment promotion for ADIB Etihad Guest Visa

Source: Etihad Airways website.

Etihad Guest, Etihad Airways’ loyalty programme, and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), a UAE-based financial institution, have announced an offer for new applicants for the ADIB Etihad Guest Visa covered card.

Successful applicants can earn up to 100,000 Etihad Guest Miles* upon registration for the card in addition to enjoying benefits such as fast-tracking to Etihad Guest Gold Tier membership, and the highest mile per dirham earning rate on international card purchases. With 100,000 miles a cardholder can book a one way flight* to London in First Class, a one-way flight to Brisbane in Business Class or a return flight to New York in Economy Class, on Etihad Airways.**

Yasser Al Yousuf, Managing Director of Etihad Guest, said: “We are committed to continually providing our valued Etihad Guest members with the most innovative and rewarding products and services in the market. We have a successful partnership with ADIB, and our latest offer in partnership with ADIB’s award-winning ADIB Etihad Guest Visa covered card is the best card acquisition offer in the region.”

Philip King, Head of Retail Banking UAE, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, said: “Our successful partnership with Etihad Guest continues to bring outstanding value to our customers in the UAE. We are pleased to bring yet another offer to our customers and we are confident this will contribute in further cementing our position as a leading provider of value-added retail banking products and services.”

Interested?

Apply for the card. Applicants can call 800 2882 or SMS ‘FLY’ to telephone number 2400 to sign up for an ADIB Etihad Guest Visa Card. The special offer is valid for successful applications approved by 15 December 2015. 

Applicants can also visit the ADIB Etihad Guest travel card Member Centre located at Abu Dhabi Airport Terminal 3. The facility is designed to meet the needs of existing cardholders to answer questions about the travel benefits of ADIB Etihad Guest cards as well as take new applications. The member centre will remain open until 15 January, 2016.

*Cardholders will receive an additional 50,000 Etihad Guest Miles on top of the 50,000 Etihad Guest Mile welcome bonus for the ADIB Etihad Guest Visa Platinum card upon meeting the minimum spend criteria within 45 days of card issuance.

**Actual miles required for GuestSeats vary per destination and travel class and are subject to availability. Carrier and airport surcharges apply.

IFC and Citi provide US$1.2 billion to support trade in emerging markets

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and Citi have agreed to develop a US$1.2 billion risk-sharing facility to help stimulate the growth of trade in emerging markets and to support economic development. IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. Working with private enterprises in about 100 countries, IFC works to help eliminate extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity.

The signing marks the extension of two existing facilities under the IFC Global Trade Liquidity Program. Citi was IFC’s first partner bank under the Global Trade Liquidity Program, a coordinated global initiative which was launched in 2009. Since its inception, these collaborative efforts have financed a total trade volume of US$20 billion, with around US$4.2 billion in International Development Association countries - which include Bangladesh and Indonesia - and US$7.1 billion in low income and lower middle-income countries. This long-standing partnership has facilitated financing for 3,368 trade transaction through 163 Emerging Market Issuing Banks in 40 countries, of which 23 are low and lower middle-income countries.

“Citi’s partnership with the IFC has been a tremendous success, helping to stimulate the recovery and growth of global trade in emerging markets," said Anurag Chaudhary, Global Head of Distribution for Citi’s Treasury and Trade Solutions. "Citi has been a trusted partner to banks, corporations and the public sector across the emerging markets for many decades, and through our collaboration with IFC – as well as other development and export credit agency partners around the globe – we are firmly committed to restoring the flow of trade and commerce financing around the world; and to helping emerging market economies play a more significant role within global trade."

The IFC Global Trade Liquidity Program works in partnership with global and regional banks with the goal of expanding the availability of trade credit at a time of global scarcity in trade finance. IFC announced an extension of the programme in 2012 to continue promoting international trade growth in emerging markets, including many of the world’s lowest income countries. The facility extension will expand the availability of trade credit for clients in emerging markets over a four-year span through a risk-sharing structure. IFC and partners will contribute US$600 million, and Citi will provide an additional US$600 million.

“As the availability of global trade finance continues to decline, IFC is committed to working with Citi to find innovative ways to help expand trade finance flows in the developing world – and the Global Trade Liquidity Program is one such successful effort,” said Marcos Brujis, IFC Director of Financial Institutions Group. “Citi has been one of IFC’s most dedicated partners in trade finance, and IFC looks forward to continuing this partnership to benefit SMEs and the emerging markets in which they operate.”

Citi will use the funding to originate and fund trade finance transactions in Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, enabling its bank clients to extend financing to local importers and exporters. The funding is expected to support emerging market trade flows of more than US$6 billion through 2019.

Etihad Airways enables payment for flights to be collected from homes in Abu Dhabi

Guests now have access to more choices when making bookings on Etihad Airways’ website following the recent introduction of new online payment services.

The airline’s guests in the UAE can now book flights or ancillary services conveniently using Pay@home’s online payment option and have the cash collected from their nominated location within 24 hours.

Etihad Airways is the first airline in the Middle East to offer Pay@home, in cooperation with its payment partner, Payfort, which manages cash collection on behalf of the airline.

Pay@home offers a cash payment method enabling collection from homes - still a preferred payment option for many customers in the region.

Justin Warby, Etihad Airways’ Vice President Direct Sales, said: “In selecting additional payment methods for our guests, we took a very local approach. We wanted to give options which catered for the needs of our guests. The addition of Pay@home will make a significant difference to online bookings.

“With Pay@home, we now offer our guests in the UAE greater choice and flexibility when it comes to paying for the tickets they have booked online. This is part of our commitment to our guests to improve our service offering continuously.”

Interested?

Booking online can be done at www.etihad.com. When filling in the payment details, guests can choose “Home Cash Collection” as the payment method. Once they complete booking, guests will be contacted to confirm the address they have specified and a suitable time for the collection of payment. Courier teams will collect the payments and provide a receipt upon payment.

Pay@home purchases are available only if the reservation is made at least 48 hours before the flight’s departure and the payment is made within 24 hours at the location and time agreed for the collection. Fare price and availability may change or guests can request for the reservation to be cancelled.

The new payment options are only available for UAE Dirham (AED) transactions and for flights departing from Abu Dhabi, UAE. Future plans include expanding the Pay@home offering to other strategic markets of Etihad Airways.

Albilad Bank to sponsor AAOIFI's Shari'ah Standards studies

Source: AAOIFI.

In its efforts to promote the Islamic finance industry, Albilad Bank is sponsoring AAOIFI's Shari'ah Standards studies, which will be inaugurated and published by AAOIFI in December 2015 both in hard copy and electronic formats, in addition to inclusion in a dedicated mobile application for smart phones.

This publication includes study papers and researches drawn up by shari'ah scholars and experts over the past 18 years as part of the Shari'ah Standards issuance process, including explanations, inferences, and presentation of contemporary fiqh reasoning in the area of financial transactions. Islamic finance products and contracts covered include those related to banking, takaful, investment banking, financial markets, and financing.

AAOIFI is a nonprofit infrastructure body for the international Islamic finance industry. It has more than 200 institutional members from more than 45 countries from around the world.

HE Khaled Bin Sulaiman, CEO, Albilad Bank, stated:  "This initiative reflects one side of the efforts being exerted by Albilad Bank towards promotion and augmentation of the Islamic finance industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and globally. AAOIFI's standards are also considered the leading professional benchmark for the industry, and the support of which will certainly have a substantial positive impact embodied in the enhancement of confident in, and reliability of, the Islamic finance industry and its products and offerings."

Dr Hamed Hassan Merah, Secretary General, AAOIFI, said: "Albilad Bank is of the influential financial institutions across the industry. The agreement culminates a long-lasting and ongoing, distinct professional relationship with AAOIFI."

Albilad Bank's Shari'ah Supervisory Board has issued 14 publications, including scientific theses and research in Islamic economics and the fiqh of financial transactions. These include a compendium on Stipulations Extracted from Resolutions of Albilad Bank's Shari'ah Supervisory Board. 

AAOIFI has issued 94 standards to date, including 54 shari'ah standards, 26 accounting standards, five auditing standards, two codes of ethics, and seven governance standards. 

Indonesia issues shari'ah securities via Bank Syariah Mandiri

The Indonesian government has issued government shari'ah securities (SBSN) series PBS-010 through fund placement by Bank Syariah Mandiri on October 26, 2015.

The nominal amount of the ijarah assets is 1 trillion rupiah, at a coupon of 8.625% per year. The yield is 8.7%, to mature on January 25, 2019.

Muslim case law explained in new book from OUP India

Cases on Muslim Law of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, by Alamgir Muhammad Serajuddin, Professor Emeritus, Department of History, and former Vice-Chancellor, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh, provides an introduction to the basic principles and rules of Muslim law, and shows how case law acts as a social barometer and an instrument of change.

Source: OUP website.

Published by OUP India, the book offers 61 essential cases on Muslim law from pre- and post-independent India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, explains the basic principles and rules of Muslim law, and their application by the courts.

The cases discussed cover such diverse areas as sources and interpretation of law, institution of marriage, polygamous marriages, dower, restitution of conjugal rights, talaq, khula, irreconcilable breakdown of marriage, legitimacy, guardianship, and maintenance of wives and divorced wives. Legislations covered include the Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act 1939, Muslim Family Laws Ordinance 1961, and Muslim Women Act 1986.

The book also shows how religion-based rules of personal law have been interpreted by secular courts during certain epochs in history and how the trend of interpretation has changed over the last 150 years.

Interested?

The book (ISBN 978-0-19-945761-8) is available in hardback for £34.99.

Islamic finance key to helping SMEs grow

In his opening remarks at the International SMEs Conference, held within the framework of the G20 meetings taking place in Istanbul under the Turkish Presidency, the President of the Republic of Turkey HE Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group for supporting the Islamic banking industry in Turkey, noting that the Group contributed US$570 million this year to finance the construction of the country’s Vakifbank, and to provide a credit line to the Export Credit Bank of Turkey to promote SMEs in Turkey and support their competitiveness in global markets.

Said IDB Group President, Dr Ahmad Mohamed Ali: "SMEs create jobs and foster growth, contribute to political stability and make a significant dent
on poverty in every country. Statistics show that SMEs contribute to an estimated 43.5% of the total job opportunities created at international level, a figure that can increase to 57.8% worldwide.”

The IDB Group President also commended the Islamic Research and Training Institute (IRTI) and the World Bank’s Global Islamic Finance Development Center for their joint work that contributed to a flagship report, Leveraging Islamic Finance for SMEs. "I also envisage that this report will bring significant benefits to G20 constituencies, as well as other developing countries, who are interested in leveraging the Islamic financial services industry for stimulating SMEs,” Dr Ahmad said.

“The major challenge faced by SMEs is access to financing. The need to deal with this challenge better highlights the significance of recognising the potentials of Islamic finance which can greatly contribute to development of SMEs as it helps in promotion of collective cooperation for the sake of production and investment.”

In his conclusion, Dr Ahmad called for the establishment of a working group to exchange expertise and develop innovative Islamic financial instruments.

The event was organised by the World Bank, the IDB Group, the Turkish Prime Ministry’s Under-secretariat for Treasury, as well as the country’s industrialists and businessmen's association (TUMSIAD). 

Etihad Airways will leverage Adobe solutions to understand passengers better

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, has a new strategic partnership with Adobe that will enhance the airline’s capabilities to create tailored offerings for its guests through a deeper understanding of their travel preferences and how they would like to engage with the airline.

With Adobe Marketing Cloud and Creative Cloud, the airline group and its partners are empowered to create a secure, cost effective digital guest experience. Additionally, the technology will enhance the airlines’ digital marketing capabilities to provide tailored and personalised services across the globe.

Etihad Airways and its partners will use Adobe’s capabilities across Guest Experience, Global Loyalty, Cargo, Direct Sales, Marketing, Social Media and other areas of their businesses. Adobe’s solutions will enable superior digital experiences such as full self-service capabilities using digital devices. It provides greater convenience for guests as they interact with Etihad Airways and its businesses on their chosen device.

Robert Webb, Chief Information and Technology Officer at Etihad Airways, said: “This technology will entirely revolutionise the digital experience for our guests as well as the business as a whole. This investment in Adobe will allow us to enable a truly superior and seamless guest experience.

“As we continue to partner with world-class technology leaders, we’re working to ensure a remarkable experience for our guests, right from initial contact, through their journey and beyond.”

At least 10% of LinkedIn's Most InDemand Employers for EMEA 2015 hail from Middle East

Source: LinkedIn blog.

LinkedIn has unveiled the 100 Most InDemand Employers for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa in 2015*. The rankings reflect the most sought-after organisations across the region and are calculated based on analysing billions of interactions between professionals and companies on LinkedIn, the company said in a blog post.

Nine of the top 100 hail from the UAE, the only Middle Eastern country to be mentioned. At No. 6 is Emirates, No. 15 Saudi Aramco, No. 20 is Etihad, Emaar is No. 27, and Etisalat at No. 30. Qatar Airways is No. 54, while the Jumeirah Group is No. 68. At No. 73 and 74 are the National Bank of Abu Dhabi and Mashreq Bank respectively. Dubai Islamic Bank is No. 79, and the luxury firm Chalhoub is ranked No. 98.

Ray Gammell, Etihad Airways’ Chief People and Performance Officer, said: “This means that Etihad Airways has built one of the strongest talent brands in EMEA based on its engagement with LinkedIn’s members.

“Etihad Airways is an employer of choice and our highly engaged and motivated employees have been the cornerstone of our growth. This acknowledgment showcases our focus on building a winning culture for our employees that offers challenging roles, encourages a culture of performance and provides career progression opportunities.

“We offer our more than 25,000 people from over 140 nationalities a number of unique employee benefits, including an on-site nursery, ambulance service, a full-service medical centre, flight benefits, accommodation assistance and education support.”

Ali Matar, Head of Talent Solutions, LinkedIn MENA, said: “The continuing presence of brands from the region demonstrates the quality of work being done by employers in the Middle East to attract the very best talent, and puts them among the most sought-after employers worldwide.”

More than a quarter of the list (27%) are retail and consumer goods firms, with the next-most popular industry being oil and gas (18%). Technology firms were in third place, accounting for 15% of the list.

*The InDemand list takes into consideration:

• Member awareness of a company on LinkedIn (for example, how many members have viewed your employees’ profiles, or connected with them, in the past year) 
• Member engagement with a company on LinkedIn (for example, how many members follow your company’s Company Page or have viewed your Company Page or Career Page in the past year) 
• Member interest in Jobs on LinkedIn (for example, how many members have viewed or applied for your jobs in the past year). This year LinkedIn added a new measurement: views or applications to a company’s jobs posted on LinkedIn, including limited listings.

Record number of students graduate from INCEIF

INCEIF – The Global University of Islamic Finance – has hosted the graduation of a record 248 students at its seventh convocation, the largest cohort since its inception in 2007. Of the 248 graduates, 12 received PhDs in Islamic Finance, 35 are Masters in Islamic Finance (MIF), 25 are Masters of Science in Islamic Finance (MSc IF), 76 are Masters of Islamic Finance Practice (MIFP) and 100 are Chartered Islamic Finance Professionals (CIFP).

Also graduating are five of the nine Maybank Islamic scholarship recipients, who received scholarships to study Masters in Islamic Finance Practice at INCEIF. The scholarships represent part of a dedicated programme by Maybank Islamic to invest in the future of Islamic finance and Islamic banking, which includes rising talent within the markets it currently operates – Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.
The graduation ceremony takes the number of INCEIF alumni to 1,078. INCEIF alumni have gone on to participate in or lead significant Islamic finance initiatives. Three INCEIF alumni contributed in the successful issuance of the US$1.5-billion dual-tranche Malaysian government sukuk.

Often in collaboration with its sharia’h research arm, ISRA – the Islamic Sharia’h Research Academy for Islamic Finance – INCEIF’s pursuit of global excellence continues to transcend the classroom. In his address at the convocation ceremony, INCEIF President & CEO Daud Vicary Abdullah said  INCEIF is on track to obtain the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation, which is the most renowned accreditation association of business schools.

INCEIF also announced that the World Bank has renewed its collaboration with the university for a further five years to focus on research in the field of risk sharing and poverty alleviation – two pivotal areas that have shaped global finance in recent times. Islamic finance is taking a lead to redress imbalances, ensure a fair, free and competitive banking culture and by providing a working framework for a risk-sharing financial system.
Daud, said: “The university’s programmes continue to expand our global footprint, and well beyond traditional shores. The increased participation of non-Muslim jurisdictions reflects the positive acceptance of Islamic finance among the global community.”

The global Islamic finance industry has witnessed a global resurgence over the past decade, with total assets currently estimated at US$2.1 trillion*. These investments largely take place on a cross-border basis, reinforcing the need for stronger trade and investment linkages, and regulations, between jurisdictions. Ernst & Young estimates that Islamic banking assets will grow by an average of 19.7% a year through to 2018 across the six most important markets for Islamic finance (QISMUT countries) – Qatar, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, the UAE and Turkey**.

Source: INCEIF. From left, INCEIF Chancellor, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, INCEIF President and CEO, Daud Vicary Abdullah and INCEIF President’s Award winner Mohamed Aslam Mohamed Iqbal.

Daud said INCEIF is keen to focus on building its reputation as a global thought leader in Islamic finance. The Thomson Reuters Islamic Finance Development Report indicated that 11% of global Islamic finance research output was from INCEIF and ISRA.

“In partnership with ISRA, INCEIF is playing an instrumental role in laying new foundations for governance and cross-market connectivity, most recently at the Global Ethical Finance Forum where we led panel discussions on developing a financial system that supports sustainable economic development using Islamic finance to provide the ethical framework for banking,” added Daud.

Asked about the immediate future for INCEIF and the Islamic finance industry, Daud announced the launch of its Endowment Fund on 4 November to attract the support of everyone who shares the university’s vision for the industry’s future.

*The Asset Global Finance Summit: Propelling Islamic Finance to the Global Stage

**Ernst & Young: World Islamic Banking and Competitiveness Report 2014

Hala Abu Dhabi is World's Best Halal Tour Operator 2015

Source: Etihad Airways.

Hala Abu Dhabi, the professional conference organiser and destination management company of Etihad Airways, was named World’s Best Halal Tour Operator at the inaugural World Halal Travel Awards 2015. Winners were announced in Abu Dhabi on 20 October 2015.

The awards celebrate best practice, service and distinction in travel and tourism brands within the international halal tourism sector. Winners are chosen from votes by 42,000 travel professionals in 53 countries.

Mohammed Al Bulooki, Etihad Airways’ Vice President UAE Commercial, said: “We are delighted to receive this award, which reinforces our commitment to the globally booming halal tourism market. But more importantly, it demonstrates our active engagement with our Muslim guests, offering options and high levels of service that will enhance their travel experience.

“Our dedicated programmes are tailored to provide Muslim travellers with exciting opportunities to explore the dynamic city of Abu Dhabi and enjoy its Arabian hospitality while maintaining the values and modesty of Muslim-friendly travel.”

Hala Abu Dhabi recently launched a new product, the Islamic City Stopover, which offers a range of four to five star hotels in Abu Dhabi that cater specifically to the needs of Muslim guests when traveling for Hajj or umrah. All hotels serve halal foods and non-alcoholic drinks, and feature prayer facilities. The programme includes a city tour to discover the history and culture of Abu Dhabi, with a visit to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Ladies-only tours are available, conducted by licensed female Hala Guest Guides.

Eton Institute to help Arabic learners with Emirati Arabic from November to December 2015

Source: Eton Institute website.

In celebration of the 44th UAE National Day, Eton Institute, a learning and development solutions provider, offers to send a new word or phrase in Emirati Arabic every day from 1 November to 2 December 2015 via a chosen social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Whatsapp.

Interested?

To get the Arabic phrases through Whatsapp, add ‘Eton Institute’ to your contact list:  +971 55 566 1483, then send them your name via a WhatsApp message

To get the Arabic phrases on other social media, follow Eton Institute on Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, Viki or YouTube.

Etihad and LUXE team up on collectible limited edition Business Class amenity kits

Source: Etihad Airways.

Etihad Airways has launched a new range of collectible limited edition Business Class amenity kits, the result of a unique collaboration between the airline and luxury travel brand LUXE City Guides, the guide for savvy travellers. The kits embody the flair synonymous with the Etihad Airways brand, and contain inflight amenities and natural facial products developed exclusively by London-based skincare and grooming brand Scaramouche + Fandango.

Six new stylised kit designs have been created by LUXE City Guides for Etihad Airways, inspired by some of the iconic cities on the airline’s extensive global network. The designs for Abu Dhabi, London and Madrid, have been specially produced for Etihad Airways, whilst the Los Angeles, Sydney and Hong Kong kits feature bespoke LUXE artwork. The initial limited edition offering will be expanded at a later stage, with new designs and more cities to be launched.

Each kit contains a customised Etihad Airways LUXE City Guide which corresponds to the showcased city, covering everything from hotels and restaurants, to spas, bars, boutiques and bespoke shopping, as well as services, specialists and personal guides. Scaramouche + Fandango has developed a unisex comfort kit and skincare offering in collaboration with Etihad Airways. Specially formulated for skincare needs inflight, the range consists of parabens-free products, high in natural ingredients, to enhance onboard wellbeing.

Calum Laming, Etihad Airways’ Vice President Guest Experience, said: “The introduction of these kits is not about providing brand names to our Business Class guests. It is about intelligent design, functionality and providing them with products which are attractive, natural, useful and re-usable. Collaborating with relevant, progressive lifestyle brands such as LUXE City Guides and Scaramouche + Fandango has enabled us to tailor amenities to the requirements of our guests while retaining all the authentic charm and sophistication of the Etihad Airways brand.

“Etihad Airways continues to reimagine the flying experience, setting a new benchmark for innovation and luxury. The introduction of these kits is part of a much bigger journey which was started with the introduction of our new revolutionary cabins on the flagship Airbus A380 and Boeing 787s, and the new service concepts introduced fleet-wide. These collectible kits also reflect the global nature of our business, while simultaneously highlighting the inspiration, style and unique qualities of our home, Abu Dhabi.”

Simon Westcott, LUXE City Guides Chief Executive Officer, said: “Etihad Airways offers one of the best inflight experiences in the world. In partnering with LUXE City Guides to create its new Business Class amenity kits, Etihad helps ensure that the premium experience extends long after its guests have landed. It is great to be working with fellow innovators.”

The comfort kit features a luxurious facial moisturiser enriched with vitamin E and made with anti-oxidants and essential oils to combat fatigue and the lower humidity levels in the cabin. Triglycerides and essential oils rebalance the skin’s natural moisture. A honey and shea butter lip balm enriched with vitamin E keeps lips hydrated. The new kits also include a sleep pack containing socks and eyemask, a care pack containing cotton pads and earbuds, in addition to a dental pack and earplugs.

The Abu Dhabi kit uses a unique design pattern inspired by the rich architectural heritage of the Emirate, translated into a style best described as Arabian Modernism. The pattern reflects the Etihad Airways’ brand and colour palette.

Halal travel opportunity is there for the taking: TCA Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is poised to become the regional hub for the lucrative and growing halal travel sector, which is worth an estimated US$238 billion by 2019, delegates heard at the opening of the first World Halal Travel Summit (WHTS2015), held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority's (TCA Abu Dhabi’s) Acting Director General HE Jasem Al Darmaki called on halal tour operators and the emirate’s tourism industry to embrace the opportunity.

Organised with the support of Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau – the dedicated business events promotion arm of TCA Abu Dhabi, the event included an exhibition with over 200 participants plus a 1,000-delegate conference. Twenty-one exhibitors participated at the Abu Dhabi destination pavilion, while a Heritage Village hosted an additional 12 Abu Dhabi-based exhibitors.

Hashtag: #WHTS

Consider going halal-friendly to grow in the hospitality industry: HMH

Laurent Voivenel, CEO of HMH - Hospitality Management Holdings, says that the way forward for the hospitality industry is to be halal-friendly as halal tourism holds enormous potential. "Given the business opportunity and demand halal-friendly hotels will continue to claim bigger market share globally. By 2030, Muslims will make up more than a quarter of the global population rising from 1.6 billion in 2010 to 2.2 billion and 30% of this population will seek halal options," he said at the World Halal Travel Summit & Exhibition (WHTS15).

As a travel segment, halal tourism equals roughly 10% of the entire travel economy and last year was calculated to be worth US$145 billion, representing over 108 million Muslim travellers. The segment is forecast to continue to grow to 150 million visitors by 2020 and will be worth over US$200 billion globally, HMH notes. Commanding 33% share of the MENA region's halal-friendly segment, HMH created the region's first international halal-friendly chain of hotels.

HMH spotted the opportunity early in the MENA region, rolling out the concept in 2003. Voivenel said, "At HMH we have taken a ‘halal-friendly’ and not ‘halal-only’ approach. Our strategy has been to position ourselves as a perfect choice for both regional and international corporate and leisure travellers including families and single female guests seeking safe and healthy environment. Let's not forget, not everybody is seeking halal hotels. The world is shrinking with greater connectivity as well as low cost carriers opening new markets bringing in more diverse mix of travellers. Therefore, the way forward is not halal-only; rather it is halal-friendly, and that is what we are all about."

According to Laurent dry hotels are equally popular with Western or non-Muslim travellers. He said, "On average over 60% of our clientele are non-Muslims. Our typical customers are savvy travellers (both leisure and corporate) looking for value for money - basically, smart accommodation at the right price. Equally essential for them is a safe environment.

"A dry hotel can yield the same gross operating profit as the one with alcohol provided the facilities are defined right. After food and beverage, the largest money maker in a hotel is banqueting. So whenever HMH is involved in planning and development of hotel, we advise owners to allocate maximum space to meeting and banquet facilities instead of too many food and beverage outlets as that could generate superb revenue."

Interested?

Read the Suroor Asia blog post about HMH's plans to focus on the mid-market

posted from Bloggeroid

Intel backs modernisation at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre

King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) provides advanced specialised care to patients in Saudi Arabia. With facilities in Riyadh and Jeddah, plus a children’s cancer centre, KFSHRC provides care for the most seriously ill patients from anywhere in the country. Along with delivering advanced treatments, the centre conducts leading-edge research and helps train the next generation of physicians, nurses and other clinicians.

With demands on its healthcare system rising rapidly, KFSHRC is using Intel-based servers, storage, network adapters, and end user computers to modernise its IT infrastructure and prepare for the future in a reliable, cost-effective way. The centre is migrating much of its data centre infrastructure to servers and storage systems based on the Intel Xeon processor E5 family. KFSHRC is also adopting 2 in 1 devices with the Intel Core i5 vPro processor for clinicians on the go.

The strategy brings many benefits. These include:

More coordinated, patient-centred care. Powerful healthcare IT solutions and mobile computing can empower treatment teams to provide more coordinated care before, during, and after the patient’s hospital stay.

Higher patient satisfaction and engagement. Patients and their families can experience shorter wait times, greater convenience, and fewer redundant procedures. Tools such as portals can help engage patients in managing their own health. On 19 October, KSFHRC launched the Sehaty app, which enables users to access their healthcare records from a mobile device. The app manages appointments, offers recent updates to health records and accepts requests for prescription renewals among other features.

Improved productivity, hiring, and retention. Healthcare IT solutions can help medical professionals work more productively and reduce stress. Healthcare IT modernisation helps KSFHRC attract and retain doctors, nurses, and other clinicians.

Leaders at KFSHRC say Intel technologies are helping at the micro level to reduce costs, optimise floorspace, and enhance disaster recovery. Their virtualised infrastructure also helps the hospital deliver a better patient experience, enhance productivity, and increase access to high-quality, coordinated care throughout the kingdom. In addition the PCs and mobile devices powered by Intel help enhance productivity.

posted from Bloggeroid

Labuan IBFC reports strong performance for Islamic finance in 2014

Labuan International Business and Financial Centre (Labuan IBFC), Asia Pacific’s midshore international business and financial centre, reported strong performance across all financial sectors in 2014, including banking, insurance, leasing, wealth management and Islamic finance, with 12.3% increase in new company registrations compared to the previous year.

The organisation notes that 70% of companies registered in Labuan IBFC originate from Asia, with 57% from Southeast Asia, mainly Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

“Labuan IBFC has its strengths in terms of its proximity to strategic Asian markets and sound regulatory framework, with simple as well as competitive tax system. With our balanced supervisory and regulatory framework coupled with our strategic location in the heart of Asia Pacific, we believe Labuan IBFC stands out as the ideal ‘midshore’ jurisdiction from which to base regional business operations for both trading and investment purposes,” said Danial Mah Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer at Labuan IBFC.

In the wealth management sector, Labuan IBFC foundations are increasingly used as wealth preservation solutions. There was an almost 40% increase in the number of Labuan IBFC foundations established in 2014 compared to the previous year, with 73% of them originating from Asia.

While wealth management is one of the core offerings of Labuan IBFC, the business and financial centre also carries out all aspects of business and financial activity ranging from banking and insurance to Islamic financial services.

How Jewish, Christian and Islamic traditions differ

Two books recently published by the Oxford University Press (OUP) cover comparisons between Jewish, Christian and Islamic religious thought. Natural Law: A Jewish, Christian, and Islamic Trialogue by Anver Emon, Matthew Levering, and David Novak, provides a sense for how natural law doctrine arises and functions in each tradition, while Shared Stories,Rival Tellings: Early Encounters of Jews, Christians, and Muslims by Robert Gregg reveals that Christians, Jews, and Muslims conscientiously differentiated themselves through debates over scriptural stories' meanings.

Source: OUP website.

In Natural Law each author has written an essay on natural law doctrine in one tradition and responds to the other two authors, revealing the particular points of tension/interest between the traditions. Readers will gain a sense for how natural law resonated with classical thinkers such as Maimonides, Origen, Augustine, al-Ghazali and others. There is extensive reliance on classical sources from each tradition, with clear explanations of the key sources and terms for natural law doctrine in the tradition. Footnotes provide key bibliographic resources for further study.

Anver Emon is Professor of Law, University of Toronto, Canada; Matthew Levering is Professor, Mundelein Seminary, Illinois in the US, and David Novak holds the J Richard and Dorothy Shiff Chair in Jewish Studies as Professor of Religion and Philosophy, University of Toronto.

Source: OUP
website.

For Shared Stories Gregg, who is Emeritus Professor in Religious Studies, Stanford University, emphasises that there was mutual curiosity between Christians, Muslims, and Jews, since all three religions had ancestral traditions and a commanding God in common, but also competitiveness, as each group was compelled to sharpen its identity against the other two. 

Gregg performs a comparative investigation of how Jewish, Christian, and Muslim interpreters—both writers and artists—developed their distinctive and exclusionary understandings of narratives common to their three holy books: Cain and Abel, Sara and Hagar, Joseph and Potiphar's wife, Jonah and the Whale, and Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Exposed in the process are the major issues under contention and the social-intellectual forces that contributed to the exchanges between Muslims, Christians and Jews.

Interested?

Natural Law (ISBN 978-0-19-87450 0-6, £16.99) is available as an e-book or a paperback

Shared Stories, Rival Tellings (ISBN 978-0-19-023149-1, £25.99 or US$39.95) is available as an e-book and as a hardback. To purchase the e-book, visit your preferred e-book provider

TCA Abu Dhabi offers five-star food to less privileged to mark Islamic New Year

An initiative by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) saw celebrity Indian chef Sanjeev Kapoor cook exclusively for 200 construction workers, office boys, drivers and cleaners as a special celebration to mark Islamic New Year 1437. 

The masterchef prepared delicacies at his restaurant Signature in Nation Galleria before the banquet was distributed to less privileged workers in Abu Dhabi. Helping to distribute the food were members of the restaurant staff as well as TCA Abu Dhabi’s Corporate Social Responsibility team. 

Mouza Al Shamsi, Acting Executive Director Marketing and Communication, TCA Abu Dhabi, said: “We are actively engaged within the community throughout the year and lead a number of initiatives here at the Authority to make people’s lives better while they are working and living in the emirate."

Islamic Development Bank Group and the World Bank to step up efforts in common member countries

The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group and the World Bank Group have announced a strategic partnership to significantly scale up joint work and investment across the 56 IDB Group member countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and South America that are also members of the World Bank.

The two leading development finance institutions expect co-financing work to reach US$9 billion over the next three years. Joint work will support infrastructure services, regional integration and cross-border trade facilitation, water and food security, education and employment, and Islamic finance.

The IDB Group and the World Bank Group also agreed to join forces to support private sector development and entrepreneurship in common member countries, as well as support to the growing number of fragile and conflict-affected countries.

This historic agreement comes on the heels of a joint initiative launched by the World Bank Group President, the United Nations Secretary General and the IDB Group President at an international gathering of donors held on 10 October 2015 in Lima, Peru, where a number of donor countries agreed to scale-up financial support to Arab countries going through transition and unrest.

The partnership agreement was signed by IDB Group President, Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali and World Bank Group President, Jim Yong Kim. "Our new partnership is a natural evolution in our long-standing relationship with the World Bank Group and is most timely given the growing challenges facing our member countries", said Dr. Ali.

The partnership agreement stems from a shared commitment by both institutions to reducing poverty, boosting shared prosperity, fostering economic development, and promoting social progress across their common membership and beyond, and to supporting the recently adopted United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

"We have definitely set for ourselves an ambitious partnership agenda because business-as-usual is not really an option. I am highly confident that both institutions will work diligently to deliver on development promises building on each other's comparative advantages and strengths to unleashing the synergy that this strategic partnership can bring to our member countries," observed IDB Group President Dr Ahmad Mohamed Ali during the signing ceremony at the World Bank Group headquarters in Washington DC, US.

Past co-financing between the IDB Group and the World Bank Group totalled over US$7 billion and targeted 72 projects, primarily in the infrastructure sector, in 26 common member countries in Africa and Asia.

The IDB and the World Bank earlier announced their joint Education for Competitiveness (E4C) initiative. Comprised of learning, employment, and transformation as key pillars, E4C supports countries in a drive to improve their education and training policies with a view to enhancing economic growth, productivity, and social cohesion and inclusion.

“Under the E4C initiative, member countries will mobilise and pool global financial and human resources, sharing experiences and best practices to work together to build world-class education systems,” Dr Hafez Ghanem, Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa Region (MENA) explained.

The E4C initiative spans early childhood to university; emphasises cognitive, non-cognitive and technical skills; focuses on the development of the person holistically in order to not only meet specific short-term needs of the labour market, but also the greater economic and social development of the country.

IAMM features modern Pakistan in photographs

Source: IAMM website.

From 26 October to 31 January 2016 the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAMM) will be hosting a photography exhibition, Portrayal of Pakistan by Awais Yaqub, at the Open Space Gallery.

The exhibition shows modern Pakistan through the lens of the photographer. Pakistan is a country with diverse religious beliefs, despite being a predominantly Muslim society. The exhibition also features various aspects of culture of both ancient and traditional in which represented through its sports and festivals. 

Tent pegging, a cavalry sport of ancient origin and semi-nomads of Cholistan, will be featured. Another interesting segment is the tradition of truck art.

Awais, based in Islamabad, Pakistan, got his first camera in 2004.

Interested?

Follow @awaisyaqub on Instagram
Check opening hours

ISEAS Publishing unveils Islamic Post-Traditionalism in Indonesia

Source: ISEAS website.

Islamic Post-Traditionalism in Indonesia, by Rumadi (2015, ISBN: 978-981-4620-42-0, US$29.90), has just been published by ISEAS Publishing.

The book offers a unique assessment of the development of the phenomenon of Islamic post-traditionalism using Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the largest mass Islamic organisation in Indonesia (and the world) as a case study.

'Post-traditionalism' is a term now widely used to describe the attempts by progressive reformers to reify and legitimise modern intellectual notions, often from non-Islamic sources, by using reference to terminology and ideas drawn from Islamic tradition. This book discusses the discourse of post-traditionalist thought within Islamic thought more widely, before turning to examine the emergence of new currents of progressive thought within NU in Indonesia and the factors that influence that. In particular, the book explores the sometimes fiery struggle between liberal and conservative thought in NU; and the position of post-traditionalist thought in the wider development of intellectualism in Indonesia.

The highly influential Indonesian version of this book was originally published as Post Traditionalisme Islam: Wacana Intelektualisme dalam Komunitas NU by the Fahmina Institute, Indonesia, 2008.

Rumadi taught at the Bengkulu State Islamic College from 1997 to 2004.

Interested?

An e-chapter of the introduction is downloadable free of charge
Sample pages are available at Google Books

Islamic finance offers low-risk investment for sustainable development

The International Entrepreneurship Forum, themed on Entrepreneurship and Investment for Sustainable Development, showcased the emerging investment opportunities in Tajikistan’s energy and industry, finance, agriculture sectors of the economy.

Hani Salem Sonbol, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), a member of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IDBG) stressed on the role of Islamic finance for investment in sustainable development at the event, which took place at Dushanbe, Tajikistan in mid-October. He noted that Islamic finance necessitates the existence and defines the success of financial systems, leaving no room for the economy to be affected by a collapse of overinflated financial bubbles.

Sonbol also highlighted IDB's role in developing Islamic finance globally, not just in developing the enabling environment for Islamic banking, capital markets (sukuk), and takaful (Islamic insurance), but also in launching investment funds, helping to establish and promote Islamic infrastructure institutions, and conducting research and training through the Islamic Research and Training Institute, IRTI, also a member of the IDBG.

Sonbol added that the IDBG provides technical assistance and facilitates the organisation of capacity-building activities for SMEs and trade support institutions. The group has approved 365 projects in CIS countries, amounting to US$5.86 billion in various sectors; mainly transportation, energy, agriculture, water supply, education, health, finance and capacity building.

PwC launches food supply and integrity services in Singapore

Source: PwC website.

PwC Singapore is marking World Food Day by announcing the establishment of its Food Supply and Integrity Services business to help food companies, investors and governments tackle food security, safety and quality concerns.

The Food Supply and Integrity service offering includes corporate governance, supply chain integrity, fraud prevention, traceability, crisis management, regulatory compliance, and transaction services. While PwC does not mention it, these or similar services could conceivably be extended to checking if other meats have been contaminated with traces of pork, or creating a halal assurance programme for food companies.

In line with the theme of this year's World Food Day, Social Protection and agriculture: breaking the cycle of rural poverty, PwC believes that ensuring food availability, accessibility and affordability for the world’s population is a shared responsibility and needs to be taken on by industry, government and service organisations.

Governments are growing their regulatory efforts through increased oversight and sanctions in an attempt to improve food safety to give people greater trust in their food. Given the recent food failures, consumers are also demanding greater transparency on food traceability and the overall food production process. In an accompanying report, Food trust: From compliance to competitive advantage, PwC states: 'Traceability and the demand for more
choice, such as organic and halal products, are creating new standards for compliance, testing and certification across the world."

Julia Leong, Food Supply and Integrity Services Leader, PwC Singapore comments: “As supply chains become increasingly complex, it poses a growing problem across industries, and unfortunately food is an area where supply chain failures can be fatal. Consumers want assurance and transparency from food companies and no longer want to rely on just the brand. The entire food supply chain from farm to fork must be well-controlled in order to be resilient against unforeseen events such as food fraud, intentional contamination and deliberate tampering.”

PwC Singapore is offering its Food Supply and Integrity Services through a strategic alliance with AsureQuality, a New Zealand government-owned food safety and biosecurity company. AsureQuality has knowledge of Islamic requirements, and includes halal slaughter training and auditing services in its portfolio.

“By combining PwC’s in-depth assurance and business advisory capabilities, with AsureQuality's deep industry and food safety technical knowledge, we aim to provide the market with solutions that enhance value through brand building and margin improvement while safeguarding safety and quality in a sustainable manner.” said Dean Nikora, Group Director, Global Food Trust Alliance of AsureQuality Singapore.

Building trust in food is among the most complex problems that business and society must solve, but it is also one of the greatest opportunities for food companies that get it right. A well-coordinated and strategic approach is needed in order to take a holistic view to identify, monitor and mitigate weak links in the food supply chain.

Yeoh Oon Jin, Chairman, PwC Singapore concludes: "Food is an industry where customer trust and confidence is paramount. It’s a necessity of life, and its quality and safety should not be compromised. Singapore is strategically placed as a regional hub for many food companies. Coupled with Singapore's global standing as a country that upholds very high food safety standards, we see ourselves as a centre of excellence in the region to help in the food trust agenda. We are passionate about being able to help to improve trust in food.”

PwC is offering its food supply and integrity services in Singapore, China and New Zealand through an alliance with AsureQuality. AsureQuality also has a world-class laboratory in Singapore. Elsewhere, PwC and AsureQuality are working together to offer their combined services to government and food company clients.

Some of the cases PwC has worked on include when horsemeat was passed off as beef and creating a dairy farm assurance programme for Mengnin Dairy Company in China.

Interested?

Download the report Food trust: From compliance to competitive advantage which discusses the background to increasing regulatory changes impacting the global food industry, along with the impacts of the US Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) for retail and consumer goods companies worldwide.

Scoot to take over Singapore Airlines routes to Jeddah

From 1 May 2016, Scoot will operate services to Jeddah, taking over from parent company Singapore Airlines.

The transfer of operations to Scoot will result in an increase in capacity to and from the Saudi Arabian city and better optimise the utilisation of the SIA Group’s resources.

Singapore Airlines currently operates three flights per week to Jeddah via Dubai with 285-seat Airbus A330-300s. Subject to regulatory approvals, Scoot will start with thrice-weekly non-stop services between Singapore and Jeddah using 335-seat Boeing 787-8s, with plans to progressively increase frequency.

“Scoot is thrilled to be adding our first Middle Eastern destination to our network,” said Scoot CEO, Campbell Wilson. “We have long wanted to operate to Saudi Arabia. Jeddah, its second largest city, is both a commercial centre as well as the principal gateway for religious pilgrimages to nearby Mecca. With thrice-weekly non-stop services, Scoot looks forward to improving connectivity between Singapore and this important world city.”

Customers who have made advance bookings to or from Jeddah on Singapore Airlines will be re-accommodated on Scoot’s new services, or may opt for a refund.

Details of Scoot’s flight numbers and flight schedules for services between Singapore and Jeddah are as follows :

SINGAPORE – JEDDAH*
Flight No.	Departure	Arrival	Frequency
TZ 592	4.40pm	8.30pm	Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday

JEDDAH – SINGAPORE*
Flight No.	Departure	Arrival	Frequency
TZ 591	10pm	12.40am the next day	Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday

* Operations are subject to regulatory approvals. Schedules are correct at time of print and are subject to change. All times listed are local. +1 refers to arrival on the next day.

ShadeScout Nails matches nail polish colours with pictures

Source: iTunes.

FaceCake Marketing Technologies, creator of the visual search mobile beauty app, ShadeScout, has launched ShadeScout Nails. Now available as a free download on the App Store, ShadeScout Nails combines FaceCake's proprietary colour search technology, which matches beauty products to any colour a user sees, with ShadeScout's easy-to-use format to create a unique mobile shopping experience for lacquer lovers.

"FaceCake's personalised platform makes it easy for shoppers to find exactly what they're looking for and our ShadeScout apps are a perfect example of that," said Linda Smith, Founder and CEO of FaceCake. "Users have connected with ShadeScout's visual search and product discovery, while brands have a unique forum to reach new consumers who might not be familiar with their products. ShadeScout Nails lets the user direct their own shopping experience, providing instant product matches and purchase options in the palm of their hand."

The colour-inspired ShadeScout Nails app gives consumers the ability to easily search for nail shades by drawing inspiration from objects they see, whether it's a dress on a magazine cover or a buzzworthy shade. Shoppers can "scout" a desired colour with the camera on their mobile device and instantly receive nail polishes that match. Featuring polish from more than 25 major and boutique nail brands including vegan prestige brand Londontown*, ShadeScout Nails helps users discover new looks in a rapidly evolving space.

In addition to finding corresponding nail shades without needing any product information, users can visualise different polish finishes and special effects, share snapshots with friends via social media, and purchase lacquers directly from the app. Additional features are unlocked for users who also download ShadeScout. Users can "scout" the same colour across both apps, which makes finding nail polish to match your lipstick, blush, eye shadow, brows and foundation.

Interested?

Download ShadeScout Nails for iOS on the App Store. Asian languages supported include Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Turkish.

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*Londontown is available at www.luxola.com

Technavio says Islamic financing to grow at a CAGR of 19% through to 2019

Islamic banking and financial vendors are increasingly seeking diversification into foreign investments on account of strong growth prospects and higher investment returns. Technavio’s research predicts that the global Islamic financing market to record a CAGR of close to 19% during the 2015 to 2019 period.

The market is expected to witness an increase in the demand for shari'ah-compliant assets in Asian markets, including Malaysia, and Indonesia. Islamic banks located in Iran and GCC are also expanding operations in countries like Singapore to deploy Islamic funds strategically to corporates in the different regions across the globe, through Islamic bank financing, and sukuk issuances. Similarly, other countries offering strong political support with various tax incentives for institutional investors will attract significant investments through Islamic banking in the years to come.

Islamic banks will produce more customised products and services for the clients over the forecast period. Governments of different developing economies are also focusing on the regulatory intervention that help the key market players to expand their customer base. In countries like the UAE, the Islamic banking industry is estimated to grow at more than twice the rate of conventional banking which would considerably spur the growth of the Islamic banking assets over the next fore years.

The report predicts that global Islamic financing in Asia will be worth over US$985 billion by 2019, with the growth of Islamic financing in countries like Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Pakistan.

The asset-backed nature of Islamic financing is ideal for large-scale infrastructure such as highway networks and ports. An estimated US$800 billion worth of infrastructure financing will be needed each year in Asia over the next decade. During the forecast period, places such as Hong Kong, mainland China, and Thailand will also witness a growing Islamic finance segment.

Low market penetration of Islamic products in most of the emerging markets has created an attractive growth opportunity for the top market players. Market expansion strategies are crucial to the enhancement of Islamic products and services. To capitalise on the market opportunity, Frost & Sullivan says the leading players are expected to focus more on devising and developing effective marketing channels by affiliating with various distribution channels as per the forecast.

Key banks mentioned in the report include Al Rajhi Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Al Baraka Banking Group, Dubai Islamic Bank, and Emirates NBD.

Interested?

Request a sample

Read the Suroor Asia blog post on the outlook for the global takaful market, published by the Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre (DIEDC), and ACRIE, a subsidiary of aafaq Islamic Finance.