may

JCBank

CONTENTS05.15

“I used to do about seven breast implants a year. Suddenly, the number has soared following the latest fashion trends. Now it is a very common request, and I do a hundred a year.”Dr. Ghaith Shubailat, the first plastic surgeon certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery in the Middle East.

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10 | VENTURE MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

CONTENTS05.15

64 ENVIRoNMENT Red Sea-Dead Sea Project: Too Little, Too Late? The Red Sea-Dead Sea conveyance project has finally been given the green light, but doubts remain if it can save one of the world’s unique natural wonders.By Jane Hosking

70 ENTREpRENEURshIpThe Women Leading Lebanon’s Startup Scene The remarkable stories of four Lebanese women entrepreneurs, whose startups and ideas are making a mark in their country, the region, and beyond. By Dina al Wakeel

features

74Cover storyWhat to Expect at the WEF As Jordan hosts the World Economic Forum this month, Venture takes a closer look at the forum’s central themes, debates, and participants. By laitH aBou-RagHeB


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CONTENTS 18

82

opINIoN18 The EconomistLet them Work Why the government should allow Syrian refugees to earn a living.By yusuf Mansur

20 Tech TalkBeware the Brand Trolls Internet trolls can do real damage to your brand and business. Learn how to spot and avoid them.By Zeid nasser

22 The AnalystSetting Priorities in the Electricity Sector Why do Jordan’s struggling electricity companies keep dishing out dividends?By Jawad abbassi

54 Media and SocietyA Furious Fall Out The crisis engulfing Jordan’s daily newspapers shows no sign of abating.By osama al sharif

MoNEY50 Amman Stock ExchangeIndex Slips despite Strong Industrial Performance The ASE declines despite a strong performance by the Industrial and Services Indexes. By aram Rabadi

REVIEw82 Hot WheelsA Centennial Special EditionThe dramatic Maserati GranTurismo MC Centennial.By ghaith Madadha

80 How toLeveraging the Potential of LinkedInHow to use LinkedIn to advance your career prospects.By Jane Hosking

84

48Anne Gronbjerg, Maersk Line Managing Director for Jordan, Kuwait, and Iraq


Managing Director Qais [email protected]

Senior AssociateDina al-Wakeel

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EditorLaith Abou-Ragheb

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Staff WritersJane Hosking

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Elisa [email protected]

Art Director Heba Abu-Elayyan

[email protected]

Photography Alaa’ al-Sukhny

Contributing Writers Aram Rabadi, Ghaith Madadha, Jawad

Abbassi, Nader Museitif, Osama al-Sharif, Robert Carroll, Sadad Talhouni, Yusuf

Mansur, Zeid Nasser

Editorial Venture MagazineP.O. Box 941426 Amman 11194 Jordan

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In this issue’s Postscript column, Osama al Sharif praises public sector departments like the Civil Status and Passports Department for the swift services they provide to Jordanians. I couldn’t agree more.I recently applied for a certificate of good conduct and was delighted at how quickly and easily it was issued. The whole process—from filling out the form to having the document handed to me—took little more than 15 minutes. Renewing your passport and ID cards has also become relatively hassle free. In this respect, we thank the government for making our lives that little bit easier. But we believe also it’s high time the procedures for anyone wanting to invest in Jordan were speeded up. The consolidation of all our investment bodies into the Jordan Investment Commission is a step in the right direction. We hope it can reduce the red tape and uncertainty which have so far stifled the investment flows needed to boost our anemic economy. I know of several Arab investors that have called on the government to accelerate the process of granting them approvals and help them establish a business in Jordan, this of course in addition to reducing operating costs

like electricity and water. Many of them, particularly Iraqi and Syrian businesspeople, said this would make it more feasible for them to operate from Jordan, which today serves both the Iraqi and Syrian markets and is proximate to several large markets like Europe. We also hope the government will sit up and take proper notice of the importance of e-government, which has been shelved for years and is almost non-existent. Providing e-government services is sure to reduce the long queues of people seeking government services, cut operating costs and the need to hire more people in the already bloated public sector. We should take heed of the UAE experience which today provides citizens, residents, businesses, and visitors with the chance to settle their fees online, pay for some university courses, health card renewals, and even their zakat online.The developments in the services provided by some public sector entities are truly laudable achievements. But a great deal more still needs to be done.

editor's letter

Dina al-Wakeel senior associate

Let’s Expedite Investment


gateway

JORDAn IS hOSTIng AROUnD 1.4 million Syrians, almost half of whom are registered as refugees. They can’t remain refugees forever, and donor aid is starting to dry up. We need to start thinking about devising long-term solutions to this crisis. It’s possible for Jordan to turn this injection of human capital into a boon for its economy.The general economic theory states that net inflows of people can potentially lead to an increase in aggregate demand (the sum of the demand of all residents) as well as supply an economy with working-age migrants, new technologies, innovations, and capital. This should increase aggregate supply, which is the total product of all those residing within the country. The increase in the supply of labor and other factors will thus be met with an increased demand for labor due to increased total spending, all else held equal. Many think that refugees simply increase the supply of labor and thus take away jobs from locals. This is a fallacy which simply assumes that if a refugee has a job, then they’re denying that job to a Jordanian. It’s false because not only do refugees increase the supply of labor, but they also concomitantly increase demand, using their wages to rent apartments, buy goods and services, putting factories and retailers to work. If refugees are stealing jobs from Jordanians, then our young graduates who leave schools and universities also steal jobs from the older Jordanian labor force once they enter the labor market. In summary, net migration should lead to an increase in the real gDP. Therefore, the impact of the Syrian refugees has been to increase the real growth rate of the gDP in Jordan to levels that were sufficient to counter the would be negative growth rate generated by the government’s agreed IMF stand-by-arrangement of 2012.An example of scientific research in

a developed country on the economic impact of refugees comes from the UK, which has seen a significant increase in migration over the past two decades. The UK research found relatively little evidence to suggest migration was a significant source of labor displacement for UK natives in periods of strong growth. In terms of employment and wages, the UK Migration Watch claims employment displacement was observed mostly in the low-skilled job sectors and displacement effects quickly dissipate as the labor market adjusts. Moreover, the Migration Advisory Committee suggests that migration has had small to insignificant impacts on wages, with low-skilled migrants putting downwards pressure on low skilled wages, and higher-skilled migrants more likely to increase wages. Overall, the UK research showed an increase in the gDP, investment, and innovation.In Jordan, the Department of Statistics says only 4 percent of Jordanians compete for low-skilled jobs that refugees would be employed in. They would primarily compete with the 600,000 mainly-Egyptian guest workers currently employed in the

Kingdom. Therefore, even if there is competition between the refugees and local workers, it’s confined to a tiny niche of the Jordanian labor market, and the primary competition is with the other guest workers. In Mafraq, for example, Egyptian guest workers are the ones who are busy informing labor inspectors and police about the whereabouts of their Syrian competitors, who are by-and-large working without permits and for much lower wages. As for the 100,000-or-so Syrians confined to refugee camps in Jordan, many of them are capable of work and their dignity and wellbeing are being harmed everyday with the paltry aid they receive. Turkey is considering giving work permits to its Syrian refugees, so why doesn’t Jordan do the same? Surely we are wasting a tremendous opportunity here.

Yusuf Mansur is currently CEO and consultant at Enconsult, and former Director General of the Telecom Regulatory Commission TRC, CEO of Jordan Investment Board JIB and CEO of Jordan Agency for Enterprise and Investment Development (DX). You can contact him at [email protected].

THE ECONOMIST YuSuF MAnSuRLet them WorkSyrians in Jordan could make a huge contribution to the Kingdom’s economy, if only we let them.


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FOR ThOSE lUCKy EnOUgh TO hAvE never encountered one, an Internet troll is a person who starts arguments, upsets people, and posts inflammatory messages in an online community. These undesirable personalities are now also attacking brands.To begin with, when you encounter a comment or posting that’s an expression of anger against your business, it’s important to differentiate between what is a genuine complaint that can be dealt with by a customer service representative, or what is the start of a trolling episode.The average brand troll isn’t difficult to spot, as their history of comments can be easily found online. That’s why it’s not difficult to identify the nature of the person you’re dealing with even before responding to the negative and aggressive messages. Usually, companies don’t take the time to do this, as responding to grievances of customers online has become an automatic process. That’s fine if the customer service and online communication departments know when to hit the alarm after the first round of exchanges, because trolling can escalate into an all-out attack on your company and brand values if the ideas or issues raised by the troll gain support from others. If that happens, you’ll not only have to worry about dealing with an isolated case of trolling, but also start thinking why your brand or company policies have angered other Internet users. On social media—the troll’s online playground—the reputation of your product or service is considered fair game. hunting season is year-round, and you had better be prepared to take quite a few hits. In the Middle East, the mélange of cultures in the gulf means it’s a huge challenge to understand and analyze customer

complaints. While in Jordan, it could perhaps be simpler if methods that have worked before in handling customer feedback locally are repeated and improved upon in the context of culturally accepted norms of recognizing a problem and dealing with it.But more importantly, you must be careful not to allow your corporation to become a troll itself. your social media or customer service staff might take things too far by getting angry and end up trolling your own customer base. If you don’t always respond with facts and kindness, no matter what’s thrown at you, then other users will be offended by your excessive use of force, and that’s when you will be viewed as a trolling brand.And that’s not all, you’ll also be feeding the trolls with your own anger. It would be a case of communication failure on all fronts. To prevent it, make sure your company’s response is based on guidelines and that your own people stick to them.The summary of advice provided by specialists is to constantly monitor the conversations your clients are having with each other, then join the conversation by tactfully stating the facts and presenting a satisfactory solution if required. If you have actually made a mistake, apologize tactfully and state the corrective action you have taken to end the matter before it snowballs. That’s the point at which responses will be directed at you, and where you must show patience and kindness no matter what the nature of the attacks.nothing beats a troll, or bully, as effectively as not stooping down to their level. Don’t give them a battle, but give the rest of your fans and followers a clear explanation. The trolls will then move on to obtain their twisted satisfaction elsewhere.

Psychologists have been studying trolling and their assessment should make companies concerned about what they could be dealing with: dark personalities that show signs of sadism, antisocial behavior, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism. Clearly, this isn’t a phenomenon that can be dismissed lightly.This is one of the reasons why the new wave of social media specialists, who you entrust your brand with, must demonstrate experience and knowledge in the sciences of public relations and consumer behavior, plus adherence to your corporate guidelines. It can’t be viewed anymore as a profession for young digital stars, and you can’t accept trial-and-error in handling online reputation. Whenever we delve into these topics, it becomes even more apparent how much the professions of public relations and customer service have had to evolve to deal with the new realities. A whole new set of skills is required, which has opened up the door to a different type of highly communicative, empathetic, and technologically-enabled professional. It’s another example of how the future of corporate communications and customer service in the digital age will be based on fusing them into a new type of corporate department, tentatively called Customer Analysis and Communications. This could be the organizational method to stop brand trolls in their tracks.

TECH TALK ZEiD nASSER

Zeid Nasser is a tech and media writer and commentator since the 1990s. He’s also the founder of vari-ous local and regional media [email protected]

Brand trolling is making managing your online corporate identity even tougher.

Beware the Brand Trolls


JORDAn’S ElECTRICITy gRID lOSSES problem continued to mount in 2014. In the grids of Jordan Electricity Company and Irbid Electricity Company, total losses in 2014 reached 1870 gWh, 14.22 percent of total power pumped into their grids. grid losses in 2014 exceeded JD224 million, and reached JD1.12 billion between 2009 and 2014. Jordan’s energy crisis has been decades in the making. nEPCO, the government owned company that transmits electrical power from the generation companies to the three grid distribution companies, has accumulated debts of over JD4 billion by the end of 2014, roughly equal to its accumulated losses stemming from selling power below cost. A big part of the problem is the issue of electricity grid losses. These are the difference between electricity pumped through the grids and electricity billed. The losses are a combination of technical losses

that are related to the networks themselves, and non-technical losses that are basically theft of power through illegal connections. In Amman and central Jordan, where Jordan Electrical Power Company (ASE symbol JOEP) operates, grid losses peaked in 2014 at 15 percent. In 2010, the loss rate was 12.9 percent. losses in 2014 reached 1550 gWh, up 38 percent from 1124 gWh in 2010.

The grid losses problem in Irbid Electricity Company (ASE IREl), which distributes electrical power in the north of Jordan, also worsened in the past five years. The utility’s grid losses rate was 11.3 percent in 2014, up from 9.9 percent in 2010. losses in 2014 reached 319 gWh, up 47

percent from 217 gWh in 2010.Spiraling grid losses are far from irreversible. Investments in network upgrades and technological solutions will reduce both technical losses and theft. globally acceptable grid losses rates hover around 5 percent. Reducing Jordan’s grid losses by a third saves the economy more than JD100 million a year. With funds needed to upgrade networks and reduce grid losses,

the dividend policy of the JOEP and IREl is both ill-advised and shameful. Both companies insist on distributing profits instead of investing in their infrastructure to reduce the grid losses problem. Over the past three years, the two companies distributed dividends totaling JD37 million. Investing this money in upgrading their grids, would have contributed to reducing grid losses and enhancing profitability. It would have also remained as shareholders rights. Instead, JOEP actually borrowed from the legal reserves to pay all of 2013 dividends and some of 2014 dividends. In total, JOEP borrowed JD9 million from its statuary reserves to pay dividends (i.e. it paid profits it didn’t actually generate that year). IREl too dipped into the legal reserves to partially pay for 2014 dividends. Both companies need to get their priorities in order.

THE ANALYST JAWAD J. ABBASSi

Jawad J. Abbassi is the founder and GM of Arab Advisors Group. Contact him on [email protected].

Jordan’s struggling electricity companies should be more concerned with upgrading their grids than dishing out juicy dividends.

Setting Priorities in the Electricity Sector

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Combined Losses IREL and JOEP

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

1387.56441

1341.51218

1456.205701

1617.081107

1654.104507

1869.817764

-3.3%

8.5%

11.0%

2.3%

13.0%

13.6%

12.3%

12.6%

13.2%

13.3%

14.2%

GWhYear Change % % of total

WITH fuNDS NEEDED TO upGRADE NETWORKS AND REDuCE GRID LOSSES, THE DIvIDEND pOLICY Of THE JOEp AND IREL IS BOTH ILL-ADvISED AND SHAMEfuL


mailto:[email protected]

BelgiuM, apRil 20A paper boat is placed in front of the European parliament in Brussels to protest against the death of immigrants trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea.

egypt, apRil 21Egyptian police stand guard in front of the police academy where former Islamist president Mohammed Morsi’s trial took place. The Egyptian Court sentenced Morsi to 20 years in prison over the killing of protesters in 2012.

MONTHIN PICTURES

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nepal, apRil 25people try to lift the debris from a temple at Hanumandhoka Durbar Square after a massive earthquake struck Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, killing at least 4,000.

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uniteD states, apRil 1A water pipe is seen in California’s Central valley, where water content is currently only 5 percent of historic average, the lowest since 1950. The state recently announced the first-ever mandatory water restrictions as it battles a four-year drought.

kenya, apRil 7A graffiti artist works on a mural during a vigil in Nairobi to commemorate the 147 university students killed during an Al Shabab terrorist attack on a university in the city of Garissa.

BanglaDesH, apRil 19Two Bangladeshis evacuated from war-torn Yemen arrive at Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.

VENTURE MAGAZINE | 2524 | VENTURE MAGAZINE | MAY 2015

DRones

What are they?Also known as unmanned Aerial vehicles (uAvs), drones are aircraft without a human pilot on board. They can either fly autonomously or be operated by remote control.

What are they used for?Militaries around the world have used drones since the early 1980s for surveillance missions and airstrikes, mainly because they’re considered cheaper, safer, and more accurate than using human aircrews. The uS Air force is estimated to have around 7,500 drones, which is almost a third of its total number of aircraft. But drones have a huge array of other applications besides just acting as a quick and easy way of eliminating members of the Taliban. They’re used to survey crops, film Hollywood blockbusters, deliver medical supplies in disaster zones, and prevent wildlife poaching. Amazon even plans to develop a fleet that will deliver packages to your doorstep, and flying toy drones have also become hugely popular amongst hobbyists.

any draWbacks?There are big legal and ethical questions surrounding the use of drones in warfare, such as who’s responsible for an autonomous aircraft that wrongly targets a school bus instead of a tank? Toy drones are also becoming a worry for air safety officials. In January, flights in and out of Dubai airport were halted for several hours because a drone strayed dangerously close to vital flight paths. And then there are the potential privacy concerns of having a drone with an onboard camera buzzing around your bedroom window.

amsung said there’s strong demand in Jordan for the galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, two premium

devices the South Korean tech giant launched in Amman last month and hopes will restore its fortunes in the closely fought global smartphone market. “We have received a great demand through the pre-order channels and through strong demand from our distributors in Jordan and our great offers with the telecom partners,” Mutasem Shehadeh, the head of Samsung’s Mobile and IT Division in the levant, said at the official launch of the devices in April. Unlike their poorly performing predecessor, the S5, the new S6 and S6 Edge have both received rave reviews and Samsung expects to shift 70 million of them before the end of the year. Samsung’s dominant position in the smartphone market is increasingly coming under threat from Chinese firms manufacturing cheap and feature-packed devices. Both the S6 and S6 Edge feature a 5.1 inch Super AMOlED screen with 577 ppi density (and curved screen edges for the S6 Edge), super charging capability that is 1.5 times faster than the previous S model, and Samsung Pay technology for mobile payment.Shehadeh said Jordan is an important market for Samsung. “The Jordanian market is one of the strongest markets in the region, and it’s a key market in the levant region, which is all attributed to its economic policies and the country’s position in adapting technologies, among others.”–st

TECHNOLOGY

SAMSUNg SEES “STRONg” DEMAND FOR S6

s

CHeat sHeet n a move which brings Jordan’s controversial nuclear energy

program a big step closer to reality, the government recently signed a $10 billion agreement with Russia’s Rosatom to build the Kingdom’s first nuclear power plant.

Chairman of the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission Khaled Toukan believes nuclear power has a vital role to play in weaning the Kingdom off its overwhelming reliance on expensive oil and gas imports.

What does the agreement with Rosatom entail?The Russian-Jordanian intergovernmental agreement nails the principles that will govern the construction of the project and its future years of operation. The first of the two 1,000-megawatt reactors is expected to be up and running by 2022, with the second following one year later. We demanded that the total cost of the project, which includes the infrastructure of the water cooling towers, emergency ponds, two nuclear reactors, and electrical systems, should not exceed $10 billion. Russia will meet 49.9 percent of the project’s costs and Jordan the remaining 50.1 percent. Rosatom will supply fuel for 10 years. After that, it will be up to us to look for more competitive bids. All the nuclear waste will be sent to Russia for treatment.Jordan must guarantee a supply of water for the estimated 60 years lifetime of the plant, its security, and the purchase of the electricity produced by the two 1,000 MW reactors for an 18-years payback period. The power purchase agreement has not been negotiated yet. How much energy will the plants generate?If the reactors were operational today, they would provide almost two-thirds of the country’s base load. But the plant will be operational in seven and eight years. So by that time, estimations suggest that they will

ENERGY

RUSSIAN NUCLEAR ENERgY DEAL SIgNED

i

Khaled Toukan, Chairman of the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission

gateway news&views

generate 40 percent of the country’s total electricity. Why did you choose Amra for the location of the plant? The 16 square-kilometer area chosen for the plant in the country’s north has a very low seismic activity level compared to other areas of the country. It’s in the desert and far from marine life. Earthquakes might happen everywhere in the world at any moment, but new generation plants are built to resist them. Rosatom has promised to use Russia’s 70 years of experience with nuclear energy, as well as post-Fukushima lessons to build the plant. The plants will need a lot of water to run. Where will it come from?We will use a closed loop system. This means the same water keeps circulating inside the system and gets cooled through a fan, like in a car’s

radiator. In this model, the water consumption is reduced to 20 million cubic meters per each reactor. We will take the majority of the water from the Al-Samra Waste Water Treatment Plant in nearby Irbid. Al-Samra is undergoing expansion and will soon reach capacity at 160 million cubic meters of water and provide the plant with some 30 million cubic meters. Wouldn’t it be possible to make a better use of the renewable energy available in the country instead of going nuclear?Renewable energy comes intermittently. One cannot generate electricity 24 hours a day or store it. So far, solar energy cannot provide more than two percent of Jordan’s electricity needs. Technology is simply not available yet for these purposes. If countries like germany have started a nuclear phase-out, it is because they have alternatives. Jordan does not. –eo


“Palestine has decided to seek justice, not vengeance.” Palestinian Foreign Minister

Riyad al-Maliki after the Palestinian Authority

formally joined the International Criminal

Court.

“I have lost my baby but I shall create another.”

Former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson on the BBC’s decision not to renew his contract after he assaulted a producer on

the show.

“The first genocide of the twentieth century.”Pope Francis’ controversial description of the slaughter of Armenians by Ottoman Turks that began in 1915.

“I’m running for president.”Hillary Clinton announcing her candidacy for President of the United States in 2016.

QUOTED

lmost half of Syrian refugee children in the region are not

receiving any form of education, according to a recent report from Save the Children. The report also revealed that school enrollment within Syria had fallen from 95 percent to an average of 50 percent. This equates to around 2.8 million children being out of school in the war-ravaged state, one of the lowest enrollment rates in the world.UnICEF Chief Education Officer Susan Ayari said that out of the 220,000 school-aged Syrian refugees in Jordan, 88,000 weren’t in education. She said they weren’t

enrolled mainly because there was no room for them in existing schools. “Jordan has reached its maximum absorption capacity,” she said, adding there were already around 35,000 students on waiting lists. Economic hardship is another important factor to consider. “The families can’t afford their notebooks or whatever is needed to go to school,” she said. Ayari added that many children are also forced into child labor to help support their families. She said UnICEF was working to improve education for both Syrian and Jordanian children enrolled in the Kingdom’s overstretched public school

system. “It’s not simply a question of education for Syrians improving, its education for all children,” she said. “What we’re trying to do is to support the Ministry of Education until such time that they have the ability to provide education for more Syrians.”As the conflict enters its fifth year, almost four million Syrians have fled to neighboring countries. There are estimates that 1.4 million Syrians are currently in Jordan, of which over 620,000 are officially registered as refugees. According to the Ministry of Education Secretary general Mohammad Okour, over half of this population are children. –JH

EDuCATION

a

HALF OF SYRIAN REFUgEE CHILDREN OUT OF SCHOOL - REPORT

gateway news&views


http://static.guim.co.uk/ni/1427711553264/Save-the-Children-Cost-of-W.pdf

http://static.guim.co.uk/ni/1427711553264/Save-the-Children-Cost-of-W.pdf

uAE

SME LifelineIn an effort to boost innovation, Dubai has launched a new fund to provide loans to Emirati SMEs.The new Mohammed bin Rashid fund for SMEs will provide SME owners with two types of loans: The Seed Capital Loan, which provides funding of between $13,600 and $136,000, and the Credit Scheme Loan, which offers funding of more than $136,000 and $1.36 million through banks.“The fund follows clear procedures within the Dubai SME services, allowing entrepreneurs to benefit from integrated funding solutions,” said Sami al Qamzi, director general of Dubai’s Department of Economic Development.

QATAR

Energy EndowmentQatar spends less on energy subsidies than any other GCC country, a new report by the International Monetary fund said.On-budget subsidies in Qatar amounted to 2 percent of GDp in 2010, the IMf said in its Article Iv consultation report 2015 on Qatar. Bahrain had the highest subsidy rate at 12.5, followed by Saudi Arabia at 9.9 percent, Kuwait at 7 percent, Oman at 6.2 percent, and the uAE at 5.7 percent.Despite raising gasoline and diesel prices over recent years as part of wider energy subsidy reforms, the report said prices in the Gulf were still well below international levels.

uAE

The IT CapitalThe uAE has cemented its position as the region’s main tech hub after Twitter and Apple recently announced they had launched bases in the Gulf country. Although Twitter started selling ads in the region back in 2013 via a Cairo-based agency, it will now launch an office in Dubai to serve the whole Middle East. According to Twitter, the number of active Twitter users in the region now stands at almost 6 million. Apple, which has already established its regional headquarters in Dubai, is said to be preparing to open its biggest Apple Store in the uAE. It has already announced several vacancies from sales and marketing to retail positions.

gULF ROUNDUPinflation WatCHInflation in March dropped by 1.2 percent over the same month last year. Indicators for Rent rose by 5.8 percent, Education by 3.7 percent, Communication by 0.22 percent, and Clothing and footwear by 6.7 percent. However, Transportation, and fuel and Lighting dropped by 15.8 percent and 12.16 percent respectively.

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DEc'14 JAn'15 FEB'15 MAR'15







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he location is what makes the villas such an at-tractive buy,” said Wissam Qaissi, owner of the 12-villa development in Dabouq

to be completed by early next year. “The villas are located in a neigh-borhood full of palaces,” he said, adding that the luxury and eco de-signs add further appeal. Each three-storey villa is built on a 500 square-meter plot in one of the

most sought after areas of Dabouq. The basement features a kitchen, bedroom, laundry, bathrooms, and a large room that can be made into either a sauna, gym, office or even an extra bedroom. The ground floor consists of a large living room, din-ing area, kitchen, and bathrooms. While the upper floor has four bed-rooms, each with their own walk-in wardrobe, en-suite bathroom, and curtain-wall windows that provide natural light.“you won’t find such an attractive

Smart VillaS:where the graSS iS greener

tWISSAM QAISSI AND PARTNERS’ SMART VILLAS ARE PROVINg THAT LUxURY

LIVINg IN DABOUQ IS MORE AFFORDABLE THAN YOU THINK.

Wissam Qaissi, Owner of the 12-villa development in Dabouq

buy anywhere else in the Kingdom,” said Qaissi, adding that the villas have been made using first class ma-terials in all stages of building. This he explained includes cutting edge technology such as a smart system for lighting and heating. “What this means is that you can turn off all the lights in one touch, set an automatic timer for the villa’s shutters, and each room can be heated or cooled individu-ally using both the floor heating and the central air condition-ing system,” he said, adding that all this can be done either from one system in the house or remotely us-ing a mobile phone. As well as a heated swimming pool,

which can be transformed into an in-door or an outdoor pool depending on the season, each villa is packed with eco-friendly features. not only do they generate sustainable power using solar energy, but they are also fully insulated due to their double-glazed windows and special stone cladding.

This green tech-nology helps keep energy use to a minimum and also ensures that the villas stay warm in winter and cool in sum-mer. As a result,

the villas meet the standards of the leadership in Energy and Environ-mental Design (lEED) green build-ing certification and have also been recognized by the Jordan green

Building Council.The Smart villas development is located within walking distance of a wide variety of shop and amenities, including a well-regarded school and kindergarten. While such a prime location is rarely affordable, Qaissi said that the compound really makes this popular area a lot more accessible. “In this district normally you can’t get such a villa for such a price because the minimum cost of land that you can construct on is 2,000 square meters. So if you want to own a villa in this neighborhood you will be paying at least JD1.7 million and then you will have the additional cost of constructing your own villa on it,” he said, adding that the Smart villas give people the op-portunity to have such a villa in this location for a much lower price.

each three-storey villa is built on a 500 square-meter plot in one of the

most sought after areas of Dabouq

you can turn off all the lights in one touch, set an automatic timer for the villa’s shutters, and each room can be heated or cooled individually using both the floor heating and the central air conditioning system

For more information: Dana Obidat: +962 79 0482748

ADVERTORIAL


s part of an aggressive regional expansion drive, Jordan’s Eat

Restaurant group opened a flagship branch of its popular Azkadenya chain in Dubai last month. The new branch, which is located in a shopping mall in the city’s high-end Jumeirah district, forms part of Eat’s plan to open 25 new regional outlets of the Arabic food chain by 2020.“We have signed a joint venture with the Emirati company gourmet gulf covering the gCC and Egypt and we are looking to open at least 25 stores in the next five years,” Eat group CEO and owner Omar Tabbaa told venture in a phone interview from Dubai.Branches of Azkadenya, with their unconventional pop art themes, opened in Amman and Irbid three years ago. “We serve the traditional levantine dishes of the good old days with a contemporary twist,” Tabbaa said. “Creativity is in the essence of the restaurant, whether in the menu or in the design and décor, and it is also the

secret of its success.”Plans are already underway to open a Saudi Arabia location next year.As for the development of the Azkadenya brand, Tabbaa envisions developing a hard Rock Café for Arabic food, introducing the concept of the Arabic casual diner to the region

and, eventually, to the world.“We are addressing everyone, this is one of our strengths,” the CEO said. “Our lebanese neighbors have always been very successful in branding themselves. This is something Jordanians need to learn too, with Azkadenya being one first successful example.” – eo

a

Omar Tabbaa, Azkadenya CEO and owner

HOSPITALITY

AzKADENYA EYES REgIONAL ExPANSION

gateway news&views


TECH SUPPORT

FINANCE APPS

Roambi Analytics

Hours Tracker

Expensify

Freshbooks

Keep your money matters in order with the help of these sophisticated but easy-to-use finance apps.BY JANE HOSKING

This business intelligence app takes raw business data and transforms it into simple and engaging graphs to help you understand your figures better. The app also allows you to upload data from Excel spreadsheets and other data sources.Price: Free for the lite versionAvailable on: iOS and Android FeaturesUsability

If you’re a frequent business traveler or constantly accruing business-related expenses, then Expensify is for you. This simple and intuitive app keeps track of your expense receipts by capturing receipt images and managing reports. not only will it make life easier for you, but for your admin staff as well.Price: FreeAvailable on: Android, BlackBerry, iOS, and Windows Phone FeaturesUsability

Freshbooks is a nifty cloud-based accounting app for small businesses. It helps you manage your invoices and expenses, and can keep track of your clients and projects. It’s simple to use, while at the same time it includes many basic bookkeeping features useful for small businesses or independent contractors. Price: Free for limited features and plans from $29.95 per monthAvailable on: Android and iOS FeaturesUsability

hours Tracker turns your iPhone into a timesheet, allowing you to clock in and out from not just one project, but many. This clever little app automatically calculates your hours and your pay according to the details you enter. It’s not only great for freelancers and contractors, but also employees who are paid by the hour and want to anticipate what their next paycheck will be.Price: Free for limited featuresAvailable on: iOS FeaturesUsability

gateway news&views


NEW NATIONAL STRATEgY TO BOOST SMES

n a sign that crowdsourcing is set to become an important fundraising

option for the region’s cash-starved SMEs, Amman-based peer-to-peer lender liwwa recently closed a successful financing round involving three major investors.The round was led by DASh ventures, with the participation of Bank al Etihad and MEnA venture Investments (MvI), liwwa said in statement, without stating how much was raised. liwwa said the investment would be used to hire several new team members to enhance data collection, technology development, underwriting, and modeling capacities. “We have a deeply ingrained commitment to the role of technology and data analysis in driving our user growth and scaling up our credit assessment processes. It’s something we’ve been investing in continuously,” said liwwa Chief Technology Officer Samer Atiani. “In order to truly make capital available for the SMEs that need it, we have to use technology to achieve economies of scale and drive down the costs of the SME lending process.” Atiani founded liwwa alongside Ahmed Moor in 2012 with the aim of alleviating an estimated $250 million funding gap for Middle Eastern SMEs, which remain responsible for the great majority of economic activity in the region. MvI Investment Manager Fares ghandour said he decided to back liwwa because peer-to-peer lending is growing fast worldwide, with several billion dollars worth of debt underwritten to date. “liwwa is developing as a regional pioneer with vast potential to serve the levant, Egypt, and gulf markets,” he said. –la

FINANCE

LIWWA P2P LENDER SCORES NEW INVESTMENT

i

he Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation

(JEDCO) has recently announced a new national strategy to support SMEs, which includes tax incentives, as well as financial and legislative protection to boost job creation.“The goal of the strategy is to create a conducive environment for businesses and entrepreneurship to grow, flourish, compete, and create a dialogue between them. It is also an overall platform for continuous development,” said the corporation’s CEO hana Uraidi. About two thirds of all workers in Jordan are employed by SMEs, almost all of which have fewer than 10 employees. Jordanian and international economic experts drafted the new strategy over two years and now believe the second half of 2015 is a feasible time for its implementation.The strategy aims to create jobs and generate income by fostering the growth of new startups and improving the performance of existing SMEs.Allocating budget funds, setting-up entrepreneurship support networks, implementing professional development programs, enhancing skills, and establishing supporting infrastructure across all governorates are also pivotal parts of the strategy. –eo

ECONOMY

toogle have never been a company to shy away from

a challenge. With Project loon, the tech giant is having a crack at connecting millions of people around the world to the Internet via balloons drifting around the stratosphere. According to google, two-thirds of the world’s population doesn’t yet have Internet access. Project loon, which has been in development for about four years, aims to provide a cheaper alternative to expensive Internet infrastructure in remote or

rural areas and also to provide much needed access to information, such as education, medical knowledge, and weather forecasts. google has just released a video showing how the lTE-enabled balloons can travel approximately 20 km above the earth’s surface, and provide connectivity to a ground area of around 40 km in diameter. The balloons can float through the sky for more than one hundred days and provide Internet speeds of 15 MB per second to a phone or other device.

TECHNOLOGY

gOOgLE’S INTERNET BALLOONS NEAR LIFT OFF

g

HOW DO THEY WORK?ThE FlEETProject loon balloons do not hover in a stationary position above an area requiring Internet, as one might expect. This would require far too much energy to work against the wind. Instead, each balloon is part of a larger fleet of balloons that work with the wind, so that when one balloon leaves a location, another replaces it, providing continuous Internet connection.

STEERIngTo steer its thousands of balloons across the globe, Project loon will make use of the different layers of wind in the stratosphere, which each vary in speed and direction. By moving the balloon up and down, the direction of the balloon is changed.

TEChnOlOgyThe balloons are equipped with a form of wireless communications technology called lTE, short for long Term Evolution. To use lTE, Project loon partners with local telecommunications companies around the world. –JH

gateway news&views


gateway executive interview

Hope foR staRtupsStartup guru Christopher Schroeder is a firm believer in the MENA region’s entrepreneurial spirit, which he says is inspiring young, tech-savvy Arabs to leverage the little they have to shape a better future for themselves and those around them.BY DINA AL WAKEEL

In his book Startup Rising: The Entrepreneurial Revolution Re-making the Middle East, American entrepreneur and venture investor Christopher Schroeder focuses on the entrepreneurs he has encountered on his travels around the region. not only does he mention them by name, including several Arab female entre-preneurs and their role in economic development, but he also showcases their startups and the idea behind each one of them.

Despite the many economic and security challenges these remarkable young entrepreneurs face in getting their projects off the ground, Schroeder still writes in his book’s afterword that “every entrepreneur and startup I described … is not only continuing to fight, but they are succeeding as well.”

Through your frequent travels to the region and familiarity with the startup world here, what do you think differentiates Arab entrepreneurs from their peers in other countries?One of the things I’ve come to realize is that when you put great entrepreneurs from anywhere in the same room, they are often more alike than any border. They think similarly, speak similarly, have an urge to solve problems, have hyper focus on great product, etc. Access to technology has merely unleashed millions more at greater scale than ever before. having said this, the Middle East—like any region—has its own unique opportunities, challenges, and cultural uniqueness that have an exciting voice of its own.

But why do you care about the Middle East’s entrepreneurship and startup scene and when did that begin?I care about individuals actualizing

anywhere, which is why I have loved being an entrepreneur and supporting them. Being exposed to the region—a region so closely associated with my country too often with difficulty—I was so stunned at all that was going on, never shown on Cnn, that I became fascinated. I realized it was a lens on what is happening everywhere in the world when people have ubiquitous access to technology. But, I must confess, the more time I spent there, the more I simply fell in love with the region.

What are the most prominent challenges they face, and are they the same that say American entrepreneurs face?All entrepreneurs face similar challenges of their own psyche—can I do this, will I do this?—and of finding the best ideas, money, and mentors. Beyond the obvious political and societal unrest in parts of the region, rule of law, [including] allowing ease of people, ideas, products, protecting capital, etc, are real challenges. Infrastructure, particularly inadequate

education for twenty-first century skills is hard. But these are true in most emerging growth markets and, of course, even entrepreneurs are trying to solve these, not waiting for traditional, top-down institutions to “get to them.”

Access to capital remains an issue in the region for most entrepreneurs, how do you think they can overcome this enormous hurdle to scale?Risk capital is absolutely a challenge, though we are seeing significant improvement in the early stage (angel) and at the established stage (profitability, near private equity kinds of assets). The middle—A/B rounds—where entrepreneurs get that $1 to $5 million to really scale is too hard. I see players now raising funds for this, and it’s a gaping opportunity.

Do you think there’s enough innovation in the region, or do most end up becoming copycats?I, of course, have a problem with piracy but hate the word “copy cats.” I call

Christopher Schroeder, American entrepreneur and venture investor

VENTURE MAGAZINE | 43

them “improvisers” in my book. They take something that works elsewhere and make it relevant for their regions. In the early stages of ecosystem development, it always starts this way; think yandex in Russia, Mercado libre in Brazil, Ten Cent or Alibaba or Baidu in China. It makes perfect sense to break through the risk aversion in early markets. Success breeds success. Remember, also, that “innovation” isn’t just the bright shiny new thing. If you live in a community that never had a phone, and now everyone has a mobile device, that is innovation.

And, by the way, we can bet that all these mobile-first societies will have global innovation soon. I watch crypto currencies closely on this, as I believe they will be more likely to take off in emerging markets.

Have you invested in an Arab startup yet? If not, are you interested in doing so?In writing the book, I decided I’d pick no favorites and ask nothing of the entrepreneurs there, so I have not invested directly. I have since joined the investment committee of the

new Wamda A-round fund, and am plotting new activities shortly.

Are you providing any mentorship to any Arab entrepreneurs? How is mentorship helpful and how do you choose your mentees?Perhaps by the hundreds, which means I’m not very scalable right now. It helps me when they have been filtered by people and groups I trust: Wamda, Oasis500, Flat6labs, and Endeavor. But I also can tell at conferences and in emails people who really want it, and try to help where I can.

Do you think there are enough opportunities in the region for young creative entrepreneurs to build their businesses?Wherever there are problems needing to be solved, wherever there are people passionate about bettering themselves, there is mass opportunity.

Can technology be a solution to some of the region’s ailments?It already is. People get hung up even on the word “technology” thinking it is some high-flying, upper crust thing. As I said before, even a basic mobile phone at scale changes entire societies because it opens up the ability to reach, engage with, collaborate, and understand thousands and millions of others. We don’t talk about electricity anymore as a thing; we assume it. But once it was the crazy new technology. The tools that are available to us, and improving exponentially, will be in the hands of almost everyone within a decade. Think about the ramifications on health care, education, economic growth, etc. Think of what Korea was like 30 years ago as compared to today, and any society with the will can look more like that, in their own ways, in a fraction of the time now. Certainly the money and resources are there.

How do you foresee the future of the region’s startup world? With tremendous hope if governments, private sector, and investors embrace it. Though it will happen with or without them, they can affect speed and scale.

gateway executive interview


The Maersk line service that stops off at the Port of Aqaba has faced many challenges down the years. But Anne gronbjerg, the Danish shipping giant’s managing director for Jordan, Kuwait, and Iraq, says even the threats of pirates, regional instability, port strikes, and fierce competition haven’t been enough to weaken her company’s commitment to the Jordanian market. Considering the instability in the region, is Maersk’s market growing in Jordan or is it in decline? The macro trend that we can see is that the local Jordanian market is growing at a reasonable rate. Where we can see some challenges is in the transient market into Iraq because of the unrest there now. But we also know that there is very strong expertise in Jordan for handling transport cargo into Iraq, and in the long-term we think that this market is going to come back.

How much of an impact have worker strikes in Aqaba over the past year had on your business? It has had an impact on all the carriers. We are all hit the same when there are strikes or when things aren’t running as smoothly as they should be in the port. It incurs extra costs for the customers, extra costs across the line, and it makes it difficult to plan. We run a very reliable network with a fixed weekly schedule, so strikes are really toxic and are a really big problem. however, we are pretty confident now that we’re entering into a period of more stability. We’re hoping that this will make 2015 a much better year for all parties, including businesses, the authorities, and for us as a service provider for Jordan.

Has Maersk faced any problems with piracy on the route into Jordan? Piracy was a big issue around 2010. But because of a well-coordinated international response, that problem has now been very much reduced. It was never a problem in Jordanian waters or even the international waters outside of Aqaba, but it was a problem off the coast of Somalia, the south end of yemen, and so on, where you enter into the Red Sea. But it’s almost nothing now.

How much competition do you face in the region? globally, container shipping is a very competitive industry because the basic balance between supply of container carrying capacity and demand for carrying containers is that there is an oversupply of capacity. So that makes the industry as a whole very competitive. If we look at Jordan, the picture is basically the same. So it is very

competitive on some traits more than others. But again we are happy with the position we have in the market today. We are not looking to grow it or shrink it. That also is the approach of our global company; that we’re just absolutely happy where we are.

How important is Aqaba for Maersk?Aqaba is important to Maersk because Jordan is a growing market and it also serves as a gateway to Iraq and other neighboring countries. We see this as an interesting market in the long-term and as a growing market. So that’s why we’re committed today and also in the long-term to Jordan. As for how strategic the Jordanian market is to Maersk clients globally; it’s not one of the biggest markets, but it’s a market that makes a lot of sense for us to be in. We have some very good customers here that we really value collaborating with and that we want to continue working with.

sailing aHeaDDespite regional turmoil, Maersk Line’s Anne Gronbjerg says Jordan continues to show promise.

Soundbite

BY JANE HOSKING

Anne Gronbjerg, Maersk Line Managing Director for Jordan, Kuwait, and Iraq


Market Brief

inDex slips Despite stRong inDustRial peRfoRManCeMARCH 19, 2015 – ApRIL19, 2015BY ARAM RABADI

T he general Index retreated 0.17 percent despite a strong performance by the Industrial Index, which gained 4.19 percent,

as well as a 0.41 percent gain by the Services Index. The decline of the Amman Stock Exchange came in a time when the gCC capital markets also declined. In the meantime, the trading activity reached JD211 million as the number of traded shares came in at 189 million. The financial sector accounted for 59 percent of the market’s activity compared to 28 percent and 13 percent for the services and industrial sectors, respectively.

The tobacco sector was the star performer of the industrial sector, as the Tobacco Index gained 17.95 percent and the sector’s trading reached JD1.8 million. Al-Eqbal for Investment Company (EICO) gained 20.25 percent to close at JD14.31, as Union Tobacco and Cigarette Industries (UTOB)

dropped 8.62 percent to JD4.56. The glass & Ceramic Industries Index followed with a 10 percent gain thanks to a similar gain by Jordan Ceramic Industries (JOCF), which closed at JD1.43. Another strong performance came from the Pharmaceutical & Medical Industries Index, which gained 9.39 percent. Jordanian Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (JPhM) led the sector with a 27.42 percent gain to close at JD0.79 and was the market’s third best performer. At the same time, Arab Center for Pharmaceutical and Chemical Industries (APhC) gained 17.07 percent, and Dar Al-Dawa Development and Investment (DADI) gained 11.46 percent.

The Food & Beverages Index gained 6.01 percent as Jordan Dairy (JDA) gained 57.02

COMPANY

BEST PERFORMERS

WORST PERFORMERS

MOST ACTIVE

CLOSE(JOD)

CHANGE(%)

TuRNOVER(JOD)

TRADING ACTIVITIES

AMI: AB Invest Market IndexASMI: AB Invest Smaller Market

IndexASE: Amman Stock Exchange Index

Trailing p/E: Market capital weighted p/E of index elements

MARKET BREADTH

51 114 57

AD

vAN

CER

S

DE

CLI

NE

RS

uN

CH

AN

GE

D

cLose

chanGe (%)

ytd (%)

y-o-y (%)

trailing P/e

ASEINDEX

2154.11

-0.17

-0.52

-1.09

13.18

VOLuME (SHARES)188,791,701

VOLuME (JD)211,244,206

VOLuME (uS$)297,854,330

Ind

us

tr

Ies

13%

se

rV

Ice

s 2

8%

fIn

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TRADING VALuE

unIVersaL cheMIcaL IndustrIes

Jordan daIry

Jordan PharMaceutIcaL ManufacturInG

1.07

5.37

0.79

0.65

0.68

1.26

1.18

5.28

6.32

87.72

57.02

27.42

-32.29

-25.27

-24.55

-7.81

-2.22

-5.67

5,098

115,906

265,659

3,565

3,140,382

109,474

27,942,228

15,760,601

13,785,377

MIddLe east PharMaceutIcaL & cheMIcaL

tuhaMafor fInancIaL InVestMent

Jordan Press foundatIon

ad-duLayL IndustrIaL Park & reaL estate

Jordan ProJect tourIsM deVeLoPMent

arab bank

percent to close at JD5.37, becoming the second best performer for the period. The Printing & Packaging Index also gained 9.21 percent as the Mining & Extraction Index gained 0.02 percent. The chemical industries sector was interesting to watch. While the sector’s index retreated 3.75 percent for the period, Universal Chemical Industries (UnIC) led the market with an 87.72 percent gain to close at JD1.07. At the same time, the trading of the sector reached JD8.8 million, as the trading of Jordan Industrial Resources (JOIR) reached JD7.8 million.

The Services Index gained despite a 22.01 percent decline by the Media Index, where Jordan Press Foundation (PRES) shed 24.55 percent to close at JD1.26 to become the market’s third worst performer. Much of the positive push came from the utilities & energy and technology & communications sectors. In the utilities & energy sector, Jordan Petroleum Refinery (JOPT) gained 8.32 percent to close at JD5.47, and in the technology & communications sector Jordan Telecom (JTEl) gained 1.57 percent to close at JD3.24.

The Educational Services Index also gained 0.74 percent as Philadelphia International Educational Investment (PIEC) led the sector with a 4.44 percent to close at JD4.70. Meanwhile, Arab International Company for Education and Investment (AIEI) gained 2.25 percent to close at JD4.55. AIEI’s shareholders approved a cash dividend of JD0.3 per share.

The Transportation Index dropped 1.06 percent as Barter Company for Investment and Transport (nAQl) dropped 20.90 percent to JD0.53. however, Royal Jordanian Airlines (RJAl) managed to gain 8.77 percent to close at JD0.62, and Ubour logistic Services (TRUK) gained 7.32 percent to close at JD0.44. At the same time, the health care services dropped 6.58 percent, and the Commercial Services Index retreated 4.04 percent as the hotels & Tourism Index declined 5.22 percent.

The Insurance Index managed to gain 0.70 percent as the rest of

the financial sub-indices declined. Arab Orient Insurance (AOIC) led the sector with a 16.22 percent gain to close at JD2.15, and Jordan French Insurance (JOFR) gained 8.11 percent to close at JD0.40. At the other end, the Diversified Financial Services Index was the worst performing financial sub-index after dropping 2.72 percent. Tuhama for Financial Investment (ThMA) declined 25.27 percent to JD0.68 and was the market’s second worst performer for the period. In the same sector International Card Company (CARD) dropped 22.58 percent to JD0.24.

The Real Estate Index retreated 2.18 percent and Real Estate Development (REDv) was the sector’s worst performer after shedding 18.52 percent to close at JD0.22. Moreover, Real Estate and Investment Portfolio Company

(PETT) dropped 15.00 percent to JD1.02. however, Jordan Masaken for land and Industrial Development Projects (MSKn) managed to gain 22.06 percent to close at JD0.83. On a different note, AD-Dulayl Industrial Park and Real Estate Company (IDMC) was the most active stock in the market with JD27.9 million in trading. In the meantime, the Banking Index dropped 1.51 percent. The Arab Bank (ARBK), which was the most active banking stock with JD13.8 million in trading, making it the market’s third most active stock, dropped 5.67 percent to JD6.32, and Bank of Jordan (BOJX) retreated 5.63 percent to JD2.68 as Arab Jordan Investment Bank (AJIB) dropped 5.37 percent to JD1.94. At the other end, Jordan Islamic Bank (JOIB) led the sector with a 2.86 percent gain to close at JD3.60.

PROVIDED BY:AL ARABI INVESTMENT GROUP

“Member of the Arab Bank Group”[email protected]

[email protected]

THE TOBACCO SECTOR WAS THE STAR pERfORMER Of THE INDuSTRIAL SECTOR, AS THE TOBACCO INDEX GAINED 17.95 pERCENT


previous year, thanks in part to a rise in tourists from the gulf region.

Jordanian expatriates accounted for the largest number of all visitors in 2014, making up just under a third of

all overnight stays in 2014, marking an increase of 10.8 percent on the year before. Overnight arrivals from gulf countries, which made up 17.3 percent of the total number of visitors, rose 3.1 percent. however, visitors from other

Arab countries, which represented the largest group of visitors in 2013, slipped 7.6 percent to make up 27.6 percent of total overnight arrivals in 2014.

Industry figures believe regional instability, typified by the rise of Islamic State in neighboring Syria and Iraq, is largely responsible for visitors staying away, even though internally Jordan remains stable. “A lot of winter

Jordan’s all-important tourism sec-tor is having a rough time of late. According to the Jordan Tourism

Board (JTB), the number of visitors to Jordan in 2014 dipped 1.2 percent year-on-year, reaching 5.3 million. The number of tourists arriving on day trips slipped 7.4 percent over the same period to 1.3 million. While the amount of overnight visitors fared slightly better, rising 1.1 percent to reach nearly 4 million (but according to the latest data, the tally for January and February is down 8.3 percent).

But despite the drop in overall numbers, tourism receipts remained stable throughout 2014, totaling JD3.1 billion, according to Central Bank of Jordan data, up 6.3 percent on the

oxford Business group

Words By oliver Cornock

Oliver Cornock, Regional EditorTHE INSIDE EDGEwww.oxfordbusinessgroup.com

bookings were cancelled in the wake of the gaza conflict and since then the issue of Islamic State … has become more and more prominent,” said Peter hoesli, general manager of the Mövenpick Resort Dead Sea.

The fall in visitor numbers has prompted the authori-ties, supported by industry representatives, to introduce measures aimed at boosting activity. A cabinet reshuffle in early March led to the reappointment of a dedicated minister for tourism in a widely welcomed move.

later in the month, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities launched a campaign in conjunction with the JTB and tour operators to rally domestic tourism. The campaign includes promotions on travel packages to the Dead Sea and historical sites such as Petra.

But keen to see more done, industry players have also drawn up a number of other proposals, which include a reduction of entry fees to Petra for visitors staying in nearby hotels, as well as proposals to support the struggling hotel industry with tax cuts and lower electricity prices.

As well as this, it’s hoped new developments in the aviation sector could prove instrumental in boosting visitor numbers to the Kingdom. The UAE-based budget airline Air Arabia recently bought a 49 percent stake in Jordanian charter carrier Petra Airlines, which is being rebranded Air Arabia Jordan.

The firm plans to open a new international hub at Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA), becoming Air Arabia’s fifth in the region and operating flights to Europe, the Middle East, and north Africa. “The acquisition is good news for the industry, as Air Arabia represents a new, large potential source of capital,” said Kjeld Binger, CEO of Airport International group, which manages QAIA. “It will bring more jobs and contracts for services, and more competition will give rise to market growth and more innovation.”

Directives from the government to boost tourism num-bers are spurring other carriers into action. In March, the national flag carrier, Royal Jordanian, announced plans to offer discounted tickets to tour operators for use in package deals. The initiative is targeted primarily at the gCC and European markets, which, between them, account for almost half of overnight arrivals before the inclusion of Jordanians living abroad.

The tourism industry is also calling for other measures to be introduced including the abolition of a departure tax for charter flights and low-cost carriers using Amman Civil Airport at Marka.

Whilst perhaps little can be done to boost senti-ment amongst travelers, the Jordanian authorities and stakeholders in the tourism sector are looking to do all they can to try to create an environment for the industry to grow. In the long-term, they will certainly be hoping for more favorable regional headwinds.

REGIONAL INSTABILITY, TYpIfIED BY THE RISE Of ISLAMIC STATE IN NEIGHBORING SYRIA AND IRAQ, IS LARGELY RESpONSIBLE fOR vISITORS STAYING AWAY

Regional Volatility Hits touRisMA concerted drive is underway to reinvigorate Jordan’s important tourism sector that has been shaken hard by regional instability.


They too are against restructuring and suggest that the government adopts measures to exempt the newspapers from paying sales tax and import duty, among other incentives. The Jordan Press Association (JPA) is also against adopting any plan that involves firing journalists.

Ironically, Al-Rai’s new editorial line was seen as a positive sign, with readers and observers saying newspapers should always aim to check government power. The Jordan Times, another JPF title, quoted Al Rai Assistant Chief Editor Khalil Shobaki as saying his newspaper would continue playing its role as the fourth estate even if the dispute comes to an end.

yber attacks against various media increased last month with hackers attacking the websites of French, Belgian, and Arabic media outlets. london-based Al-hayat had its website

taken over for more than a day by a group calling itself the yemen Cyber Army, which posted anti-Saudi slogans and a photo of hizbollah leader hassan nasrallah. The group is believed to be from Iran, which opposes Saudi-led air strikes on houthi rebels in yemen.

Islamic State hackers attacked the leading French broadcaster Tv5 Monde, disrupting its transmission and website, and infiltrating its Twitter, google+, and Facebook accounts. The cyber-jihadists posted pro-Islamic State images, flags, and slogans, in addition to statements warning French soldiers to cease fighting the terrorist group.

It took experts hours to regain control of the channel’s website and the management said it was still trying to understand how the hackers were able to carry out their attack in spite of a sophisticated firewall and security system.

The website of leading Belgian newspaper le Soir was also hacked as well. The site was down for hours and the identity of the hackers is still not known.

But in Egypt terrorists resorted to a more primitive way to disable the media. last month, an unknown group blew up electricity towers feeding the Media Production City west of Cairo, effectively taking tens of stations off the air for hours before emergency generators were brought in.

Cyber-jihad has become the latest weapon in the arsenal of insurgents and terrorist groups. Its main objective is to create chaos online and bring attention to their causes as part of a propaganda war.

Words By osama al-sharif

Media and society

he crisis engulfing Jordan’s daily newspapers continues to show no sign of abating after Al-Rai’s

editorial board declared war on the government of Abdallah Ensour last month. The newspaper’s employees took the unprecedented decision to block coverage of all government activities to protest the failure of the Social Security Investment Fund (SSIF), which owns 55 percent of the newspaper’s shares, to fire the board of directors. But that’s not all. Shortly after implementing its blackout of government news, the newspaper actually began publishing articles critical of the government.

Al Rai, which is published by the Jordan Press Foundation (JPF), has traditionally been a staunchly pro-government newspaper. As a majority owner, the government,

through the SSIF, has long appointed the majority of the newspaper’s board of directors and other key editorial positions.

The leading newspaper has seen better days financially. It’s been losing money for the last three years, especially after the previous board

approved the purchase of a JD35 million printing press. Employees say the project has drained the finances of the JPF, with millions of dinars pumped into the project every year to keep it running. They want the printing press to be transformed into a separate

company and sold to the SSIF in order to relieve the company and help it return to profitability. They accuse the board of seeking to implement a restructuring plan that would terminate the employment of hundreds of employees, including journalists.

But Addustour, which is in an even

worse financial position, has taken the decision to continue covering government activities. Al-Rai’s harsh criticism of the government came at a time when deputies intervened to find a solution to the mess Jordan’s newspapers find themselves in.

Al Rai’s relations with the government have soured as the rancorous debate continues over the future of Jordan’s troubled daily newspapers.

a fuRious fall out

CyBeR JiHaDists Cause HaVoC online.

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C

AL-RAI’S NEW EDITORIAL LINE WAS SEEN AS A pOSITIvE SIGN, WITH READERS AND OBSERvERS SAYING NEWSpApERS SHOuLD ALWAYS AIM TO CHECK GOvERNMENT pOWER


Nip aNd Tuck: JordaN’s plasTic

surgery BoomWhether they’re carrying out nose jobs on women wanting to look like film stars, or liposuction on men hurtling towards middle age,

Jordan’s plastic surgeons say they’ve never been busier.

BY ELISA ODDONEPHOTOGRAPHY BY ALA'A SuKHNY

health

s we become more and more accustomed to images of surgery-enhanced celebrities, an increasing number of Jordanians are book-ing themselves into the country’s cosmetic surgery clinics seeking features resembling their favorite stars.

Women swarm to Jordan clinics asking for noses like lebanese singer nancy Ajram, best-selling recording artist Elissa’s breasts, or Meryam Fares’ voluptuous curves.

Men also want to sport noses or six-pack abs like American actor Taylor lautner and wrestler Dwayne Johnson.

no official figure is available, but the Jordanian surgeons venture contacted said they have witnessed a 100 percent rise in demand over the last decade for procedures ranging from eye-lid lifts and rhinoplasty, to liposuction and breast implants. The average patient age is between 25 and 45 for women, and between 40 and 50 for men.

TOP-NOTCH SERVICESDespite the conservatism of Jordanian society,

The Jordanian surgeons venTure conTacTed said They have wiTnessed a 100 percenT rise in demand over The lasT decade

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the stigma attached to cosmetic surgery appears to be waning as the Kingdom becomes ever more inextricably linked to the world around it. “The impact of the open media and globalization has had a huge influence on people’s demand for aesthetic treatments,” Jordanian consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Walid Karhchule said.

On the morning venture visited Dr Karhchule’s clinic, around 10 men and women were waiting in the reception area. Some suffered injuries that required reconstructive surgery, while the remainder were

likely seeking Dr. Karhchule’s expertise in carrying out cos-metic procedures, including botox, liposuction, and breast augmentation. “Plastic and reconstructive surgeries are considered to be an essential issue in many people’s lives today, since it improves their mental and psychological status,” he said. “Both women and men are pleased if they look better or younger and feel more confident when people approach them in a very positive way.”

While in the 1960s patients were interested in reconstruction and correcting deformities caused by accidents, burns, or congenital anomalies, the early 1990s saw more patients looking for enhancements. As the market has widened through-out the years, aesthetic surgery has also lost much of its exclusivity. Surgeries that were initially reserved for the yacht-owning wealthiest echelons have been made available to the masses.

Today, Jordan is the leading destination for medical tourism in the region, with plastic surgery high in demand. “This is due to the in-creasing number of advanced hospitals equipped with cutting-edge tools, the country’s reasonable surgery prices, and the large number of highly qualified doctors,” he said.

But Jordan’s journey to reach this primacy began some 50 years ago with a surgeon who has done more than any other to launch the Kingdom to the vanguard of plastic surgery: Dr. ghaith Shubailat.

Trained in the UK and the United States, Shubailat was the first plastic surgeon certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery in the Middle East. he said he has performed 500 operations annually for the past 30 years.

“There was only one plastic surgeon in Jordan in the 1960s, he was my teacher and got me hooked to this profession. Following my studies, I started the plastic reconstructive surgery

section at the King hussein Medical Center,” Shubailat told venture at his practice in an upscale neighborhood of Amman.

Dr. Shubailat trained dozens of plastic sur-geons and invited others for short-term courses and visits until he left the army in 1984. Many of his alumni have gone on to found their own practices, and the training program he helped start still operates to this day.

The surgeon first honed his skills treating patients who were burned or disfigured in the 1967 Middle East war, when the deployment of napalm bombs—now internationally prohib-ited—left civilians with horrific scars.

Today, the surgeon who reached the rank of major general, only performs cosmetic treatments. “The majority of my patients are women while men make around 15 percent of my clients,” he said. “Arabs often have crooked noses, so almost half of my work are nose jobs. Until 2003, I used to do about seven breast implants a year. Suddenly, the number has soared following the latest fashion trends. now it

The impacT of The open media and globalizaTion has had a huge influence on people’s demand for aesTheTic TreaTmenTs

The maJoriTy of my paTienTs are women while men make around 15 percenT of my clienTs

health

Dr. Walid Karhchule, Jordanian Consultant plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon

Dr. Kusai Elmusa, a prominent plastic Surgeon and Secretary General of the Jordanian Society of plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons


is a very common request, and I do a hundred a year.”

The surgeon said women in their 30s come to him for breast lifting operations after deliveries, while many foreigners opt for liposuction treatments, especially patients from the gulf countries, where obesity is a huge problem.

Costs at Dr. Shubailat’ s practice start from JD3,000 for a nose job, JD3,500 for breast implants, and between JD3,000 and JD6,000 for liposuction, depending on the person’s size.

A MEDICAL HuBJordan has grown in reputation as a center for plastic surgery excellence down the years, luring more and more patients from abroad.

Dr. Kusai Elmusa, a prominent plastic surgeon and secretary general of the Jordanian Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, esti-mates that 20 percent of his patients come from the gulf, and a further 10 percent from other countries like the United States. he said they opt to come to Jordan because of the “qual-ity of the practices and especially for the lower prices.”

Cosmetic surgery is among the must-dos for many tourists, accord-ing to Elmusa.

Patients tend to undergo surgeries during their holidays, as operations are not invasive anymore, and can be done almost entirely under local anesthetic. Free of bleeding or bruising, patients can usually walk out of the operating room and go

home the same day.Despite the vast majority of

patients still being women, a grow-ing number of men are resorting to surgical and non-surgical aesthetic interventions in Jordan in adherence to international trends. “Men go for solutions that highlight their mascu-linity, like more projection to their chins, a more manly nose, six-pack abs, liposuction, and tightening,” Elmusa said.

But while demand for plastic

surgery appears to be growing in Jordan, leading surgeons always try to encourage patients to go for natural looks during surgeries. “We want our patients to ask for natural results, since it is impos-sible to go under the knife every day to change looks,” Elmusa said. “Patients will also be happier in the long-term, sporting bodies and features detached from temporary standards of beauty dictated by the latest fashion.”

paTienTs Tend To undergo surgeries during Their holidays, as operaTions are noT invasive anymore

health

Dr. Ghaith Shubailat, the first plastic Surgeon Certified by The American Board of plastic Surgery in the Middle East


The $950 million Red Sea-Dead Sea conveyance project has finally been given the go-ahead. While it will likely save Jordan money and provide it with much-needed fresh water, doubts

remain about whether it can save the fast-shrinking Dead Sea over the long-term.

Red Sea-dead Sea PRoject: Too LiTTLe, Too LaTe?

BY JANE HOSKING

environment


he Dead Sea is shrinking at an alarming rate—at over a meter per year, in fact. If no action is taken soon, experts

believe the unique natural wonder could disappear completely within a mere four decades.

But now, after years on the drawing board, a multi-million-dollar, World Bank-sponsored project primarily designed to save the Dead Sea from extinction has finally been allowed to proceed by Jordan, Israel, and Palestine.

The Red Sea-Dead Sea project will involve building a desalination plant in Aqaba to provide fresh water to the three parties for agriculture and drink-ing purposes. Brine water, a byproduct of this process, will then be pumped north via a pipeline to replenish the Dead Sea.

This is the first time Jordan, Israel, and Palestine have come together to collaborate on a trilateral project since the Oslo Peace Treaty in 1995. Unsurprisingly, political and environ-mental controversy has surrounded the deal, along with concerns that the initial project—proposed in 2005 at a cost of $11 billion—was not economi-cally feasible.

The project has since been scaled down significantly from the version originally envisioned. The parties involved have agreed to implement the first of five potential phases at a cost of approximately $950 million.

Phase one of the project, which will be constructed on a build-operate-transfer basis, will soon be tendered

out. The aim is to commence construc-tion in 2017, and to have the project completed by 2019.

The water intake infrastructure will be located in the northern part of the gulf of Aqaba, inside Jordan, and the desalination plant will be constructed just north of Aqaba airport. A hydro electricity plant will also be part of the deal, generating 20 percent of the needed power for the project.

The desalination plant is expected to produce 120 to 130 million cubic meters of brine to be pumped into the Dead Sea, along with 85 million cubic meters of fresh water per year. Of this fresh water, up to 50 million cubic meters will be sold to Israel and the rest—around 35 million cubic meters—will go to Aqaba city.

In return, Israel will sell 50 million cubic meters of water to Jordan from lake Tiberias in the north, for around $0.40 cents per cubic meter—cheaper than the expected $1 per cubic meter that they will be paying Jordan for the desalinated water.

“This water will be supplied to Jordan’s northern governorates which are suffering from water shortages because they have very

limited water sources, especially due to the Syrian refugee influx,” said Saad Abu hammour, Jordan’s Secretary general of the Ministry of Water and Irrigation.

Palestinians are also set to benefit from the deal, receiving 20-30 million cubic meters per year, not from the desalination plant, but from Israel’s existing water sources.

“This is the condition of the Israelis getting water from the project,” said Abu hammour, adding that it would have been too expensive at this stage to construct a pipeline from the desalina-tion plant to the West Bank, but it was considered important that Palestinians benefited from the deal as well.

For Jordan, the project is projected to save the country at least $2.1 billion per year, while each water unit will be 25 percent cheaper than the Disi water project, according to Abu hammour.

In order to fund the project, the Jordanian government hopes to receive $350 million in grants from interna-tional donors, which will be allocated to the construction of the brine pipeline to help save the Dead Sea. The remain-ing $600 million will be sought from investors for the desalination plant.

yet despite all this progress, the future of the Dead Sea still looks bleak, and as a result, the environmental and economic consequences for Jordan could be huge.

WHY SO LOW?While evaporation is the main factor causing the depletion of the Dead Sea, this has only become a major problem since the disruption of the Jordan River and its tributaries, which previ-ously fed the sea with up to 2 billion cubic meters of water per year. Today, the Dead Sea receives only around 200 to 300 million cubic meters, and according to the project website, 80 percent of the Dead Sea’s decline has occurred within the last 30 years.

“If I wanted to blame anyone I would blame Israel first, Syria second, and Jordan third,” said Abu hammour, referring to the countries primarily responsible for diverting water from the Jordan River since the 1950s.

But another less well-know contribu-tor to the Dead Sea’s depletion are the large chemical industries in Israel and Jordan—namely the Dead Sea Works Company and the Arab Potash Company—at the southern end of the

expanse of water, which use its water to extract minerals for fertilizers.

“The industries in the south right now are responsible for at least 25 to 30 percent of the problems of the Dead Sea,” said Munqeth Mehyar, president and director of Eco Peace Middle East, formally Friends of the Earth.

According to Abu hammour, these companies are extracting around 600 million cubic meters of water from the Dead Sea per year. But he said that some of this water is returned to the sea after the minerals are extracted.

If nothing is done to replenish the Dead Sea, the environmental consequences will go beyond the

sea’s extinction, according to Elias Salameh, professor of hydrogeology and hydrochemistry at the University of Jordan. “The continuous drop in the level of the Dead Sea will lead to the formation of sink holes, landslides, and

fresh ground water discharging into the sea, which will degrade the environment around it. It’s a catastrophe,” he said.

Salameh’s research shows the Dead Sea’s falling water level is causing it to absorb the fresh ground water surrounding it. “It’s a problem for Jordan, Palestine, and Israel because the ground water levels have started to drop in the immediate area surrounding the Dead Sea, and now this is extending eastward, westward, northward, and southward,” he said, adding that many natural springs are also drying up.

This all spells trouble for Jordan’s farmers, and a shrinking Dead Sea also threatens Jordan’s tourism sector,

which contributes up to 14 percent of gDP. “There will be a lot of damage to tourism,” warned Abu hammour.

Salameh similarly believes that tourism is at risk, not only because of the likely decline in visitors to the

environment

The governmenTs are now seeing The reaL picTure. They are coming To Terms wiTh The reaLiTy of The probLem

The DeaD sea is joinTLy owneD by jorDan, paLesTine, anD israeL. noboDy is aLLoweD To impLemenT such a projecT aLone because iT wiLL affecT The shores of every oTher counTry

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sea, but also from potential damage to tourism developments such as hotels, some of which are threatened by landslides.

OPPOSITIONWhile phase one of the project is no doubt a huge undertaking for the three parties involved, it’s a far cry from the original plan, which ambitiously aimed to produce around 350 million cubic meters of desalinated water per year, and pump up to 2 billion cubic meters of brine into the Dead Sea.

The environmental concerns surrounding the initial plan were one of the main obstacles preventing it from going ahead. These concerns were investigated in 2012 by a World Bank feasibility and environmental study, which warned that the large influx of water from the Red Sea could result in algae blooms and the stratification of the Dead Sea’s water.

The study, however, found that up to 400 million cubic meters of brine could be released into the Dead Sea without causing any damage. The project was therefore given the all clear to go ahead on a smaller scale, with a plan to conduct studies that would measure the

environment

waters. “Unfortunately it will not be enough,” said Mehyar.

Abu hammour similarly believes that the Dead Sea cannot be saved, but expects that the brine will stop the de-cline by 20 percent. “With this project, it means we are putting the government on the right track, and at least it’s better than nothing,” he said.

But Abu hammour admits that the deal has come too late. “There is some blame concerning the cooperation between [Israel and Jordan], because the peace treaty says that protecting the environment of the Jordan River and the Dead Sea is the responsibility of both countries. But we never started seriously with the Israelis until four years ago,” he said.

According to Salameh, in order for it to survive, the Dead Sea needs to go back to receiving 2 billion cubic meters of water per year. While the future phases of the project are expected to have the capacity to provide it with 1.2 billion cubic meters of brine per year, not only is this not enough, but the Dead Sea may be gone before these phases can be implemented.

Alternative sources of water to replenish the Dead Sea are therefore being sought through the release of water into the Jordan River and its tributaries. “The rehabilitation of the Jordan River is a must, and the reform of the water sectors in all three countries is also a must,” said Mehyar.

Water shortages in the region, however, make it difficult to imagine that the diversions of the Jordan River will cease any time soon. nonetheless, some progress has been made so far with the Israelis releasing around 10 million cubic meters per year back into the river since 2013. The plan is for this to increase to 30 million by the year 2017.

While such initiatives will slow the decline of the sea’s waters, the question remains as to whether it will be enough to save the Dead Sea. According to Abu hammour, the answer is still no. Mehyar, on the other hand, is slightly more positive. “The governments are now seeing the real picture. They are coming to terms with the reality of the problem and are trying to be realistic in solving it,” he said.

DeaD Sea LeveL 1930 to 2009D

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Water LeveL of the DeaD Sea 1976 - 2010

impact of the brine. As a result, environmental groups, such

as Mehyar’s Eco Peace Middle East, who were initially opposed to the project, have become supporters or it. “The World Bank study came out with the same reservations and concerns that we had before,” said Mehyar. “But we are happy with the agreement as it is now.”

yet even with the large-scale version of the project, Salameh doesn’t believe that the release of brine into the Dead Sea would cause it harm. he said: “There were some doubts about what will happen with the magnesium and sulfate in the water. But my question is: Did the water that formerly fed the Dead Sea not contain magnesium?” The Jordan River has always contained these minerals, as well as algae, bacte-ria, and even animal remains, he said. “The Dead Sea was able to assimilate all of that. So why can’t it assimilate organic matter from the Red Sea?”

Salameh believes that counter to what some people believe, the project will be extremely beneficial for the Dead Sea. “There is no significant negative environmental impact of the project. But the positive environmental impacts are really very, very high.”

Political controversy has also threatened to derail the project. As the recent gas deal between Jordan and Israel has shown, any association with Israel has the potential to generate opposition in the Kingdom, particularly from the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. however, when contacted for the purpose of this article, a Jordanian representative for the movement said that they preferred not to comment on this issue at this time.

The project, nonetheless, has experienced opposition from a number of politicians who object to it on the grounds that Jordan shouldn’t have any dealings with Israel. But according to Salameh, there’s no other option but to cooperate with the Israelis. “The Dead Sea is jointly owned by Jordan, Palestine, and Israel. nobody is allowed to imple-ment such a project alone because it will affect the shores of every other country,” he explained.

A DROP IN THE OCEANDespite the efforts being made to save the Dead Sea, all are in agreement that phase one of the project doesn’t have the capacity to reverse the declining


Name: Christelle FakhouryTiTle: Cofounder and CeO of C2C (le Club Des Deux Clowns)

Beirut is rapidly shaping up as a crucial player in the region’s startup scene. Venture spoke to four Lebanese female entrepreneurs who have made major headway in Lebanon, the region, and even the world with their startups and creations.

BY DINA AL WAKEEL

The WOmeN leaDiNg lebaNON’s sTarTup sCeNe

The Lebanese economy is mired in prob-lems. Growth and consumer and investor confidence continue to be held back by regional instability and a long-standing local political impasse.

Still, the Lebanese are a resilient bunch, with an abundance of potential and in-novation. A positive development for all Lebanese startups has been a recent Central Bank decision to unlock $400 million for startup investments. This move,

coupled with a serious attempt to create a tech hub in Beirut, will boost Lebanese startups’ competitive edge.

Here, Venture features four diverse Lebanese entrepreneurs, all of whom are women, for creating a successful business in a strenuous environment, for acting as a boon to the local, and in some cases even regional and global, economy, and the arduous task they still have ahead to maintain their success.

s part of a mechanical engineering course at the American University of

Beirut, Chantal Abou Jaoude spent a summer in Germany interning with Maschinenbau Haldenwang, a major manufacturer of automobile servic-ing equipment.

Before returning home, Abou Jaoude negotiated with Maschinenbau Haldenwang’s sales manager to allow her to distribute the company’s products in Lebanon. “So at the age of 21, with one tough year left to complete at university, zero capital, and a very challenging and specialized industry to discover, I started my own company with the support of my brother, who remains my indispensible partner,” she said.

Abou Jaoude’s company provides

customized and standard solutions for vehicle service and repair facilities, private workshops, repair centers for organizations with fleets, and governmental vehicle inspection centers. The company has evolved from selling a specific line of products from one sole manu-facturer to providing comprehen-sive solutions for vehicle workshops and inspection centers. Edge Middle East represents more than 12 European and US manufacturers in Lebanon and Iraq.

For Abou Jaoude, the opportunity to enter into the Iraqi market was so irresistible that couldn’t be passed up. “Despite the instability, alarming security conditions, and

Name: Chantal abou JaoudeTiTle: Cofounder, managing partner at eDge and eDge middle east

entrepreneurship

dependable head technician who were willing to jump in.”

According to Abou Jaoude, who now visits Iraq every 6 to 8 weeks, one major achievement was intro-ducing the periodic technical inspec-tion, especially to the rural areas of Kurdistan, through the development of high-end inspection centers.

Today, her customers in Iraq include official service centers such as Mercedes Benz and Bridgestone, government-certified vehicle inspection centers, es-pecially in Kurdistan, as well as organizations with fleets like North Oil Company, North Gas Company, and the American Embassy.

But Abou Jaoude makes double the effort to gain her customers’ respect in an industry that’s largely dominated by men. If the primary contact with customers is by e-mail, she said, then they always assume that she is a man,

addressing her as ‘Mr. Chantal. ’Then when the first meeting takes place, the clients are usually shocked to see that she’s a woman.

Besides the common challenges faced by most entrepreneurs in the region, including the political, economic, and security instability, the high level of corruption dominating business practices in both the public and private sectors pose a particular challenge for Abou Jaoude.

The underdeveloped automotive industry also presents its own challenges. “There is little aware-ness on road transport safety and the vast majority is focused on a car’s esthetics while neglecting safety and functionality,” she said. “There are also no standards set for service centers and workshops, which render upgrading or investing in quality equipment and solutions more of a relaxed choice rather than

a professional obligation.”Yet, despite the drastic security

and economic situation, the com-pany’s annual sales have witnessed a three-fold increase since they first started in Iraq in 2010.

Abou Jaoude hopes to expand her work into other markets in the region and in Central Africa, as well as expanding the scope of her work to include more activities. To do so, she might consider external funding, something she has so far managed to steer away from, particularly in light of the new drive in Lebanon to support SMEs.

For Abou Jaoude, work has helped trigger her creativity and hone her skills. “It has shaped up the biggest part of the person I am today and I perfectly agree with the founder of BestBuzz that ‘entrepreneurship is not a part-time job and it is not even a full-time job, it’s a lifestyle’.”

or Christelle Fakhoury, necessity is indeed the mother of invention. She created her business 11

years ago at the age of 21 primarily to fund her education and become financially independent. She was also driven by her love of children and entertainment.

Fakhoury decided to take advan-tage of the big gap that existed in the market to create a special concept that would benefit both the kids and their parents. “When we started the company in 2004, there were no proper places or systems for kids entertainment. Parents didn’t know where to take their

kids or what to do on their birthdays,” she said.

More than a decade on, C2C now has 150 employees and is one of Beirut’s leading children’s events companies. It offers customers a myriad of services, including organiz-ing birthday parties, festivals,

summer camps, and product launches. C2C began by organizing around 100 events annually. Today the number has grown to almost 800. The company started with $20,000 in seed capital, and their revenue now has reached approximately $2 million.

But despite this impressive perfor-mance, Fakhoury isn’t resting on

her laurels. “Today, I look back and feel proud of my accomplishments, but realize that the only way to grow as an organization is by continually questioning our business model and seeking new ways of delivering value to our customers,” she said. “My business is my baby because I put all my dreams and passion to see it grow.”

The difficult economic and

corruption, I could only see Iraq as a too-tempting-to-ignore blue ocean,” she said. “Market penetration was indeed tricky, but it was made easier by partnering up with a trustworthy Iraqi friend and coordinating with a

FakhOury DeCiDeD TO Take aDvaNTage OF The big gap ThaT exisTeD iN The markeT

aF


political conditions in Lebanon con-tinue to weigh on C2C’s activities, particularly in its ability to invest in R&D and foster a long-term investment view. Fakhoury said she is addressing this by diversifying her company’s geographic risk and expanding in other locations.

She is also working hard on developing new ways to retain tal-ented, trustworthy employees and reduce employee turnover (almost half of her team are students and part-timers). “We are rethinking our incentive packages and focusing on

refining our company culture.” Low barriers to entry into this industry also mean that competition is fierce, thus threatening their margins.

But the most difficult challenge has been the social, cultural, and even legal barriers that she faced as a woman entrepreneur. “Such challenges include not being taken seriously by male individu-als all the way to being insulted and disrespected and having no recourse to the law or any other entity to claim my basic rights,” she lamented.

Although she has been ap-proached several times to accept partnerships or even franchise the business, Fakhoury still prefers the operations to remain as they are today. But she is planning to expand to the MENA region in the coming years, and in five years time, she hopes the C2C brand will set the standard for children’s en-tertainment centers. “Our business started as a family enterprise and grew by itself thanks to our creative team, our family spirit, and the love of our clients.”

ind Hobeika has caused a commotion in the swim-ming world, both sport

and industry. In 2013, Hobeika, a former professional swimmer, created Instabeat, a revolutionary swimming tracking device that monitors heart rate.

She noticed the need for such a device during her time as a swim-mer. The Google Glass-like technol-ogy provides swimmers with calorie count, number of laps, number of

flip turns, and breathing pattern, in addition to their heartbeat. It also provides them with real-time feedback and the chance to track their progress.

“Instabeat is giving swimmers insights about their practice they were not able to get before,” Hobeika told Venture. “They understand more about their performance, how their bodies are reacting to their training and improving over time. Furthermore, Instabeat allows swimmers to optimize their workout by giving

them real-time feedback.”In 2012, Instabeat won first

prize at the MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab Business Plan Competition and third prize at MBC’s Stars of Science Competition in 2010.

The engineer, who graduated from the American University of Beirut and previously worked for the likes of Procter & Gamble, is currently in San Francisco where

she is working closely with a manufacturing partner to prepare for the product launch.

According to Hobeika, who founded her Instabeat startup in 2011, there will be a full commer-cial launch very soon as they are currently at the final stage of mass production. The device costs $149 in pre-order mode, she said, adding that they are working on deals with distributors, but it’s still too soon to reveal further details.

As Hobeika prepares to launch her innovation around the globe, she

reflects on the difficulties she faced during the past couple of years to turn an idea into a marketed product. Manufacturing, she said, is the biggest hurdle, fearing that she has underestimated its complexity, capital, and time requirements.

Yet Hobeika, whose team is composed of nine people, includ-ing engineers, designers, and a manufacturing team, is pleased that she has taken this project this far. “Instabeat was a life changing experience to me,” she said. “It was the first project that I pushed this far and took all the way to market. I hope it becomes a worldwide hit, but if not, it has taught me how to make any dream of mine come true.”

n Lebanon, young girls—like others all over the world—are fascinated with dolls. Lamice

Joujou, a mother of three including one daughter, wanted young girls to have a doll that would teach them something valuable, rather than the distorted body-image and the low self-esteem that some dolls might trigger.

“I wanted to add something with a meaning and a message to pass on to the new generation of girls, something to look up to, learn from, and cherish,” said Joujou, who launched My Doll & Me line of dolls in 2013.

My Doll & Me, which targets girls between 4 and 14, was the culmination of almost two decades of experience working in children’s education. Joujou directed a nursery school and an edutainment center. After visiting Boston, Joujou became familiar with American Girl dolls, which appeal to every girl regardless of color or language, yet only represent American history, something girls in the region did not relate to.

“This is where I thought about my role and therefore I started creating dolls that can ‘speak our language’; thus Leila and Zeina were born,” she explained. Each doll comes with its own story, an accessory or game from the era that they come from. Leila, for instance, is a Lebanese doll from 1943, the year of Lebanon’s inde-pendence, while Zeina is inspired by young girls in 1971, before the outbreak of the country’s civil war.

Today, she markets 21 child-like dolls with different skin color, hair color, and eye color, as well as dif-ferent backgrounds and careers to offset any gender-stereotyping. All the dolls come with “no makeup, and no supermodel looks,” said Joujou, adding that they each

teach acceptance. The dolls’ design and

concept are carried out in Beirut, while the manu-facturing is done in China. Joujou started with one store in Beirut, and has since added several sea-sonal pop-up stands.

When asked about the lessons she learned through her career, Joujou said one of the most valu-able lessons was accepting failure and not being afraid to make mistakes.

To take her business to the next stage, Joujou is currently negotiat-ing deals in the region, including providing franchising opportuni-ties in new markets and making

exclusive deals with some global distributors. “Expanding in the region would be a solution for so many who are getting these dolls from the States or ordering them online,” she said.

entrepreneurship

Name: hind hobeikaTiTle: Founder of instabeat

Name: lamice JoujouTiTle: smile holding CeO and Chair of Women in Toys, lebanon Chapter

There Will be a Full COmmerCial lauNCh very sOON as They are CurreNTly aT The FiNal sTage OF mass prODuCTiON

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i


coverstory

The World Economic Forum rolls into town this month, with a host of big names leading conversations on how to tackle the

most pressing issues facing the region.BY LAITH ABOu-RAGHEB

What to ExpEct at thE WEF

A ll eyes will be fixed on Jordan later this month when the Kingdom hosts

the MEnA edition of the World Economic Forum. Around 800 high profile delegates from across the globe are expected to gather at the King hussein Bin Talal Convention Center on the banks of the Dead Sea for the three-day event.

The central theme of the forum will revolve around how public-private partnerships can help bring about peace and prosperity in a region wracked by so many complex and interconnected challenges. “There is a clear realization that positive lasting outcomes on major issues can only be achieved through collaboration across societal sectors and countries,” explained the head of Middle East and north Africa at the WEF Miroslav Dusek.

There will be a huge range of pressing issues up for discussion at the event, from how global energy shifts are reshaping the region’s industries and economies, to how the region can unlock the potential of the sharing economy. Other topics being examined include ways Arab cities (not least Amman) can make sustainable transport and mobility economical, how the communica-tions revolution is reshaping the relationship between governments and their constituents, and how an inclusive national vision for Iraq, Syria, and libya can be realized in a geopolitical context.

Particular emphasis will be placed on the collaborative effort needed to improve the status of young people across the region, which the WEF sees as an absolute key for the long-term success of efforts to counter marginalization and radicalization. “The campaign against violent extremism ... is a clear multi-stakeholder challenge which goes beyond security and where everyone has a role to play,” said Dusek.

Investment in energy will also be a key focus, he added. “We hope to translate new investment and energy partnerships among

the gulf Cooperation Council, the levant, and north Africa, with international financial Institutions into robust communities for growth while fostering job creation and entrepreneurship.”

The meeting won’t shy away from tackling big, sensitive issues like the Syrian refugee crisis and the advance of ISIS. Dusek said “high-level” discussions will be held on security and the humanitarian

situation with the goal to advance shared understanding and decisive action with regards to the situations in Syria, Iraq, libya, and yemen.

Almost 4 million Syrian refugees have so far fled to neighboring countries, while an estimated 7 mil-lion are internally displaced. Dusek said this amounted to the greatest humanitarian catastrophe in decades, and it was imperative that the private and public sectors, together with international organizations, collaborate in order to strengthen the resilience of host countries and make sure that donor pledges will be upheld and implemented. 0

A TWO-SPEED REGIONThe WEF last held a meeting in Jordan in 2013. Since then, Dusek said, a “two-speed” region had emerged. On one hand there are the countries which aren’t experiencing large scale security emergencies within their borders. For example, Jordan, despite the situation across the border in Syria and Iraq, is expected to record an above the world average growth of 3.8 percent

for 2015, according to the IMF. Also, in terms of competitive-

ness, Jordan has also risen in the WEF’s global Competitiveness Report, mainly due to cutting its budget deficit and making progress in education and financial market developments. The gCC countries, meanwhile, continue to underpin the region’s economic performance, the current situation regarding global oil prices notwithstanding.

But Dusek said a completely different picture can be seen in the countries dealing with major domes-tic conflicts. “Countries like Syria and libya are being thrown back

The campaign against violent extremism ... is a clear multi-stakeholder challenge which goes beyond security and where everyone has a role to play

Miroslav Dusek, Head of Middle East and North Africa at the WEf


coverstory

years if not decades economically and socially and their populations are paying a tragic human toll, with serious consequences also for the future generations,” he explained.

Dusek said we shouldn’t underes-timate the grave danger that lies in allowing these conflicts to fester. “At a certain point these conflicts can start affecting the region as a whole in a more fundamental and systemic way. This is what drives the clear international and regional imperative to urgently stop violence and resolve these conflicts diplomatically. The whole region depends on it,” he said.

hosted by Their Majesties King Abdullah and Queen Rania, the summit will also feature as speak-ers a number of heads of state and

governments from the region and beyond. Dusek said key personalities from the United States and Europe, in addition to top CEOs from among the Davos business community will

also participate.The WEF has always been able to

attract some big names to its meet-ings, and this one will be no excep-tion. The meeting will be co-chaired by several heavy hitters, including gordon Brown. The Scotsman,

who now chairs the WEF’s global Strategic Infrastructure Initiative, is widely admired for the leadership he showed as Britain’s Prime Minister in the early days of the global

economic crash. Many believe the crisis would

have been much worse if it wasn’t for the convincing call for action he made during his stewardship of the 2009 london g20 summit. Inspired by a range of rescue measures

Brown introduced in Britain, world leaders decided to pump an ad-ditional $1.1 trillion into the global economy in an effort to restore credit, growth, and jobs.

Closer to home, Omar K. Alghanim is set to make an appearance. The charismatic CEO of Kuwait’s Alghanim Industries, one of the region’s largest privately-owned companies with a workforce of over 14,000, will surely have some interest-ing insights to share about the state of the region’s economy.

As well as this, Suma Chakrabarti, the president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, is expected to attend. hopefully he’ll be able to provide an update on his institution’s sizable financial

assistance to Jordan, which so far has mostly been directed at renewable energy projects and SMEs via loans granted through local banks.

An invite has also been extended to Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan al Qasimi, who chairs Shurooq, the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority. And rounding off the list of co-chairs is John rice, the vice chairman of gE and CEO of gE global growth Organization.

The roll call of esteemed partici-pants is certainly impressive, as is the breadth of the worthy topics up for discussions. But despite this, WEF meetings often come under criticism for being mere talking shops for the world’s rich and powerful. But Dusek insists this is

unfair, and that WEF meetings play an important role in bringing like-minded people together to make the region a better place for everyone.

“Dialogue is needed to hear people’s concerns and to learn from one another. It is the prerequisite for getting things done, and we are very proud of our ability to convene leaders from across business, government, civil society, and academia to start the conversations that lead to the new ideas, concepts, and models that are contributing to the Middle East and north Africa’s transformation,” he explained. “The World Economic Forum is active in the region throughout the year, as are our constituents and partners, and this meeting is simply a way of bringing them all together under one roof.”

Dialogue is needed to hear people’s concerns and to learn from one another. It is the prerequisite for getting things done

Climbing UpIn the World Economic Forum’s recently published Global Competitiveness Report 2014-2015, Jordan managed to improve its position, moving up from 68 to 64 out of 144 economies. Margareta Drzeniek, director and lead econo-mist, Global Competitiveness and Benchmarking Network, tells Venture what’s helping the Kingdom climb upwards and what more needs to be done for it to realize its full potential as a competitive economy.

In your most recent report, Jordan has risen back to the same rank it held two years ago. how did the Kingdom climb up despite the geopolitical conflict and economic hardships?The improvement mainly reflects a lower budget deficit and some progress made in education, where enrollment rates related to primary and tertiary education levels were updated. At the same time, the country also registers improvements to its financial market development, where the assessment of access to finance, as well as overall stability of the sector, has improved. These improvements have outbalanced the deterioration in the security situation, which has negatively affected the country’s competitiveness.

What does Jordan need to do to climb up even further?Boosting economic growth over the longer term will require

at 12 position globally. The UAE has undertaken many efforts to strengthen its competitiveness over the past years and has also benefited from the avail-ability of resources to do so. Today it is a very open economy, fairly diversified, with excellent infrastructure and an improving institutional framework. The poorest performer in last year’s report was Yemen at 142, a country which faces competitiveness chal-lenges across the board. In the meantime, the country has been affected by conflict, which will make it difficult to improve its competitiveness in the near future.

In regards to the GCC economies and in light of the drop in oil prices over the past year, have you witnessed any shift in their macro-economic policies and less reliance on oil revenues? It is still too early to observe the effect of falling oil prices on the competitiveness of countries as measured by the GCI, due to the lag in the data. However, I expect that a number of macroeconomic indicators will deteriorate in oil and gas export-ing countries.

The diversification of the economy is a long-term process that needs to take into account many factors such as the business environment, education, innovation policy, but also technological readiness. GCC economies that rely on oil and gas revenues for their budgets will have less means to invest in the diversification should energy prices remain low. It is nevertheless crucial for these countries to undertake the necessary structural transformations to ensure future prosperity.

Does unemployment remain the

biggest hurdle facing the region’s economies? There is no doubt that unemployment and in particular youth unemployment is the biggest challenge in virtually all countries of the region. Creating jobs will require a stronger and more productive private sector in all the economies as the reliance on the public sector for job creation is not sustainable. This in turn, will neces-sitate higher levels of competitiveness and a better business environment. Competitiveness is therefore central to the region’s economic policy agenda.

BY DINA AL WAKEEL

Jordan’s policymakers to address a number of challenges. According to the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI), there is significant room for improvement in boosting labor mar-ket efficiency, and the full potential of ICTs for improving productivity has not yet been fully exploited. Jordan could also benefit from more openness to international trade and investment, which would trigger further efficiency gains in its domestic economy and facilitate the transfer of knowledge and technology. Tariff barriers remain high in international comparison and regulatory barriers to FDI remain in place. And although bank financing appears to be more easily available than in the past and than in many other countries, efforts to further stabilize its banking sector should be continued.

have you noticed any significant improvements in the Kingdom’s

attempts to tackle problematic fac-tors for doing business, like improv-ing the investment climate?Indeed, many aspects of the invest-ment climate are captured in the GCI. The Kingdom improves in a number of relevant aspects, for example on indicators related to the efficiency of the judiciary (up by 7 from 38 to 31 on the efficiency of the judiciary in settling disputes), or labor market regulations which became more flexible in terms of hiring employees (up by 12 to 60). At the same time, we see some factors that are key for international investment deteriorate or stagnate; the administra-tive barriers to start a business (number of days to start a business remained constant at 12) or the protection of property rights (down by 6 to 34).

In regards to the rest of the region, which country takes the lead and which fares worst? The best performing economy in the region is the United Arab Emirates


hotproducts

review

tHe saMsung geaR s is peRHaps

tHe Most poWeRful

sMaRtWatCH aVailaBle

toDay

Samsung Galaxy Gear S

all funCtion, no foRM.While Samsung’s latest smartwatch is packed with innovative new features, it remains a fairly cumbersome device.BY SADAD TALHOuNI

Everyone might be talking about the Apple Watch at the moment, but it’s important to remember that it’s not the only smartwatch on the market. Samsung has been rolling them out since September 2013, with a total of six models released so far. Its latest entry, the Samsung

gear S, is perhaps the most powerful smartwatch available today.

With a 2-inch super AMOlED touchscreen, the gear S has one of the largest, bright-est, and clearest smartwach screens around. But the device is rather

bulky in size, coming in at 58.1 x 39.9 x 12.5 mm, and weighing 67g. Even its interchangable straps are thick and wide.

But while it seemed ridiculously large on the wrist at first, we have to say it grew on us. The build quality, with the sturdy Corning gorilla

glass 3 protection and curved screen give it a stylish, masculine look. We wouldn’t recommend it for slender wrists, however, as it would look cartoonsihly over-sized.

The large dimensions are necessary to house the impressive hardware powering the gear S. The watch has a dual-core 1 ghz CPU and 512 MB RAM, operating on the Tizen operat-ing system, with an internal memory of 4 gB, which allows you to store a decent amount of photos and music to view and listen to. It’s fitted with an accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, compass, heart rate monitor, barometer, and Uv light sensor, all of which make the gear S a complete fitness tracker that can even measure your sleeping patterns.

But where the gear S really sets itself apart from the crowd is its abil-ity to be used without a smartphone. Slip in a nano SIM card, and you can begin using the gear S to make calls, send texts, and connect to the Internet. While speaking into your wrist isn’t as practical as you would imagine, there’s still something

pleasingly futuristic about using the gear S to chat to someone without a supplementary device.

But you do need to connect the gear S to a smartphone to download new apps. We were quite impressed with the quantity available on the galaxy App Store, which included games, web browsers, and alterna-tive health apps. The Tizen interface needs some getting used to, but quickly becomes intuitive to operate. And using S-voice recognition to control the watch was frankly a frustrating experience. With a non-removable li-Ion 300 mAh battery, the Samsung watch can withstand a day and a half of average us-age, which is rather impressive considering the specs involved. It does diminish quite rapidly if you connect online directly from the watch though.

The gear S clearly demonstrates the exciting potential of smartwatch-es. But the bulky device still doesn’t strike the right balance between form and function which is needed for this new tech niche to really take hold.


updates, participating in relevant linkedIn groups, comment on other people’s articles and status updates, and post content on linkedIn’s publishing platform.

NETWORKThis might sound obvious, but growing and nurturing your network really is one

of the most important things you can do on linkedIn. Fafard advises that you use the networking site to connect, not only with all the people you are currently meeting through your work, but also those from your past as well, because you never know when one of these contacts might come in handy.

PuBLISHOne of the most useful features on linkedIn, according to Fafard, is the

publishing platform, which has the power to reach many people through your network. If you’re lucky enough, your article could even be featured on linkedIn Pulse, meaning the site will recommend it to other professionals interested in the same topic. “This is an amazing opportunity to gain visibility, to position yourself as an expert, to add value to a broad audience, and even to take a first step towards thought leadership,” said Fafard. She also advised using Twitter and other social media platforms to promote linkedIn articles so as to expand their reach even further.

INSuRE YOuR CAREERlinkedIn should be used to market yourself, not only when you’re looking for

work but also when you’re in a stable job. “The biggest mistake you can make is to start working on your profile only after a negative event in your professional life has occurred,” said Fafard, explaining that it’s difficult to build a personal brand quickly and that it’s something that should be done over time.

review

HAVE A GOALBefore you begin making your presence known on linkedIn, it’s important to establish a goal and be clear about what you want to accomplish.

you may want to think about branding yourself as an expert in a certain field, positioning yourself as a thought leader, or finding a new job with your dream company. your profile and your linkedIn interactions

should then be directed towards this goal.

CREATE A KILLER PROFILEyour linkedIn profile shouldn’t simply be a boring replica of your resume. Fafard believes

developing a strong profile entails so much more. “It needs to include a portfolio of your work, a meaning-ful summary, and a headline that lets your brand and personality shine,” she said, adding that it’s important not to just tell people what you were responsible for in a role, but to tell them about the results of your work. you should also include a professional picture of yourself and update your profile regularly.

ENGAGEWhile many people might have a profile on linkedIn, they often fail to use it to engage others. Fafard said it’s important to post status

While most professionals have a linkedIn profile, few are aware of the networking web-site’s full potential to advance their career. Maria Fafard, a linkedIn coach, trainer, and speaker believes that everyone who has professional aspirations should maintain an active presence on the site, which has around

300 million users. “linkedIn is much more than a social media platform, it’s a powerful mechanism for reaching your goals. If you’re not on linkedIn, you are invisible in the professional universe,” she said. Fafard added that companies can also use the website to engage customers and attract top talent.

HERE ARE FAFARD’S TOP SIX TIPS FOR GETTING THE MOST OuT OF LINKEDIN:

01

02 03

04

05

06

howto

leVeRaging tHe potential of linkeDinIf used correctly, LinkenIn can be a great way to advance your business and career prospects. BY JANE HOSKING

She believes that linkedIn is like a career insurance policy. “When you need to look for a job, it is easier to kick off and lead a successful job search if you are on linkedIn,” she said, adding that approximately 94

percent of recruiters use linkedIn to help select employees. What’s more, with a powerful linkedIn presence, Fafard believes that instead of having to approach employers, you may find they instead begin to approach you.

Maria fafard blogs about LinkedIn at linkedintellect.wordpress.com and specializes in LinkedIn strategy, thought leadership, brand ambassadorship, and career management


http://linkedintellect.wordpress.com

engine: 4.7 liter, 32 valve, v8 cylinders

gearbox: 6-speed rear-mounted

robotized manual

torque lb/ft (nm): 384 (520) @4750 rpm

Redline: 7200 rpm

0-100 km/h: 4.5 seconds

top speed: 303 km/h

fuel consumption: 14.4l/100 km

length: 4933 mm

Width: 1903 mm

Height: 1343 mm

Weight: 1800 kg

suspension: Double wishbones, anti-roll

bars

Brakes, f/R: ventilated carbon-ceramic,

380 mm/360 mm

tires, f/R: 255/35ZR20 / 295/35ZR20

The MC Centennial, a victory lap for Maserati’s seductively visceral and indulgently luxurious granTurismo model line, marks the exotic Italian brand’s 100th anniversary. The MC, which is a special edition version of the most powerful 454 BhP granTurismo MC Stradale, retains the same track-focused fixed-rate suspension and single-clutch robotized transaxle gearbox in its likely last outing. Also debuting in 2014 was the granTurismo’s smaller sports car suc-cessor, the Alfieri concept, which was named after the brand’s founder. With the 2016 Alfieri expected to feature efficiently powerful twin-turbocharged engines, the MC Centennial is a welcome swan song encore for Maserati’s sonorously charismatic, but soon-to-be-retired, 4.7-liter naturally-aspirated v8 engine.glamorous, dramatic, and exotic, the

granTurismo’s curves and proportions are seductively stylish. With a low, hungry, shark-like grille with concave vertical slats, evocative trident badge, and sharp air splitter, the moody granTurismo’s long bonnet rises dramatically and features an intake and two extraction vents. Penned by Pininfarina, the granTurismo’s slinky silhouette and voluptuous Coke-bottle hips are no less alluring as when introduced in 2008. lighter by 80 kg in MC guise, owing to carbon-fiber components, the Centennial edition additionally features three-layer Rosso Magma red paint with subtle undertones of blue and purple, and two-tone split five-spoke alloy wheels with three-pronged Trident edges and Centennial hub centers. The MC’s swooping heavily scal-loped bonnet houses its engine deep behind the front axle, and with a rear

axle-mounted gearbox, features a low center of gravity, and 52 percent rear biased within-wheelbase weight distribution. Ferrari-derived, the MC Centennial’s 4.7 liter v8 offers clarity and charisma, with precise responsive throttle control allowing one to dial in exact and linear power increments to fluently power out of corners without unsticking the rear tires. Developing 454 BhP at 7000 rpm and 384 lb/ft at 4750 rpm, the MC’s crack-ling and howling engine rips through revs with indefatigable intensity. It delivers tractably meaningful low-end pull, muscular mid-range flexibility, and an intense punchy top-end.Sprinting through the 0-100 km/h benchmark in 4.5 seconds, the MC Centennial is in its element when wrung hard and can potentially attain 303 km/h. Changing tone and nuance with the slightest throttle input, its

MASERATI GRANTuRISMO MC CENTENNIAL

a Centennial speCial eDitionMaserati celebrates a hundred years of making sonorous and stylish sports cars by unleashing a very special version of its GranTurismo MC.BY GHAITH MADADHA

hotwheels review

high-revving, highly-responsive v8 provides clarity, connection, and confidence. Its war song includes a repertoire of staccato crackles, reso-nant mid-range warbles, and seductive snarls that harden to an intense wail as the needle nears the 7200 rpm rev limit. Meanwhile, standard carbon-ceramic brakes are highly effective and fade-resistant under heavy use.Riding on lowered firmer fixed rate rather than other granTurismo’s adaptive skyhook suspension, the MC delivers tautly poised body control, superb high speed stability, and buttoned-down rebound control. Its suspension complements its intuitively direct steering and provides eager and agile turn-in. Well-weighted when loaded through corners, the MC’s steering is intuitive and its handling balanced, neutral, and progressive. The granTurismo, a stable, refined, and luxurious high speed continent

crunching sports coupe, comfort-ably seats four adults in its classy cabin. Sat in an attentively ergonomic position with good visibility and clear instrumenta-tion, the granTurismo seemingly shrinks around the driver and feels lighter than its 1,800 kg. With large fixed metal steering column-mounted paddle shifters, ‘manual’ mode gear shifts are executed with resolute rifle-like concision at full-load, while feathering the throttle smoothes out low rev shifts. The well-equipped Centennial, which is beautifully appointed with sophisticated Poltrona Frau black leather upholstery, features supportive carbon-fiber spine back sports seats, climate control, satnav, and USB/Bluetooth-enabled infotainment system.

speCs


all in tHe WRist The Apple Watch should (finally) be hitting the shops right about now, which means the smartwatch wars are well and truly underway. But which one is right for you?BY LAITH ABOu-RAGHEB

thecuttingedge

review

4Pebble Watch

www.pebble.comhere’s proof you don’t need to take out a small bank loan

to afford a feature-packed smartwatch. the Pebble Watch

delivers all your call, text, and email notifications to its refreshingly fuss-free black

and white screen. It boasts a huge range of android and ios

compatible apps, up to seven days of battery life, a fitness

tracking feature, and is water resistant up to 50 meters.

The BoTTom Line: the Pebble Watch’s bargain price and long

feature list more than make up for its slightly drab plastic design.

Price: $90

3Lg Watch Urbanewww.lg.comas with apple, LG seems to be betting that some people will always prefer to wear a classic high-end timepiece on their wrist rather than a clunky, geeky looking smartwatch. so with its luxury urbane range, LG is trying to combine the best of both worlds. crafted from stainless steel with a gold or silver finish, this smartwatch runs on the android Wear os and sports a fairly stunning 1.3-inch P-oLed display.The BoTTom Line: With the urbane, LG have successfully combined the classic and the contemporary.Price: $tba

1Alcatel OneTouchwww.alcatel.comalcatel is a new entrant to the smartwatch game. the onetouch can be paired with either ios or android devices, and comes fitted with an altimeter, heart-rate monitor, and other smart sensors. unlike many other smartwatches, the onetouch can be powered up via a usb charger integrated into the strap, which itself is available in four different eye catching designs.The BoTTom Line: Loads of features, natty design, and an attractive asking price all add up to an impressive package from alcatel.Price: $150

2Apple Watchwww.apple.comapple’s first, much-hyped attempt at producing a smartwatch features everything you would expect in terms of specs and features (but no GPs tracking, oddly). there are three different versions to choose from. Prices start from $350 for the entry-level Watch sport, all the way up to $15,000 for the rolex-bothering Watch edition that’s crafted from 18-karat yellow gold. The BoTTom Line: there’s little doubt apple will shift a few million of these on release day, but will it be enough to create a whole new tech category like the iPhone managed to do? Price: from $350


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Universal Civilizations Academy Honors Mothers on Mother’s Day

“My mom is the reason for my happiness in life,” words saidby one of Universal Civilizations Academy (UCA) students to mothers. UCA invited mothers on Mother’s Day to celebrate, honor, and highlight the importance of their role in the lives of their children. The event included diverse performances from songs to folklore dances done by our kindergarten students. Arabic and English songs were also performed by students from grades 1-3.”

The 2015 Audi TT is hailed among finest Audi sports carsAudi Jordan, exclusively represented by Nuqul Automotive, has announced the arrival of the 2015 all new Audi TT coupé, designed with a range of advanced modern technologies to compliment a new design internally and externally. The iconic coupé’s revolutionary makeover combines agility with technology and simplicity, which has already assured the car award winning status in many countries worldwide.

Boggi Milano Celebrates the presentation of the brand Boggi Milano and SS15 collection at the Italian Ambassador’s ResidenceBoggi Milano, the luxury menswear Italian brand organized a special event at the Italian Ambassador’s residence to celebrate the presentation of the brand Boggi Milano and the SS15 collection in an elegant and charming ambiance. Patrizio Fondi personally welcomed Boggi Milano’s customers and VIP guests, journalists and media invitees as well as professionals in the world of fashion and elegance. During the event Boggi Milano introduced their SS15 collection which includes tuxedos, shirts and neckties with elegant design. The event also featured many entertaining activities such as a trunk show to showcase the collection, and a saxophonist who added an enthusiastic twist to the evening.

MedLabs hold their annual Managers Retreat & General Staff Meeting MedLabs Consultancy Group, the leading network of medical laboratories in the Middle East, held its annual General Staff Meeting on the 1st of March 2015 at the Landmark Hotel, followed by its annual two-day Managers Retreat at the Marriott Hotel, Dead Sea on March 12th & 13th.

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in Las Vegas: a final full of panacheThis weekend, the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final took place in Las Vegas and marked the end of an exciting series. After five days of up- and downturns, dashed hopes and triumphs, the 2014-2015 season closed on Sunday 19 April. Longines Ambassador of Elegance Stefanie Graf enlightened the event, of which Longines was the Title Partner, Official Timekeeper and Official Watch. Over the weekend, the world’s best riders and horses offered the spectators a unique show with outstanding performances in Las Vegas famous Thomas & Mack Center. Steve Guerdat (SUI) steered Albfuehren’s Paille to victory in the final of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping on Sunday 19 April. Pénélope Leprevost (FRA) earned the second place with Vagabond de la Pomme while Bertram Allen (IRL) riding Molly Malone V slotted into third place.

Blancpain Debuts the Ocean CommitmentLimited EditionsBlancpain is proud to debut its first Ocean Commitment timepiece. The new limited edition Ocean Commitment Bathyscaphe Chronographe Flyback is the first in a series of limited edition diving watches which will be part of the Blancpain Ocean Commitment project. Every owner of a Blancpain Ocean Commitment timepiece will become a member of the Blancpain Ocean Commitment Circle. For each piece sold in this series, limited to 250 examples, an amount of 1000 Euros will be donated to support scientific expeditions. The 250,000 Euro donation from this series will be in addition to the other contributions made by Blancpain.

Sky Software Powers InterContinental Bangkok Hotel with its Horizon QMS to Boost Guest Satisfaction

Millennium Hotel Fujairah, the newly luxurious 5-star hotel, has recently implemented Sky Software’s Horizon Quality & Guest Services Management solution (Horizon QMS) to manage and optimize guest services and requests handling. The hotel management have expressed their satisfaction with the diversity and advanced interfaces the system was able to provide, including PMS interface to facilitate importing guest information and profile preferences, IVR interface to enable instant posting, assignment, closure or cancellation of guest requests using any telephone set inside the hotel and SMS interface to instantly inform hotel management and agents of the request status via live SMS notifications and escalation alerts


Why are you interested in such events? What makes this event different than other events in the region?Marketing events are certainly not a new concept in the MENA region, and in the past we’ve had quite a few tackle digital marketing and social media, but what differentiates each event from the next is its mix of speakers and topics. This is where Marketing Kingdom truly outshines its predecessors. The forum brings together a regionally unprecedented line-up of the world’s most innovative marketers, including brands such as facebook, Twitter, Google and Yahoo which have and continue to revolutionize communications and access to information, directly affecting the marketing world.

As someone working in an agency, why do you think it is important for agencies to attend these kind of events?The marketing, advertising and pR industries are highly dynamic and susceptible to consumer and technology trends. Given the mercurial nature of the digital world, it only makes sense that agencies tap into the experience of global trend-setters who have mastered the art of anticipating and harnessing online consumer behavior and the latest digital tools. Events of Marketing Kingdom’s caliber are the perfect platform for agencies and companies alike to learn from the best how to develop adaptable social media, customer and experiential marketing strategies. What makes Marketing Kingdom especially effective is that its sessions are interactive and focus on delivering practical solutions to its participants’ marketing problems that can be

implemented once attendees return to their companies.

The event has mostly global speakers. Do you think it is hard to implement global trends locally?Not at all. International best practices have become industry standards the world over because of their effectiveness both in principle and on the ground. Countries around the globe, whether in the uS, Europe or the Middle East, have been borrowing inspiration and tactics from each other for years. When it comes to digital marketing, the Middle East has all the right elements for high-impact results, from Internet and mobile penetration to a growing online consumer appetite.

What is your advice for startup agencies? What is the secret to

success?Hire smart, develop your people, and stay on top of your game. An agency is only as good as its talent pool, which is why investing in employee development and growth is so vital.

Are Jordanian companies following global marketing trends?Not to the extent that they could be, but they’re getting there, and I believe that with events like Marketing Kingdom we can speed up the adoption rate of best practices. Jordan has everything it needs to become a digital leader in our region. We are already pioneers in digital content development, supplying more than 75% of Arabic content online, and we’re rapidly emerging as an ICT hub thanks to our thriving, innovation-driven start-up scene and skilled human capital.

INTERvIEW WITH CEO JuMANA TWAL

ON MARKETINg KINgDOM

pressroom

Ulysse Nardin Marches Forward in Watch making Innovation with the “Hannibal” Minute Repeater Westminster Carillon Tourbillon Jaquemarts. Feared and revered by the Romans, the great Carthaginian general Hannibal Barca knew how to outthink the competition. Considered one of the world’s greatest military commanders, Hannibal was the ultimate strategist who knew how to predict his enemies’ every move, devising innovative tactics to use to his advantage. In his quest to take Rome during the Second Punic War, Hannibal achieved a remarkable feat: He crossed the Pyrenees and Alps with an army of soldiers and his secret weapon – elephants, taking triumphant victory in Italy.

UCA’s Winter Clothing ProjectUnder the patronage of His Excellency the Ambassador of Kuwait Dr. Hamad Saleh Al-Duaij and the presence of a group of dignitaries from Kuwait and Jordan, the school of Universal Civilizations Academy (UCA) in collaboration with Ne’ma charity and the Kuwaiti Bony an Campaign held the winter clothing project for unprivileged families and Syrian refugees at UCA. The event was held to fulfill UCA’s mission and vision to stress the importance of building generations of students who are willing to work and understand culture diversity, to encourage a sense of responsibility towards others, and to instill a spirit filled with respect to individuals’ differences in the hearts of our students. During the event winter clothes and blankets were donated to more than 400 families.

The Olympic Team undergoes medical tests conducted by MedLabs

MedLabs Consultancy Group, the leading network of medical laboratories in the Middle East, conducted medical tests for the Jordanian Olympic Football Team (U-23) on Sunday 29th April 2015 at the Jordan Football Association headquarter. The tests came as part of the strategic partnership agreement between JFA and MedLabs in which it provides all national teams and Pro League club players with periodic medical football tests under the vision of JFA’s President HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein to develop Jordanian football and to provide all football players with constant healthcare and medical support.


Hyundai debuts new concept cars at the 2015 Seoul Motor Show

Hyundai Motor Company has celebrated its presence at the 2015 Seoul Motor Show with the world premiere of an all-new design concept, the ‘Enduro’ lifestyle urban crossover utility vehicle (CUV). Additional debuting models included a high-performance coupe concept, the RM15, and the company’s first Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle, the Sonata PHEV. Making its global debut at the show, the Enduro CUV concept’s name is derived from ‘Endurance.’ This dynamic model visually combines a SUV look with rally motorcycle which competes in the world’s toughest rally events, and has been designed to be the perfect partner for individuals living in the modern city with energetic, athletic lifestyles. By combining robust forms with bold styling, Enduro releases a sense of adventure and freedom for driver and passengers.

Victory of Craig Williams on Criterion at the Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes On Saturday 11 April 2015, Craig Williams riding Criterion won the Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the richest weight for age race over 2000m on turf in the world. The Swiss watch `brand Longines is proud to be the Title Partner of the Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes, as well as the Official Timekeeper and Watch of the racecourse of Royal Randwick, and the Official Timekeeper and Watch of the Australian Turf Club. The Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes Raceday was attended by Longines Ambassador of Elegance Chi Ling Lin, who named Mrs. Latoyah Asha winner of the Longines Award for Elegance. This event was the perfect occasion to discover Conquest Classic, a collection of Longines timepieces dedicated to horse lovers. In addition, the weekend was marked by the presentation of the Longines Positioning System, an innovative timekeeping and data-handling technology dedicated to horseracing.

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Uber launches services in AmmanUber, the smart phone technology company, announced today that it is launching its services in Amman. The launch is a testament to the smart phone app’s popularity across the world and the Middle East, as it becomes its 300th city globally - five years after it began operations in San Francisco in 2010. Commenting on its latest expansion, Sebastien Wakim, General Manager for Uber Amman, said: “We’re growing incredibly fast, and that’s really fueled by the fact that we provide a service that is safe as it is reliable. Amman was an ideal market for us in our Middle East expansion due to its young population and fast-growing tech community, making it an exciting and vibrant city for our operations.”

IHG CELEBRATES “WORLD HEALTH DAY”InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) in Jordan has participated in World Health Day, which takes place on April 7th. During that day, posters were hung on the walls of the operational areas- “back of the house”, which included many warnings against the dangers and adverse outcomes of food safety. Also, awareness videos were playing on the TV’s of the staff cafeterias all day, which help in raising awareness about this important issue.

Grand Opening of the Amman Baccalaureate School Randa Kawar IB College BuildingThe Amman Baccalaureate School demonstrated its commitment to providing the highest level of educational provision with the Grand Opening of a new state of the art, environmentally friendly building exclusively for its Grade 11 and 12 students. A ceremony was held at The Amman Baccalaureate School on Tuesday 31 March 2015, whereby Her Royal Highness Princess Sarvath El Hassan, Chairwoman of the Board of Trustees, officially opened the new purpose built IB College known as the Randa Kawar Building, in honor of one of the founding members of the school who supported the ABS community for nearly thirty years.

Abu Shakra Launches Skagen Watches Rooted in the place where style meets simplicity, SKAGEN is a lifestyle brand inspired by the contemporary Danish design movement. Quality and a sense of purpose are the hallmarks of modern Danish design and these characteristics define what we do, too. Our streamlined styles are infused with warmth and character—making them unmistakably inviting. Our source of inspiration flows from the seaside village of Skagen, Denmark.

ICS Financial Systems Ltd Named “Best Islamic Software Provider MENA 2015”

Global Banking and Finance Review, one of the worlds’ leading global banking and finance publication has announced ICS Financial Systems Ltd. (ICSFS),the global software and services provider for banks and financial institutions, as the “Best Islamic Software Provider in MENA for 2015”. The Global Banking & Finance Review Awards recognize excellence within the global financial community. They have been designed to reflect the innovation, achievement, strategy and progressive changes taking place within the financial sector.

Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge received eco-friendly certificates in four countries

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., announced that Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge received eco-friendly certificates from four major markets, the US, the UK, Russia and Brazil, respectively. Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge have been recognized not just for the performance based on the state-of-the-art technology, but also for the aspects that care environment. The two flagship smart phones received Sustainability Product Certification (SPC) from the US-based safety testing and certification organization, UL (Underwriters Laboratories). In the UK, world-renowned Carbon Trust honored the two smart phones with CO2 Measured Label.


Maserati in Jordan organizes “Ride & Drive” event

Gargour Automotive Trading Ltd - the Official Importer and the authorized distributor of Maserati in Jordan, organized a “Ride & Drive” event for a number of media representatives at the Dead Sea area on Tuesday, the 31st of March 2015. Journalists spent a full day test driving the two amazingly breathtaking Ghibli and Quattroporte. The features of both vehicles were experienced by drivers to the fullest during that day.

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Zain Jordan and Cyber Science 3D Form Strategic Partnership to Create Positive Impact through Virtual RealityZain Jordan and Cyber Science 3D, an international leader in Virtual, Augmented Reality, and 3D Simulation, a division of Cyber Anatomy Corporation, located in IOWA, USA, today announced a strategic partnership that will introduce virtual reality and augmented reality into the MENA region and help transform the reality of several industries and sectors through the use of advanced technologies. The cooperation brings together Zain Jordan’s Corporate Entrepreneurship vision that focuses on building youth capacity and creating more job opportunities, with Cyber Science 3D’s leading technologies and solutions.

Double win for Kia in the 2015 Red Dot design awardsThe Kia Motors design team has swept the board yet again in the annual Red Dot Awards, picking up two ‘Red Dots’ for the outstanding product design of the Kia Soul EV and all-new Kia Sorento SUV. Ever since receiving its first award at this internationally-recognized design competition in 2009, Kia’s design-oriented products have been successful every single year. In total, 13 Kia models have now won a Red Dot Award, in addition to many other design prizes. These aren’t the first awards for the recently-launched Kia Soul and flagship new-generation Sorento, both of which have been awarded coveted iF Design Awards in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

THE One & Jotun Paints Launch their New Product “My Home”

In a reception held last Tuesday at the Four Seasons Hotel, THE One and Jotun Paints jointly launched their new range of interior furniture and wall paints under the name ”My Home”. This “My Home” range of products has combined between modernity, uniqueness and perfection as a modern non-traditional style that THE One has always been known for along with the paints that have reached the highest levels in beauty and excellence. Many clients of THE One and Jotun paints were invited to this reception and many of the specialized engineers and influencers in the public and private sectors were also invited to get know the advantages of “My Home” range of products.

Readers Bookshop hosts book signing event for debut of young Jordanian author Thia Hanania’s Lessons UntaughtUnder the patronage of HRH Princess Dina Mir’ed, Director General of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation (KHCF), Readers Bookshop hosted a book signing event for the launch of young local author Thia Hanania’s Lessons Untaught, the proceeds of which are being donated to KHCF. The event was held at Readers’ Seventh Circle (Cozmo Centre) location on Tuesday, March 10, and was attended by an array of media representatives and reading enthusiasts. Author Thia Hanania is a grade 10 student at Amman Baccalaureate School, where she began developing her newly released book, Lessons Untaught, as part of a personal project. Lessons Untaught explores the lives of some of the world’s most influential persons throughout history, drawing inspiration from their words, stories and advice in order to create a series of universally empowering life lessons.

The Hub Participates in IKEA’s Communication Workshops in SwedenIn an unprecedented initiative, a group of marketing and communications experts from agencies handling IKEA account in Jordan, Kuwait and Morocco were invited for a one-week comprehensive communications workshop that was carried out in different IKEA locations in Sweden and Denmark. The workshop, organized, executed and supervised by IKEA’s Marketing Director IKEA- SYH Retail- Kuwait Elisa Albendea, focused on helping the participants to understand the IKEA Brand and the strong values that are founded in the Swedish origin of the brand and included, but not limited to, group discussions, brainstorming and field visits to different showrooms, stores, products testing lab, IKEA’s museum, photo shoot studio and IKEA’s first showroom in Älmhult, the birthplace town of Ingvar Kamprad, founder of IKEA.

Tahboub Group Hosts Official Launch Event for New Honda ShowroomAs the certified distributor of Honda vehicles in Jordan, the Jordanian International Automobile Trading Company (Tahboub Automotive) – a division of Tahboub Group – recently celebrated the official unveiling of its state-of-the-art Honda showroom on Mecca Street. On Monday, March 30, the company hosted a reception at the showroom, where attendees were granted an exclusive look at the Kingdom’s flagship Honda dealership, as well as the new 2015 Honda Accord and CR-V models. The launch event was attended by a wealth of local media representatives and VIP guests, who had the opportunity to explore the spacious 1,500-square-meter showroom amid a delightful ambiance complete with live music. Attendees were also treated to a stylish reveal of the 2015 Honda Accord and the 2015 Honda CR-V. The latest edition of the Accord boasts a luxurious, modern interior combined with a sophisticated, linear and sporty exterior.

The Royal Automobile Museum announces the launch of the “draw your dream car” contestThe Royal Automobile Museum launched the “draw your dream car” contest which targets all ( government, private, military, cultural, and relief agencies) schools in the Kingdom, in cooperation and coordination with the Ministry of Education, to give students the opportunity to discover their talents and to show their creative arts.This contest which targets students from grades 5-10 in all schools in the Kingdom, contributes to promoting the concept of merging between curricular and extracurricular activities.

Massimo Dutti Gives the Chance for a Lucky Winner to Attend Dubai World Cup the World’s Richest RaceMassimo Dutti, the sophisticated fashion brand concluded its Spring Summer 2015 campaign that allowed 2 lucky persons to attend Dubai World Cup, The world’s richest equestrian event.Massimo Dutti launched its campaign on March 3rd offering its customers the chance to enter a raffle draw to win a fully paid trip for two to attend Dubai World Cup, including hotel accommodation, flight tickets and VIP Lounge entry to the Dubai World Cup, upon purchasing from Massimo Dutti with 250Jds and above.

Jordan Insurance Company holds 63rd General Assembly meeting

On March 26, Jordan Insurance Company (JIC) held its 63rd annual General Assembly meeting, during which attendees discussed the 2014 Annual Report issued by the company’s board of directors. With technical profits for the company reaching JD5.2 million last year, the annual report recommended paying cash dividends at a rate of seven percent to shareholders. JIC’s financial strength rating is B++ and its issuer credit rating is BBB+, as reaffirmed by A.M Best, the world’s most authoritative insurance rating and information source. It is worth mentioning that the company was awarded the Jordan Insurer of the Year Award by Mena Insurance Review for the years 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014 successively.

CROWNE PLAZA AMMAN HOSTS DINNER FOR ZAHA CULTURAL CENTER ATTENDED BY EGYPTIAN STAR YUSSRA AS GUEST OF HONOR

Crowne Plaza Amman hosted a dinner for Zaha Cultural Center at its Al Halabi Restaurant last Tuesday, which was under the patronage of Mrs. Zaha Mango, founder of Zaha Cultural Center, on behalf of Her Royal Highness Princess Alia Al Tabba’, with the Egyptian star Yussra as the guest of honor. The dinner was attended by the Egyptian Ambassador in Amman Khaled Tharwat, City Manager for Public Works, Engineer Fawzi Masad, General Manager of Damas Jewelry Muatasim Al Bakheet, and representatives of a number of local institutions.

City Mall celebrates Easter with “Let’s Give Easter a Color” Activity

In celebration of Easter this year, City Mall is organizing an activity with a series of fun and entertaining doings for children. The “Let’s Give Easter a Color” activity runs from 7th through 12th of April from 2p.m until 8p.m everyday in the mall’s first floor. On this occasion, a special section was set up with a big egg structure for children to color and decorate, and later on offer the visitors an opportunity to take pictures with it and share them on social media platforms. Children will also enjoy coloring, painting and making Easter themed crafts.


A JORDAnIAn FRIEnD OF MInE WhO lives in Egypt recently told me how difficult it was to transfer ownership of an apartment or a piece of land there. no matter how straightforward the transaction first appears, he said, it would still take no less than six months to get the official paperwork done. Plus, you would need to get a lawyer involved. he compared this lengthy and cumbersome process to Jordan, where transferring ownership of real estate is usually completed fuss-free in a matter of hours. Indeed, one of the most efficient government departments in Jordan has to be the Department of land and Survey. Personally, I have sold and bought land and never had a problem. I used the department’s excellent website to get on-the-spot information about plots of land all over the Kingdom.Special mention must also go to the Civil Status and Passports Department, where it now takes a few hours to renew or issue a passport or civil status documents. In fact, renewing a passport in Jordan is much quicker and easier than most Western countries, where it usually takes days or weeks. It’s a similar story over at the Driver and vehicle licensing Directorate, and a host of other public sector departments which have greatly improved their efficiency, trustworthiness, and credibility over recent years. It’s a credit to Jordan that even with its limited resources and financial difficulties, the Kingdom has managed to build and sustain a fully-functioning civil service.

Compared to neighboring countries like Egypt and lebanon, it’s safe to say Jordan is streets ahead in the quality of public sector services it provides to its citizens.But problems remain, of course, like over employment, unnecessary layers of bureaucracy, and a sluggish take-up of modern technology and best practices. These all added up to frustrate the foreign investor I heard of who wanted to launch a pioneering

agricultural project in Jordan. he spent over half a year wading through red tape and chasing paper work from one ministry to the other. he had to plead with officials from one ministry to talk to their peers in another ministry. And of course in some cases he had to use the ubiquitous wasta to push things through. he almost gave up on the project, but eventually he was able to get the necessary permits in order. Those boasts about Jordan providing a hassle-free, one-stop window for international investors suddenly don’t appear quite as convincing.Much has been said about restructuring the public sector in order to make it more efficient. Some forward-thinking officials have successfully overcome obstacles to establish precedents and upgrade the services of their

respective departments. We need more bold public servants like them.I say this as the media has been busy with the controversial case of a Polish grain shipment, which was reportedly rejected a few months ago for failing to meet health standards set by the well-respected Jordan Food and Drug Administration (JFDA).At the time of writing, the fate of the shipment was still unclear. It would be a catastrophe if the grain

was allowed into Jordan despite the JFDA’s objections. Difficult economic conditions should never compromise the credibility of public sector bodies that are merely carrying out their remit to serve Jordanian citizens. It would be a crime if we allow these high standard bodies to be sidelined by political whims, or overruled by senior officials and influential people.We have invested billions in these public bodies and created a civil service, which in spite of many negative observations, continues to provide exceptional service to the public. One way of fighting corruption is to empower these institutions and continue to back them as they do their job.

You can contact OSAMA AL-SHARIf at [email protected]

POSTSCRIPT

BaCking tHe Best of ouR puBliC seCtoRCompared to other countries in the region, Jordan broadly manages to provide good quality public services to its citizens. Let’s keep it that way.

BY OSAMA AL-SHARIF

COMPARED TO NEIGHBORING COuNTRIES LIKE EGYPT AND LEBANON, IT’S SAFE TO SAY JORDAN IS STREETS AHEAD IN THE QuALITY OF PuBLIC SECTOR SERVICES


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