June 2010 DH 5

Published from Dubai Media City

TRAVEL
Transit passenger tours
LIFESTYLE
DSS Where have all the tailors gone?
Shop and EMPLOYMENT
Demand for professionals
fun time TECHNO
Third dimension

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UAE Digest, June 2010 l 1

 Contents

6
DSS – Mall spending time
with free entertainment to
enjoy

8 18
Travel news Employment
Dubai sightseeing tours for airport transit Demand for highly-qualified
passengers international professionals

14 26
Same, same Third dimension on the tube
Tailoring memories and current snipping and Watch the magic of World Cup
stitching trends soccer in 3D at home and in clubs

2 l UAE Digest, June 2010


Four more warships for UAE
navy being constructed
A
bu Dhabi Ship Building
(ADSB), shipbuilder and naval
support services provider in
the Arabian Gulf region, has
commenced the next phase of its Baynunah
Corvette Class constructions for the UAE
Navy. The prime contractor has moved
the second vessel from the assembly hall
where it will pass through its final systems
outfitting in preparation for its launching
sometime later this year, where it will go
through an intensive acceptance trials prior
to the final delivery to the UAE Navy. The
First Of Class has already been launched in
mid 2009. Four more corvettes are currently
progressing construction in ADSB premises
and the final delivery of all six Baynunah
Class Corvettes is expected to be completed
by 2014.
“We are a few steps away from unveiling
the second vessel under the Baynunah
initiative. This latest phase advances what
will be another important milestone for
ADSB, UAE Navy and the Emirates,” said
homaid Al Shemmari, Chairman of Abu
Dhabi Ship Building.
Think twice campaign
Dubai Municipality has launched a
campaign on the Convention on Inter-
national Trade in Endangered Species
(CITES) called ‘Think twice before buying
souvenirs’which aims to educate the public
and traders not to buy or sell any samples
of endangered species - in order to preserve
wildlife. The campaign will last the whole
year to cover all schools, universities, or-
ganisations, shopping malls and souqs.
IN THE
The municipality’s role is to regulate
and control international trade in wild
animals and plants threatened with
extinction based on the Federal law No.11
for the year 2002 to regulate and control
international trade in wild flora and fauna
at risk of extinction. The civic body catches
violators, checks stores that sell birds and
ornamental fish and pets, inspects souvenir
and gift shops in the shopping malls and
souqs, monitors events associated with the
activities of DSF and DSS among others,
creating awareness and knowledge on the
importance of preserving endangered wild-
life and non-acquisition of its products.
The Municipality also supports inter-
national organisations concerned in this
regard, in addition to confiscating stray
animals or those that are badly kept, and
deliver them to the Dubai Zoo. In the case
of any irregularities relating to this matter
the public can call the toll-free number of
the Municipality: 800 900.
The future of rail in the
Middle East
Rail and transit forms of transportation
are not new to the Middle East, however
current and planned investments exceeding
$100 billion over the next ten years will
ensure the region is one of the global trans-
poration hotspots over the next 15 years.
This is the view of Dr Arash Aghdam, AE-
UAE Digest, June 2010 l 3
 COM’s recently appointed Director of Rail
and Transit in the Middle East. Dr Aghdam
was involved in a number of key forums at
last month’s Middle East Rail conference
that included a panel discussing guidelines
for success in delivering end to end project
development and management; a regulation
and policy think-tank discussing strategies
to fast track a shift to public transport, and
a panel session debating whether the Middle
East and North Africa’s existing and future
railway lines should be privatised.
Dr Aghdam added that transporta-
tion development will involve freight and
minerals as well as passenger rail services
that include metro, LRT and high speed
intercity rail.
Natural gas as a fuel of
choice
The competitiveness of natural gas is
improving as new opportunities for produc-
tion open up and contract terms improve.
With the recent economic crisis there have
been sharp falls in gas and power sales vol-
umes, falls primarily driven by the faltering
global economy and gas’ peculiar pricing
structure. The prices for gas’ main rival fuels,
such as coal, are tied to liquid global markets
and prices are responsive to supply and de-
mand fundamentals. By contrast, gas prices
are not tied to a liquid global market but
calculated according to formulas relating to
the price of oil, without reference to the gas
market’s supply and demand fundamentals.
Hence, through the global economic crisis
contractual gas prices remained high, linked
to oil prices, while the prices of competing
fuels, particularly coal, dropped consider-
ably. Gas price competitiveness against other
fuels weakened considerably as a result.
“The unconventional gas potential of
other major consumers such as Europe,
China and India, are now beginning to be
considered,” says Badr Jafar,
Executive Director of the Cres-
cent Petroleum Group. “With
this has come a re-evaluation of
natural gas, now that it appears
to be much more plentiful and
producible at much lower costs
than previously thought.”
4 l UAE Digest, June 2010
The big breakthrough has been the
realisation by the oil and gas industry in the
last few years that huge volumes of gas can
be produced
from un-
derground
‘shale’
formations
around the
world for
only modest
capital
outlays
and with
limited run-
Badr Jafar ning costs.
Accessing
this cheap, abundant, ‘unconventional’ gas
was first achieved in the US earlier this dec-
ade but only now are people’s perceptions of
what is possible beginning to change.
In the Gulf region major gas producers
and exporters, such as Qatar, have had to
consider supplying markets closer to home
as the option to sell to big foreign gas mar-
kets have closed. The recently confirmed
contract between Qatar and Dubai to
supply the emirate with 0.65 million tonnes
of LNG gas each year from later this year
exemplifies this trend.
Supplying medium voltage
power system to Khalifa
Port
Abu Dhabi Ports Company (ADPC),
master developer and regulator of ports
and industrial zones in the emirate of Abu
Dhabi, has announced that it has awarded
a major procurement and construction
contract in excess of Dh300 million ($81 +
million) to Larsen & Toubro for its flagship
project at Khalifa Port & Industrial Zone
(KPIZ) in Taweelah. The contract involves
the design, construction, testing and com-
missioning of the electrical medium voltage
(MV) power supply via a 33 kV power cable
network and three 33kV / 11kV primary
distribution substations, which will provide
the main power supply for the entire phase-
IA of Khalifa Port. It also involves the
construction of civil buildings with utilities
such as air conditioning, fire protection and
lighting systems.
Work is due to begin immediately and is
scheduled for completion by May 2012.
Celebrating with a new
Director
Rufus Leonard has spent the past 20 years
helping shape many of the UK’s leading
brands off- and on-line. Now they are
marking their anniversary year by develop-
ing their own brand and appointing a new
Director of Technology, Peter Barker, who
has been with the company for over 12
years and has headed up their technology
team for seven years.
“Peter has been instrumental in develop-
ing the technology solutions capability and
is the driving force in this rapidly expand-
ing area”, said Neil Svensen, founder and
CEO. “Technology is evolving and being
adopted at extreme speed. Consumers are
empowered as they have never been before
to broadcast their opinions instantly. So
the fundamental rules of engagement have
changed. In response to this our clients
have had to change the way they operate,
brand and digital areas of organisations are
having now to work much closer together
to deliver integrated communications. This
company is helping its clients such as Lloyds
Banking Group and British Gas in the UK,
along with Aldar and African + Eastern in
the UAE, make sense of this new world.”
Signifying this marked attitudinal
change and to celebrate their 20th an-
niversary Rufus Leonard have rebranded.
The rebrand includes refreshed
internal and external decor,
website and digital communica-
tions. Social media and online
PR also play a big part in their
communications mix, harness-
ing the power of video, blogs and
microblogs.
Capital Club celebrates
growing success
T
he Capital
Club Dubai,
A premier
private
business club, celebrated
its second birthday in
April amidst excellent
results in the face of the
economic downturn,
and with an exciting
programme to come, ac-
cording to its CEO, Rus-
sell Matcham.  While
(from left to right) Christopher Forbes, Russell Matcham and Michael
Vertu was the signature Adamopoulos
sponsor of the celebratory event, Emirates
Airlines, Red Carnation Hotel Collection,
Art Marine, YourSingapore.com, MMI,
Habanos, The Oyster Box, Summer Lodge,
Classic Fine Foods, Fresh Express, Hotel
d’Angleterre and The Milestone Hotel all
lent their support.
The Club is an exclusive private business
club, with membership by invitation only,
offering its members exceptional meeting,
networking and entertaining opportuni-
ties.  Since its launch, it has built an elite and
influential membership, reflecting the inter-
national and cultural diversity of the region.
The membership roster includes many of the
leading business leaders of the region.  mercial barrister and also held a number of
As it celebrates the two years since its
launch, Matcham is bullish about the club’s
future. “What we have built here – in only
a very short time – is a forum for business,
political and diplomatic heavyweights and
decision-makers of the region to discreetly
meet. Of course 2009 was a difficult year,
but we still managed to enroll 403 members
and to increase the initiation fees for full
members. I think this is a true testament
to how the Club is appreciated and valued
by the members. To date, we have built a
membership list that includes 21 Sheikhs,
ministers or governors; 358 chairmen,
presidents or founders; 686 CEOs, MDs
or partners; 298 directors or regional
directors; 97 COOs, CFOs or CMOs; and
several ambassadors and consul generals.”   er Al Khaja has also made her mark with
Which is probably why Lord Charles
Falconer, former UK Lord Chancellor
and first Secretary of State for Justice, and
current Senior Counsel at international law
firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP; was
well received in early May when he spoke
about the, then, forthcoming British elec-
tion including commenting on potential
impact on policy change in the Middle East
Lord Falconer spent 25 years as a com-
ministerial posts in Tony Blair’s govern-
ment, giving him a tremendous working
knowledge of British politics. It was clear
from Lord Falconer’s comments that this
was to be the most uncertain election in
recent history. However the good news
is that he saw no real change in policy
towards the Middle East and particu-
larly Dubai. While each party has its own
policies on the economy, trade and foreign
relations, it is clear that all are intent on
honouring existing relations.
The following week saw the Club host
a panel discussion by promising Emirati
filmmakers on the eve of the Arab Media
Forum. Moderated by social commentator
Mishaal Al Gergawi, the trialogue between
the participating filmmakers - Ali F Mosta-
fa, Nayla Al Khaja and Nawaf Al Janahi - of-
fered a fantastic opportunity to learn about
the collective experiences of these avant
garde filmmakers. During the event, they
discussed challenging issues such as censor-
ship, marketing, funding, distribution and
the acute need to nurture local talent – all
integral elements that could turn a nascent
industry into a vibrant one.
Mostafa is the Director of City of
Life, which recently opened in cinemas to
wide acclaim, and the success of his film is
regarded by many as pivotal to the develop-
ment of the industry. Outspoken campaign-
the short film Arabana, while actor and film
director Al Janahi received the award for
the Most Promising Emirati Filmmaker at
the Dubai International Film Festival 2009
for his Arabic film, The Circle.
VP of Forbes Inc. joins
Capital Club
Christopher ‘Kip’ Forbes, Vice
Chairman of Forbes, Inc., has accept-
ed an invitation to join the Capital
Club Dubai, which was extended to
him at a recent reception attended by
a number of CEOs and Chairmen of
UAE companies. This membership
will give Mr Forbes access to the two
currently up and running Capital
Clubs – Dubai and Bahrain – as well
as any other locations opened in the
future.
An invitation was also extended
to Michael Adamopoulos, Head of
Forbes’ Asia Desk, who will also be
joining the Club.
UAE Digest, June 2010 l 5
 DSS
Spending holiday with free
entertainments
By Linda Benbow
h
aving spent many summers
in this country, I am looking
forward to another hectic
time in the heat with its
shopping, socialising and sweating. The
first two s-words are enjoyed in air condi-
tioned malls and rows of cool shops in the
Modhesh
older parts of town with plastic curtains
keeping the hot air out of their premises.
The last s-word is enjoyed - yes, I said
“enjoyed”- around hotel pools, at spas and
eating out al fresco style in the balmy eve-
nings. 17 June sees the start of the annual
Dubai Summer Surprises held throughout
the town for visitors and residents to enjoy.
It will officially end, with a big display of
fireworks, on 7 August.
Second only to the frenzied bargain-
hunting of the Dubai Shopping Festival in
6 l UAE Digest, June 2010
spring, Dubai Summer Surprises is an event
which encourages visitors to shop, save and
celebrate during nine weeks of entertain-
ment. Just don’t forget your credit card!
During the festival, also known as DSS,
Dubai’s vast malls get together to offer ma-
jor reductions across a wide range of goods.
The pull is irresistible; over seven million
shoppers flash their cash at this event.
Live shows, children activities, rafles,
competitions and courses keep the whole
family happy while the shopaholics shop,
and hotels offer a variety of discounted
packages for those who want to make a
holiday out of it.
Since the first DSS in 1998, summers
in Dubai have never been mundane and
DSS gives families and visitors something
exciting to look forward to year after year.
Dubai’s sun drenched beaches and golden
sand dunes mingle with an infrastructure
par excellence to give travellers a once-in-
a-lifetime holiday experience of shopping,
entertainment, winning and lifestyle,
in addition to Modhesh World – the re-
gion’s biggest indoor edutainment venue
for children, named after the popular
cartoon character Modhesh.
Tranquillity garden at Park Hyatt Dubai
What is Dubai summer surprises 2010
all about?
Exploring Dubai is so much fun during
the summer. The region’s best shopping
deals, world-class family entertainment,
giveaways worth millions of dirhams, and
a choice of the Middle East’s finest spas
await visitors. Around 50 luxury malls
put out the best shopping promotions for
shoppers while hosting entertainment
shows throughout the summer. These
include highly-acclaimed international
shows, concerts, and exhibitions.
What’s more, every shopper is re-
warded for shopping with an opportunity
to win prizes and giveaways. To top it all,
visitors can choose from numerous spas to
avail discounted rates for various health
and wellness treatments.
Over 30 spas have confirmed their
participation by lowering prices and of-
fering special treatments. Amara at Park
hyatt Dubai is one of these offering a
magnificent tribute to the ancient Moor-
ish palaces, the white exterior and royal
blue domes offer a welcoming entrance
into Amara, a private and secluded spa
where exotic rituals have been created to
stimulate the senses, soothe and rejuve-
nate. The Spirit of the Summer
is a 45 minutes session featuring
an outdoor rain shower in your
private terraced garden, a foot and
hand rose petal bath, a 45-minute
luxury body massage with sooth-
ing massage oils, a detoxifying
fruit mocktail from the “healthy
Living at hyatt” menu served
poolside or in the Amara lounge,
and full-day use of the 25-metre
swimming pool with four whirl-
pools, fragranced steam room,
lounges, and gymnasium.
 NEW PRODUCTS

Breathe the forest in your car

Sharp’s new air purifier – equipped with plasmacluster ion technology –
helps eliminate harmful viruses, odour and allergen

S
harp Middle East has launched a
unique air purifier for cars in the
GCC region equipped with its
own plasmacluster ion technol-
ogy, which helps improve air quality
by removing harmful airborne viruses,
cigarette and pet odour, and allergen.
The exclusive new product is the latest
in a range of products launched by Sharp
equipped with this technology, in which
positive and negative ions are released into
the air simultaneously. These ions are the
same found in abundance in nature, such
as forests, mountains and fields. The new
product recreates the natural process that
purifies the air in the earth’s atmosphere.
The purifier -- which fits neatly into a
car cup holder -- is designed to release
high-density of the ions following the
car’s interior airflow. It can be charged by
a cigarette lighter, and is available in the
UAE for Dh999.
Announcing the launch of the new experience”. are breathing forest fresh air even when
product, Fumio Yamaguchi, the Man- Since 2000, Sharp has been working inside or in indoor spaces. The technology
aging Director of Sharp Middle East, closely with academic research organisa- has been developed in line with interna-
said: “Sharp is delighted to introduce yet tions around the world -- including Ret- tional safety standards, making it an ideal
another world-class product. Our mission roscreen Virology Ltd, a world authority solution for home users and motorists”.
is to contribute to the well-being of society in virology -- in developing and assessing Sharp has a wide range of air purifiers
by providing products with plasmacluster the benefits of plasmacluster ion technol- suitable for rooms ranging from 20 to
ion technology, which can help improve ogy. It has successfully demonstrated that 48 square meters, as well as high density
air quality in homes and, now in vehicles. the technology can reduce the activity of plasmacluster ion generators for house-
In this region, many people suffer from 29 different harmful airborne microbes, hold and commercial applications. These
allergies and asthma due to poor indoor including the h1N1 influenza virus. include air purifiers, ion-generators, air
air quality. We believe that the new Manu Mahdi, General Manager of conditioners and refrigerators. Plasmaclus-
technology -- which has proven effective Sharp Middle East, said: “Sharp’s plasma- ter ion technology is also adopted in other
against mite allergens (the major trigger cluster ion technology is a one-of-a-kind industries, including vehicles and eleva-
for allergic asthma) -- will be one of the technology in which the positive and tors. The total sales of products equipped
best solutions for them. The purifier will negative ions generated are the same kind with Sharp’s plasmacluster ion technology
also contribute towards a healthy driving of ions which leave users feeling like they has reached 20 million units worldwide.

UAE Digest, June 2010 l 7

 TRAVEL
They came, they saw, they did
business
By Linda Benbow
T
his year’s ATM, Arabian Trav-
el Market, was a bustling sight
to behold. After the so-so
attendance at exhibitions and
similar events this year, it was good to see
so many bodies walking around the newly
expanded conference halls and rooms at
DWTC, Dubai World Trade Centre.
Many countries set up their stands and
put on colourful shows to attract both
businessmen and the public. There were
not so many give-aways as we have grown
accustomed to, and not a lot of brochures
and pamphlets to pick up; but that just
gave folks a chance to look intently at what
was on offer, ask questions, marvel at the
cultural dances and ceremonies, and do
business.
With people in general being careful
with their cash and looking for as much as
they can get for their money, it seems that
short break holidays are about to become
more popular – with as many extras as pos-
sible included in the initial payment price,
i.e. rooms, car hire, meals, spa treatment,
round of golf, etc being favourite add-ons
to flights.
big bus tours and Dubai internation-
al airport have linked up to provide an
innovative new service designed specifically
(left to right) Eman Al Suwaidi, Head of Retail
Services, Dubai International Airport and Chris
Crompton, General Manager, Big Bus Tours UAE
sign a contract to operate bus tours of Dubai for
transit passengers
8 l UAE Digest, June 2010
for transit passengers coming through the
airport. These passengers do not have the
opportunity to see the real Dubai and are
often restricted to staying within the air-
port premises due to a lack of structured
alternatives. Launching this summer,
Big Bus Tours will start operating regular
scheduled sightseeing tours that depart
from, and return to Dubai Airport. These
two hour tours are designed to provide
passengers with the opportunity to see
something of the city whilst they are here
with the goal of encouraging them to
return at a later date to spend more time,
either on vacation or for business.
oman launched several new hospital-
ity offerings, including the new Swiss-Bel
hotel Resort at Masirah Island which is
15 kilometres off Oman’s east coast; an
island famous for its sandy beaches and
as a nesting place for a number of turtle
species. The 5-star Salalah Marriott
Resort is set on the southern shores of the
Arabian Gulf and serves as the first phase
of the Mirbat Beach project. Located in
Oman’s northern Musandam Peninsula,
Six Senses hideaway Zighy Bay offers
traditional village style (luxury) accom-
modation with the mountain range on
one side and 1.6 kilometres of sandy beach
The interior design of the 191-room boutique style Kempinski Nile Hotel was done by world renowned
French architect Pierre Yves Rochon
on the other.
Set to open this month, Kempinski
will have its first hotel in Cairo, Egypt to
showcase how understated and cool luxury
can be, introducing the art of simple
things done beautifully.
Kempinski Nile hotel will be the first
boutique hotel in Cairo offering things
that have not been offered in this vibrant
city before. This hotel will replace an old
hotel on the river banks in one of Cairo’s
most strategic downtown spots.
“We offer a remarkable journey and
create new traditions.” says the hotel’s
General Manager Axel Ludwig on how he
plans to bring Kempinki’s vision to Cairo.
“It’s not overloaded, but is understated
and sleek, functional, beautiful, cosy and
charming. With a philosophy of bor-
rowing from the richest aspects of local
culture, 500 different paintings and 250
sculptures have been selected from local
artists to be placed throughout the hotel
“art is one of the key values of the experi-
ences.”
The lobby is a chocolate lounge, offer-
ing a respite from the city with a little bit
of indulgence. “Chocolate makes people
happy and there’s so much positive energy
with it too.”

flydubai commenced low-cost flights to Lucknow last month
I ndia decided to be different and wanted
to tell about what they call ‘health tour-
ism’, whereby a medical procedure can be
followed by convalescence, with or without
the family, in this country which is abso-
lutely packed with history, striking scenery,
animal life, tastes and helpful people.
Medical tourism is a growing sector in
this country, its advantages include reduced
costs, the availability of latest medical
TRAVEL
technologies and a growing compliance
on international quality standards, as
well as the fact that most people speak
eye surgery and hip replacement. The
country is known in particular for heart
surgery, hip resurfacing and other areas of
English here. advanced medicine.
Most estimates claim treatment The natural beauty of India fuels rapid
costs in India start at around a tenth of recovery and there are organisations that
the price of comparable treatment in make it all happen for you, contact :info@
USA and UK. The most popular treat- indiameditourism.com”. They have tie ups
ments sought are alternative medicine, with major hospitals and medical institu-
bone-marrow transplant, cardiac bypass, tions.
Indian Consul General Sanjay Verma visited each exhibitor at
the India Pavilion; 28 tour operators/ travel agents and three state
governments were represented
(from left to right) Umesh Kalra, Ministry of Tourism; C.
Gangadhar, Assistant Director, India Tourism and Wilson
Sudhakar, Regional Director, India Tourism explained the
methodology of health tourism
UAE Digest, Juney 2010 l 9
 RETAIL
The business of selling
During the past year, many retailers closed amid the global economic
recession, and survivors count themselves among the fortunate. Yet
survival does not guarantee much
T
he economic environment
remains tough, and even if
sustainable growth returns
to key markets in the coming
months, retailers are not assured success. In
fact, if the theme of 2009 was ‘survival at all
costs’, the theme for 2010 will be ‘who wins
next?’ Over the year to come retailers can
either pursue strategies that help them build
a lead over the competition, or stay locked in
on actions that permit them merely to hang
on until this slowdown claims them.
In 2010, global management consult-
ing firm Booz & Company, see a winning
strategy with three elements:
• Develop ‘customer ownership’ tactics
with active programmes aimed at deep-
ening knowledge of consumer behaviours
and segments.
• Create a seamless customer experience in
moving between the online and bricks-
and-mortar formats to bring new dimen-
sions to the entire store brand.
• Move beyond
The prolonged global economic recession
trapped retailers in a downward spiral of
cost pressures, loss of pricing power, and
falling demand. During the previous decade,
retailers in all categories had launched major
Soboho, Dubai Marina Mall, prides itself on rarely repeat ordering even a fast moving item and so
once an item sells out, it will rarely be replenished, being replaced by newer fare. The shop is always
mixing it up so that regular customers get a different experience at the store every time
10 l UAE Digest, June 2010
expansion programmes, with rising lever-
age predicated on growing profitability.
Then, in 2008 and 2009, retailers had to
take a sharp turn away from expansion as
consumers cut spending and grew cautious
amid the collapse of the housing and credit
markets, massive job losses, and the sudden
need to pay down debt and rebuild cash
savings.
The industry witnessed a wave of store
closings and bankruptcies. Last year’s holi-
day shopping season was the worst in the
past 10 years and retailers resorted to dra-
matic markdowns to clear out inventories.
Those strategies, combined with consumers’
unwillingness to spend, destroyed pricing
power across the industry.
A modest rebound is now under way
although consumers still remain wary. Job
losses continue, and easy access to consumer
credit has been shut off.
As retailers move beyond survival and
cash-conservation mode, they should focus
on strategic investments in their defining
strengths: processes, products, knowledge,
capabilities, or some other advantage.
With its convenience, security, range
of offerings, and built-in ability to deliver
price comparisons, the online channel has
Inspired by the flagship store in USA,
Bloomingdale’s Dubai is a split contemporary
accelerated during the economic slowdown,
even as bricks-and-mortar locations have
watched sales decline. Customers’ flight to
online vendors is putting pressure on all
retailers to develop strategies to integrate
their traditional and online channels so
they can support and drive sales to one
another. For consumers, the walls between
online and offline are crumbling. For
retailers, the benefits of having an online
presence include far greater knowledge of
customers, more awareness of consumer
preferences, and an ability to drive sales
through online-only discounts and broader
assortment without accompanying bricks-
and-mortar infrastructure.
Given Booz & Co’s view that 2010 will
be another challenging year for retailers,
they believe that retailers who make effi-
ciency a habit will not only emerge stronger
more swiftly, but will hold an advantage
longer.
Low demand from customers has
prompted US luxury retailer Saks Fifth
Avenue to replace its store at The Walk,
Jumeirah Beach Residence with a discount
outlet store selling products from the previ-
ous season’s collection, discounted at up to
60 per cent.
store with splashes of
decorative elements
throughout both sides
from the signature black
and white checkerboard
floors in crystallized
marble to the hand
blown glass chandeliers
in Lingerie & Swimwear
and the fountain at the
heart of the Home store.
The home store is where
the first international
Magnolia Bakery sells its
renowned cupcakes.

Budge to the budget
While Dubai’s retail sector shall soon see the world’s most expensive
chocolate, the brand has cleverly included a budget range to cater to the
most important consumer in these times – the common man
By Manju Ramanan
T
he mood’s upbeat as far as
the Dubai retail sector goes.
And, according to a new
Jones Lang Lasalle report,
there is a shift away from luxury brands
towards competitive pricing, creative
marketing programmes, convenience
shopping and value for money. From the
retailer’s point of view, retail rent prices
have gone down and as the report states
the offer of more flexible lease terms and
rent free periods will continue through-
out 2010 and 2011 as Dubai’s shopping
sector realigns to retain value. It is also stated
that the Mirdif City Centre, which opened
last month, would be the last super centre to
be built for at least three years.
JLL added that the trend is likely to
result in the repositioning of both existing
and new retail centres away from the previ-
ous focus on luxury brands towards value
merchandising. The report predicted that
some ‘obsolescent or underperforming’ malls
may be redeveloped or even in some cases
converted to other uses as owners seek to
realign these properties to retain value.
The report comes as Dubai retailers and
mall owners reported a typical decline of
at least 20 per cent in retail sales in 2009
although anecdotal evidence suggests
that sales are now starting to recover with
increased footfall and turnover reported by
some retailers during this year’s Dubai Shop-
ping Festival. The Dubai Chamber of Com-
merce reported that total retail spending in
the emirate is expected to increase by around
four per cent in 2010 and by more than eight
per cent next year.
With financing difficult to achieve for
new mall developments and some sectors
of the market approaching saturation,
several proposed future malls are likely to be
delayed, the JLL report said, adding that no
new super regional centres were expected
before the completion of the first phase of
the Mall of Arabia in 2013. JLL said that
the reduction in the delivery of new retail
malls will give the market the necessary
breathing space to absorb the high levels of
supply experienced in recent years.
however, striking a note of difference,
reminding people of the old ways of splurg-
ing and spending is Chocopologie, which
sells “La Madeline Au Truffe” for $2,600 a
pound, and who plans to open two outlets
in the Emirates this year, confirmed Yassine
Benali, the General Manager of Saveur,
which has the franchise rights for the
brand. Affording shoppers will soon be able
to buy the world’s most expensive chocolate
truffle, at $250 (Dh920) each.
These cafe boutiques are the first
Chocopologie outlets other than its flagship
in South Norwalk, Connecticut.
Benali stumbled upon the brand, the
retail arm of Knipschildt Chocolatier
which makes famed chocolate creations,
three years ago while searching for the most
expensive chocolates in the world to give
as a gift. “Whoever ate the chocolate were
always talking about it and wanted more,
so we thought, ‘ we should bring it to the
UAE’,” Benali said. “Dubai is known for
extravagant things, from real estate, to cars.
RETAIL
There is an extravagant mentality and people
are always looking for the best.”
The two-inch truffles start with a
ganache from 71 per cent Ecuadorean dark
chocolate mixed with Italian truffle oil and
fresh cream which has been infused with
vanilla pods for 24 hours. This ganache is
wrapped around a French Périgord dark
truffle mushroom, dipped in chocolate,
and then rolled in cocoa powder. These
indulgent concoctions and other chocolates
sold in the UAE will continue to be made
by hand at the Knipschildt chocolatier in
Connecticut, and flown overseas, said Fritz
Knipschildt, the company’s Maître Chocola-
tier and founder of the brand.
“Some companies pick up a concept, then
find a manufacturer in that country, and it’s
never going to be the same,” he said.” It’s not
going to happen with our brand. The truffles
will be wrapped in the same gold bag in a
silk lined box, but will have one touch of the
Emirates: it will be sitting on a bed of pearls,”
said Benali.
Only 89 have been sold since Knipschildt
started making La Madeline two years ago,
but he expects this number to get a boost
with its outlets in the UAE. But for those liv-
ing a life less extravagant, Chocopologie will
also sell chocolates for as low as Dh100 a kilo
and the cafe food prices will be on par with
other similar chains, stated Benali. however,
they plan to have ‘five-star’ customer service,
such as having staff tracking patrons’ prefer-
ences.
“We will have the same prices as if you
are going to Shakespeare and Co,” he said.
“People are watching expenses more than
three or four years ago, but we will have the
same prices with a much better experience.”
The first outlet is expected to open in Dubai
Festival City in July and in Abu Dhabi’s
Paragon Mall in the first quarter of 2011.
UAE Digest, June 2010 l 11
 ICONS
An iconic world
Icons are commodified to increase sales of products and to bring in a touch
of heroic quality to the item on sale. Do companies doing this draw the line
between the man and the product? Or reinvent the icon out-of-context,
depending on what the market demands?
By Manju Ramanan
T
here are well-known people,
the very famous ones, and
a few who cross the line to
become world icons. Today, a
star’s publicity company might market him
to popularity but not everyone becomes a
phenomenon – iconised the world over, not
just in the country of their birth or fame,
many years after they are gone, in different
countries across the globe. The few who
trudge this path see themselves commodi-
fied too which is accepted (albeit blindly
too), revered, and at times rejected – if the
commodity sold doesn’t stand up to the
icon’s persona.
The recent-in-the-news: Mahatma
Gandhi’s limited edition of the Mont Blanc
pen has been one such case. While the
family, including Gandhi’s great grandson
Tushar Gandhi (who admits that he’d never
buy the pen because it is unaffordable to
him and who says that his great grandfather
might have been amused at the whole thing),
doesn’t find anything new in the commodi-
fication of Gandhi, which has happened
12 l UAE Digest, June 2010
earlier too - there are some Gandhi loyalists
who have reacted to the issue. What’s more,
they brought about a ban on the selling of
the limited edition pen in India following
which India’s Supreme Court on May 3
accepted the luxury giant’s assurance that it
would stop selling the pens after the Solici-
tor General issued a notification that the
name or image of Mahatma Gandhi, the
Father of the Nation, could not be used for
commercial purposes.
According to the original plan, just
241 commemorative fountain pens were to
be sold — signifying the number of miles
Gandhi walked in his famous 1930 ‘salt
march’, a mass protest against salt taxes
levied by the British that dealt an early blow
to their control over the subcontinent. The
pens are handmade, adorned with Gandhi’s
signature and a saffron-coloured opal. They
come with a 26-foot golden thread that
can be wound around the pen to invoke
the spindle Gandhi used to weave plain
cotton cloth each day. The pens also come
with a commemorative booklet of inspiring
Gandhi quotes.
As reported by India’s Mint newspa-
per, when a writer looked at the image of
Gandhi, bamboo staff in hand, which is
engraved in the pen’s rhodium-plated nib
and asked: “Where, really, was Gandhi
in all this?” Oliver Goessler, Montblanc’s
Regional Director for India, Africa and
the Middle East, stated the answer is:
Everywhere. “Whatever brings Gandhi and
his ideas back to mind can only be good,” he
said from hamburg, Germany.
While the pen is still available in Dubai,
the issue opens up the debate between the
world of popular culture fuelled by com-
modification and the purist’s way that per-
ceives a leader like a sacred icon , not to be
misrepresented or used out of context than
his/her philosophy. But there are exceptions
to the rule. For instance, the iconic visage of
Che Guevara is popularised, mass-produced
and accepted widely and one of the com-
monest icons that you see around, long after
the revolutionary man passed away. his
face adorns T-shirts, key chains and many
other commodities worn by many people
across the world. The commodification of
Che, who is a popular icon, is far removed
from the Marxist revolutionary context he
advocated, though, it caters to the people – a
sector he appealed to the most, then and
now, years after his death.
Che Guevara, the Argentine Marxist
revolutionary, physician, author, intellectual,
guerrilla leader, diplomat, military theorist,
and according to Wikipedia, ‘a major figure
of the Cuban Revolution’ has been revered
the world over. More so, after his stylised
visage was mass-produced in popular culture
as an ubiquitous countercultural symbol and
global insignia. The photograph that became
so popular was ironically shot at a memorial
service for victims of the La Coubre explo-
sion by photographer Alberto Corda during
March 5, 1960, in Havana, Cuba.
Of course the colourful world of cel-
luloid has created many an icon – and some
animal icons too like King Kong, Godzilla
or several Disney characters that are rolled
into popular cultures with the world of toys
and commodities named after them.
Perhaps, one of the biggest icons of the
year 2000 has been pop star Michael Jack-
son, who has been copied, emulated, imi-
tated in various ways and has a whole range
of items named after his several albums, for
which, he assumed different avatars.
“Right from Thriller, all his albums have
generated mass interest and hence there is
an industry that commodifies him. Right
after his death, there was an entire range
of MJ products around. His ‘Bad’ image
is commonly seen. His image on T-shirts
give out a message that the wearer is ‘cool’
as well as contemporary,” states Abhiram,
a vendor.
The same thought can be seen in popu-
lar icons of yesteryears like Elvis Presley and
Princess of Hearts: Lady Diana. The others
include Mao, Madonna, Barack Obama
Bruce Lee, Charlie Chaplin, Sylvester
Stallone in his Rambo avatar, T-shirts with
Neil Armstrong’s photo of Edwin Aldrin
on the moon. Also included are a whole lot
of Disney characters. The world of sport
too has inspired icons – David Beckham,
Ronaldo etc,as well as spiritual leaders like
the Dalai Lama or thinkers and scientists
like Albert Einstein.
“It is interesting to note how social move-
ments or popular figures can be picked up
by fashion and suddenly become ‘cool’. The
recession has, for instance, inspired some
fashion designers to create a recession-line
of clothing. If it helps remind people about
the greatness of the person concerned, what
is wrong? For generations born after a leader
or an icon walked the earth, reinventing the
icon is in now way demeaning him/her. It is
just presenting them in a new light,” states
Shikha Mehta a medical practitioner from
Dubai.
With a host of celebrities from various
fields involving themselves in charity causes
nowadays, using their popularity and fan
base for altruistic activities, what emerges
is that the future icons of the world have to
exhibit a sense of responsibility, high values
and social conscience before they step onto a
high pedestal.
UAE Digest, June 2010 l 13
 LIFESTYLE

Same, same
By Linda Benbow

W
hen folks ask “how long
have you been in Dubai?”
during social conversa-
tions they are usually a bit
awed when I reply that we have lived in the
UAE since the late 1980s. “You must have
seen a lot of changes” is the next obvious re-
mark that follows, which nicely allows me to
reminisce about whatever aspect of life pops
into my head. Take tailoring, for example …
I remember the days when good clothes
shops were few and far between, and
luxury imported clothing was expensive too.
Karama, Deira, Sharjah souk, Abu Dhabi
souk and similar places were good places
for inexpensive tee-shirts and everyday
clothing, usually from the Far East, which
could be replaced every so often without a
flinch because the original price was so low.
Nowdays, this country has its own tailor-
ing manufacturers to provide inexpensive
clothing for the masses. ‘Made in the UAE’
is a regular tag seen on cotton clothing sold a tailor to copy “same, same”, give to the consisted of a number of speciality stitchers
in supermarkets, co-operatives and shops husband for the Thursday evening social sitting on cushions on the floor expertly and
around town. event, and returned to the tailor early friday nimbly sewing beads and feathers onto em-
hiring a man’s tuxedo can be costly evening for a final fitting check. Saturday broidered lace or other delicate materials for
especially when all the accessories for an morning would see a smiling wife returning evening and wedding dresses. All nationali-
evening of ‘formal a tuxedo suit to the hire ties used these ladies fashion houses, and
wear’ are added up. shop, then driving in her still do. Look closely and you will find them
Astute housewives, 4-wheel drive to the tailor in Al Khabais and Muraqqabat (I love that
however, used to to pick up the husband’s name, its difficult to say and then suddenly
play the timing newly stitched tux. A handy runs off your tongue in an exotic manner. I
game by hiring gambit that was a boon to like saying “Timbuctoo” too!).
a suit for their those with growing sons. Annual holidays were a time for taking
husband/son just Being a journalist, I was an empty suitcase back home, to be filled
before noon on a invited to visit up-market up with clothes and must-have items for
Thursday, know- ladies tailors and embroidery the coming year, as there were not that
ing full well that establishments. The front many choices in the fewer shops. If you
the shop would be of the shops usually had wanted something ‘different’ to wear at
closed on Friday, plush carpeting and chairs, the Christmas party you had to buy it from
so a 24 hour hire with curtained off rooms ‘back home’ and bring it to UAE with
period was really for measurement taking you. Otherwise you would end up wearing
a 48 hour period. and private viewings of something that everyone else had seen hang-
Plenty of time to unique dresses that could be ing on the rails here. I have been known to
take the tux to customised. Back-of-shop spend an entire evening avoiding someone

14 l UAE Digest, June 2010

who had on the same dress as me. Nowadays
I would laugh and talk to her, in the old days
I was much younger!
More recently, well, within the past
five years, dressing-up parties have been
the vogue, even creeping into the realm of
corporate parties. If the boss wants you to
dress up as a cartoon character, who am I to
buck the trend and say “No”? Party costume
shops can be found at Beach Centre mall -
the blue building along the Beach Road, near
Welcare Hospital at Garhoud, and some su-
permarkets and departmental stores. Some
folks decide to go elsewhere and get their
costumes made by a tailor. The particular
company party I am thinking about meant
husband dressing up as Fred Flintstone, and
so, naturally, I had to be Wilma Flintstone.
Material was bought in Satwa, pictures
were given to the tailor on Beach Road, to-
wards the Burj Arab, for him to copy “same,
same”, and the resultant outfits were lovely
to behold at Dh50 each.
Walking past the Uniform shop in
Spinneys, Um Suqeim, reminds me of when
the shop first opened and started to sell
school uniforms for a local English school.
For years, parents had had to buy imported
frocks and shorts from the school office,
paying current prices. After 20 years it was
decided to see whether local suppliers could
provide the same quality of cloth for a cheap-
er price. Eventually a similar product was
sourced and the seamstresses and tailors got
to work on every aspect of the uniform, even
adding to the selection by making matching
hairbands and suchlike. Same uniform, less
pricey, sales taken by shop staff instead of
school staff; it was a win-win situation for all.

Hollywood abayas
The abaya has never been the same since Emirati
designer Lamya Abedin gave the traditional
attire an all new fashion statement. Having
dabbled so far with custom-made orders for very
special clientele, Abedin is now ready with her
own fashion label - Queen of Spades – which
launched last month at her brand boutique
at Galeries Lafayette, Dubai Mall. The latest
collection of individual ready-to-wear clothing
is themed on vintage Hollywood and takes its
inspiration from the glitterati of yesteryears.
“I have always been a fan of all things antique
and when my clients started telling me that they
feel like celebrities wearing my creations, I com-
bined their feedback with my love for timeless
fashion to create the newest line for my brand.
Classic fashion has always been the mainstay
in my collections and it always will be,” says Abe-
din showcasing pieces of her latest collection.
“In the 30s, 40s and 50s, styles such as tweed,
polka dots, pencil cuts, mermaid cuts or fish
tails, sequins and patchwork were used. So we
went about mixing those trends into the abayas.
I also used fabrics such as corduroy, leather,
chiffon, to create a blend of those decades. My
abayas are all about colour. For this collection,
I’ve created a completely navy blue abaya for the
first time. Then there’s the Retro set, which is all
about the bold colours for confident women.”
“No two abayas are the same,” says Abedin.
“Making unique garments is why I started de-
signing. I want my clients to go out confidently
dressed. And if they’re wearing one of my abayas,
they can rest assured that they’re the only ones in
the city to have it.”

UAE Digest, June 2010 l 15

 LIFESTYLE
Tailor made
Want a suit copied, get an old dress fitted to your current size or just wear
a perfectly tailored dress with the cut from the latest Bollywood film? –
tailors in the UAE will not cease to amaze
By Manju Ramanan
U
biquitous, in the vicinity of
most textile shops, lives a
largely unsung population of
look-conscious Dubaites – tai-
lors! While they are found across the emir-
ate, including newer areas like International
City, they are largely concentrated over Mina
Bazaar, Karama, Satwa and Bur Dubai.
Ever conscious to catch a new trend, be it an
embellishment in a branded suit or the latest
Bollywood cut from a recent blockbuster,
the tailors are hands-on at what they do.
“A few years ago, short kurtas and patiala
salwars were very fashionable. This happened
after the hindi film, ‘Bunty aur Babli’
was released where the lead actress Rani
Mukherjee created a statement with her out-
fits. Then, came the anarkali look with layers
of fabric. In fact, it still continues to be quite
a fad,” states Azmat Khan, a tailor from the
Mina Bazaar area who has a lot of Pakistani
and Indian clientele, and some local ones.
The place near Khan’s shop is lined with
shops selling fabric.
“A lot of people in Asian countries still
wear tailored clothes because they can
choose the design and fabric and get it made
accordingly instead of relying on haute
couture,” states a fashion designing student.
16 l UAE Digest, June 2010
Perhaps, one of the best things about
the area is that shops selling Indian and
Pakistani goods are side by side and since
most people of these countries nearly wear
the same kind of outfits, the customers
have more choice.
“There used to be a lot of difference in
the way people dress. People from North
and Western India wore salwar kameez
and the ones from the South wore saris
with fitted blouses. Nowadays, a lot of
people wear salwar kameez because the
UAE consists of a working population and
the outfit is easier to handle. There used to
be a time when people from India stocked
their outfits from there during their an-
nual visits, in the last few years they prefer
to rely on us since we give them the same
quality at affordable prices,” states Mansi
Parekh, a former tailor who worked in a
shop in Sharjah.
Mina Bazaar, also known as Cosmos
Lane, is located close to Bank Street,
which is also known as Computer Street;
has an array of tailoring shops – some can
copy suits very well and you can expect
to get a suit tailored between three days
to one week and need up to three fittings.
Prices are split between material and
labour, though many shops will provide you
with an all-in service. Shirts too can also be
copied or measured up from scratch at the
Afghani market in Deira that has a good
choice of material.
The Al Nahda Tailors have been in
Dubai since 1979 and specialise in menswear
while they have a separate branch catering to
women called Madal Bushra. Karamat Ab-
dul Razak , sales executive at Al Nahda states
that about 30 tailors work at his shop. They
hail from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
“We have two stores, one for men and
one for women. We make trousers, suits
and shirts at the Al Nahda and the other
shop specialises in women’s wear. Usually
customers get magazines and ask us to copy
the designs. Some ask for a Prada cut or a
Versace cut. These days people are into slim
fits and some people are very particular about
a two buttoned or a three buttoned style.
The Westerners who come here prefer darker
colours for suits since we also sell fabrics.
We make tuxedoes that are usually of two to
three types,” he states.
Ask him if he employs tailors or trains
people here and he confirms about the latter.
“We train them here,” he states adding that
the Arabic tailors usually cater to the local
and Arab population.
Prices in Abu Dhabi are steeper com-
pared to Dubai but the capital has some
good tailors too. The Parmar Tailors,
that also has a Dubai branch, is located
on Hamdan Street, Abu Dhabi and is a
good place to visit. So is Abu Dhabi New
Tailors which is located in a small store
in the back streets behind the HSBC
building on Airport Road. To get suit
and shirt material at a reasonable price
visit a textile store called Mohans which
is located on the first level of the Madinat
Zayed shopping centre. They don’t do
tailoring themselves, but will recommend
a number of places
But what about wedding wear? A lot
of tailors in the UAE are trained to make
elaborate wedding wear, never mind the
nationality. For Indian wedding gear,
several shops at Bur Dubai specialise in
elaborate north Indian wedding wear.
Sheetal, that is part of the Sheetal Mum-
bai is a good place to visit. Or Roopam
and Ratti, where you can get your mate-
rial and then go to one of the tailors for
stitching. Abu Dhabi too offers many
places for Indian material, but is more
expensive if you are looking at material
from Abdullah Hussain Khunji and Paris
Textiles in the Khalidiya area. The Sanaya
area in Ajman has a host of shops selling
Arabic wedding gowns that would also
fit the gown to your size or recommend a
good tailor for you. So too is the old souk
in Ras Al Khaimah, or visit the shops
near the pearl roundabout which has
many shops that can create a wedding
gown for your special day.
Tips to get the best from your tailor
• It helps to keep a magazine to show to the tailor as a sample in case you are looking to
copy a design.
• It also helps to specify each thing you need in your outfit. In case of a blouse for a sari,
it is good to carry a sample of a well fitted one that you currently use.
• Shops in Bur Dubai usually keep a half-stitched Indian outfit. The tailor at the shop,
or one the shop recommends, can measure you up and stitch it for you in a short time.
You can insist urgency and get it done quickly, for an extra price sometimes. This holds
true for salwar kameez as well
• With trousers, consider: whether you will want lining if you are from a colder country,
pleats or no pleats, number of belt hooks, number of back pockets, money pocket. Do
specify these things to get what you exactly what you want.
• Are you particular about two part back jacket, single or double breasted, two or three
buttons, height of lapel, an extra inside pockets for mobiles and suchlike, the number
of buttons or cuff links on the arm, a hook, the colour of the lining? Do specify.
Sheikh Abdul Rahman Shafei
Al Madani also known as the
‘Royal Tailor’, Madani started
out in the field of tailoring at
the age of 16 and set up Nation-
al Tailors, a modest tailoring
shop located at the end of Deira
in 1945. His modest shop soon
turned into a sort of ‘atelier’
frequented by members of the
Dubai ruling family including
the late Sheikh Rashid Bin
Saeed Al Maktoum, founder
of modern Dubai. Sheikh
Madani is in a sense a ‘royal
couturier’ and an inspira-
tion to young talent of today
including his son Mohammed
Al Madani, a successful retail
entrepreneur.
UAE Digest, June 2010 l 17
 EMPLOYMENT
Demand for highly-qualified
international professionals
T
he demand for top, highly-
qualified professionals from
around the world to work in
the GCC and Middle East is
fuelling a new era of global mobility for
high-fliers, a groundbreaking UK report
reveals. The 2010 hydrogen Global Pro-
fessionals on the Move Report looks at the
motivations of 3,155 mid-to-senior-level
professionals earning an average salary of
$125,000 and virtually all holding a pro-
fessional qualification or above – half with
postgraduate degrees such as an MBA.
The research offers insight into the
mindset and motivations of highly quali-
fied professionals at a time of uncertainty
and flux in the global recruitment market.
It uncovers a clear willingness of profes-
sionals to work abroad and explores both
the reasons they look to do so and their fa-
voured countries for relocation. however
the chosen location doesn’t always match
up with where there is most demand for
the qualified talent.
hydrogen Group Middle East
(hGME) Team Leader, Kirsty Edrich said
75 top level professionals had been placed
in jobs in the Middle East since 2008, and
the demand in the region, for talent from
other countries was getting stronger.
“The Middle East is a dynamic, thriv-
ing region that will grow year-on-year,”
she said. “The Report backs up our experi-
ence; professionals feel that a temporary
stint in an international region will add
greatly to their CV, and give them the
experience that perhaps staying in their
home country could never offer them.
Language and cultural issues might cause
them to be hesitant about the region, but
we are quick to advise those looking to
18 l UAE Digest, June 2010
Hydrogen CEO Tim Smeaton is urging
professionals to consider an extended
employment spell in the Middle East
relocate that the Middle East is a key
player on the international stage, and
not a region to be ignored. Those we have
placed here love the more family-friendly
pace of life, and say it is a wonderful
region to spend time in.
The international candidates we
have placed here have not regretted their
decision. They look at things in terms of
a five-year plan, and actively seek out the
experience. Despite the recession, the
region is back in growth mode, and offers
professionals a multitude of personal,
lifestyle and career opportunities.”
Existing research in this area relates
largely to tracking more junior or lower
skilled workers, but this report breaks
ground by focusing on the migratory
patterns of professional level employees,
with sector-specific analysis for the pro-
fessional disciplines of finance, technol-
ogy, engineering, legal and hR. Among
the top findings:
Mid- to senior-level professionals are
highly mobile high flyers, with some 94
per cent of respondents either already
working abroad or interested in doing
so. They see international experience as
a key means of fast-tracking their careers
and boosting their personal development.
Greater earning potential is not in itself a
top priority.
For this demographic moving abroad
is not about escaping recession. Their
preference is for temporary periods
abroad, not permanent relocation, with
64 percent of respondents willing to work
in another country for up to five years.
The US, UK and Australia are consist-
ently the top countries preferred by this
demographic - though in most cases the
popularity of certain countries does not
correlate with where recruitment demand
is greatest (for many sectors, the Middle
East and Asia, for example)
While more men say they would
definitely move abroad, more women are
actually in jobs overseas.
“The world is fast becoming one global
market, which means businesses increas-
ingly need to compete for talent on a glo-
bal scale,” explains Tim Smeaton, CEO of
hydrogen Group. “We’ve seen a dramatic
increase in our clients looking to hire can-
didates who already have international
experience and who can therefore give the
company competitive advantage as they
break into new countries and markets.
When things do pick up, the global war
for talent will intensify even more, and
the companies and countries offering the
best conditions – not only financially, but
overall with regard to quality of life – will
attract the best talent who, as the research
indicates, are highly mobile and flexible.”

Gainful employment
Simon Hocknell is a Project Director
with the WSP Group, Middle East. He
has lived in Dubai for two years, although
he has worked for the company for 14
years. Simon was recently made redun-
dant as part of the global downturn. He
approached the Hydrogen Group, Middle
East to find him a new position in the
region, and is confident of his chances of
securing a new role, given his extensive
experience as an engineer and project
manager.
Simon started his working life with
design and engineering multinational
Arup – where he worked for eight years
before moving to WSP. He worked in
Hong Kong with ARUP for a number of
years, then returned to the UK, working
for WSP in London and Manchester.
He chose to move to Dubai with the
company in order to enrich the lives of his
two children. His wife was totally sup-
portive of the idea.
He said: “My wife and I agreed that
taking the job in Dubai would be a
wonderful experience for our children.
We wanted them to see things they might
otherwise never have the chance to see.
It wasn’t about the salary on offer. It was
really about the possibility of a different
and better quality of life for our family.
We love living in Dubai. We have travelled
more than we could ever have hoped to
in the UK. We have taken the children
Simon Hocknell with his family on holiday in Jordan
to Oman, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon.
They love their schools and are mixing
with other children from 40 different
countries from around the world. It is a
wonderful experience for them, and is
making a difference to their lives, and
ours, as a family.”
What benefits has working in Dubai
given you personally, professionally?
“Working internationally really enhances
your CV. Employers who see you have
worked in different countries appreci-
ate that you have the temperament and
personality to fit in different cultural
situations, and get on with a wide range
of nationalities. It also proves that you
are capable of understanding and fitting
in with different ways of doing business.
It’s been great for me, and for my family
to experience different cultures. We plan
to stay in the region for the foreseeable
future, and have no trouble at all enjoying
the weather and the lifestyle.”
Would you recommend working in dif-
ferent countries to others?
Definitely! There’s a strong work ethic
in the UAE. You’re required to work
hard and long hours, but during your
weekends you’re free to enjoy the fantas-
tic experiences on our doorstep. We’ve
only been here two years, so it’s all still
very exciting for us, and I am sure it will
remain so for many years. In terms of
working your way up the career ladder, I
feel it’s important to spend time working
internationally, and although the news is
always about the global economic crisis,
everywhere has been affected.
Why did you choose a recruitment agency
to help you find a new role?
“When the news came that WSP was
shedding staff as a result of the economic
downturn, I originally applied for a new
role online through an internet jobs site.
The role had been placed there by Hydro-
gen. Kirsty contacted me straight away. She
is in touch with many companies in the
region who are looking for senior manag-
ers with my experience, so not only did she
put me up for the position I applied for, she
also put my name forward for other roles
which hadn’t yet been advertised. It is a new
experience for me, applying for work, as in
my entire career I have never been out of a
job. The global downturn has affected many
qualified people, and I am just one of them.
In times like these you need all the help you
can get.”
What does the future hold for you?
“We’ll be sticking around in the region for
as long as we can. We love it here. We don’t
plan on going back, even though we’ve still
got a home in the UK, and we also run a
business there – which my wife manages
from Dubai. Life’s too good in the UAE to
consider moving on any time soon.”
UAE Digest, June 2010 l 19
 EDUCATION
Cass Business School graduates
hh Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al
Maktoum, Chairman of the
Supreme Fiscal Committee and Chair-
man of Emirates Group, celebrated the
graduation of the first ever cohort of Cass
Business School Dubai Executive MBA
(EMBA) students recently during a cer-
emony held at DIFC. Launched in 2007
in association with DIFC, nineteen of the
EMBA’s first students graduated at the
ceremony, after completing the 24 month
programme that offers two specialisations:
Islamic Finance and Energy – a world first
for an EMBA.
hE Ahmed humaid Al Tayer,
Governor of DIFC said: “The availability
of a large number of talented and skilled
business professionals is crucial for our
region to effectively take advantage of the
opportunities that growth and change are
bringing. DIFC has brought together a
variety of programmes that enable profes-
sionals to benefit from the very best of
global management thinking, research
and practice. The availability of these
programmes gives UAE and GCC nation-
als an exceptional opportunity to obtain
globally top-ranked executive education
within the region.”
Abdulla Mohammed Al Awar, CEO
of the DIFC Authority said: “World class
executive education programmes like
Cass’s are crucial for business profession-
20 l UAE Digest, June 2010
als to keep themselves at the forefront of
the industry.”
Richard Gillingwater, Dean of Cass
Business School, commented on the
success of the first group of Dubai-based
EMBA students: “Cass Business School
has successfully offered Executive MBA
programmes in London for several years
now, and we are extremely proud that our
first extension into the Middle East has
been equally as rewarding. Judging by the
achievements and the high calibre of the
first cohort of graduates, the course will
certainly serve the intellectual needs of
the region and will allow executives to
receive a world-class education at their
doorstep.”
This EMBA is a flexible part-time
course aimed at managers in the Gulf
region who want to accelerate their
career development whilst remaining
in full-time employment. The course is
comprised of the same content as Cass’s
London-based Executive MBA, which is
ranked second in the UK and fourth in
Europe by the Financial Times.
Cass Business School is ranked in the
top 10 UK business schools for business,
management and finance, and classes for
the Executive MBA are delivered by Cass
academics who visit Dubai over a long
weekend once a month. These lectures are
supported by the School’s online learning
Cass executive MBA students
platform which is used for online tutori-
als, group discussion and research.
The Emirates Academy of
Hospitality Management
The first accredited Masters Degree in
Hospitality Management in the GCC to
take place for 2010/2011 term
The Emirates Academy of hospital-
ity Management, a leading hospitality
management school and part of Jumeirah
Group, the Dubai-based luxury hospital-
ity company and member of Dubai hold-
ing; was recently recruiting for its new
Master of Science Degree in International
hospitality Management - the first of its
kind in the GCC region.
Commencing in October 2010, the
programme is aimed at the hospital-
ity leaders of the future, building on
the foundations laid by undergraduate
studies with an emphasis on managerial
competence. It is open to students con-
tinuing their education with the Academy
as well as external applicants looking
to advance their careers into executive,
corporate and senior management levels.
The programme can be completed in one
year based on a full-time study basis; the
option of a part-time programme is also
available to allow students to combine
their studies with full-time employment.

(from left to right) Dr. Mohamed Al Bialy, UAE University; HE Ali Saeed Bin Harmal AlDaheri, Chairman of the ADU
executive board; Alshamsi, Vice-Chancellor, BuiD; HE Mirza Al Sayegh, Deputy Chairman of the BUiD University Council,
Director of the Office of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai; Dr. Sulaiman Al Jassim, Vice
president, Zayed University; Dr. Howard Reed, PhD- Senior Director Dubai women’s College; Dr. Peter Heath, Chancellor
American University of Sharjah; Dr. Omar Ghouar Asst Professor Islamic And Arabic Studies Colleges
Summer school for
female university
students
Programme explores Scotland’s history
and culture while building links between
UAE and the UK
The British University in Dubai (BUiD),
a leading research-based postgraduate
university, launched the seventh Al-Mak-
toum Institute Scotland Summer School
for female university students from the
UAE and Qatar. The summer school is a
unique first-hand experience that allows
students to immerse themselves in an ex-
citing cultural exchange programme. It is
intended to give them a global awareness
within the international and multicul-
tural ethos of the Al-Maktoum Institute,
Dundee, Scotland, with the aim of prepar-
ing the women to become potential future
leaders of their country.
“We have had great success with our
inter-cultural student visits from UAE
and Qatar to Scotland, with the aim of
educating the women of our country
about other cultures, while preparing
them for leadership and global roles
within the workplace,” said HE Mirza Al
Sayegh, Deputy Chairman of the BUiD
University Council, Director of the Office
of HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al
Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE
Minister of Finance and Industry.
The summer school programme is
made up of a combination of classroom-
based learning and study trips and visits.
The programme focuses on learning about
Scotland through classes on Scottish
history, traditions, culture, and further
understanding of modern Scotland and
its links to the contemporary world.
Over the last several years, the Al-
Maktoum Institute in Dundee, Scotland,
to date has welcomed over 300 female
students to the Al-Maktoum Institute
Scotland Summer School. This year, the
programme will see the largest group
of students taking part from a number
of local universities including Zayed
University, Abu Dhabi University, Brit-
ish University in Dubai, Qatar Univer-
sity, Higher Colleges of Technology,
American University of Sharjah, UAE
University, and College of Islamic and
Arabic Studies, Dubai.
Muna Al Mulla a student from
Bachelor of Pharmacy programme at
Dubai Women’s College reflected on her
participation in the summer school by
saying: “I believe participating in this trip
is an amazing opportunity and will open
new horizons for me as an individual.”
New international school
opens in Jumeirah
American School in Dubai campus to be
site for school
Taaleem’s new international school, the
Jumeira Baccalaureate School, will open
its doors on September 12 to KG1 up
to Grade 4.  Taking over the American
School of Dubai (ASD) campus, the new
international school with its 332,000
square foot of grounds is nestled into
the heart of Dubai’s premier residential
catchment area.
The new inter-
national school has
set its mission to
teaching Arabic using
an interactive and
innovative approach
from Kindergarten
to Secondary and in
so doing will pioneer
the way to consoli-
dated, consistent and
successful learning.
Mr. Ziad Azzam,
CEO, Taaleem
commented: “Taaleem has long been
committed to paving the way for inspired
learning throughout our schools in the
country, and with our new international
school we are taking our commitment
even further by placing Arabic and crea-
tive learning at the forefront of our cur-
riculum.” Mr. Azzam added, “The school
will create a culture rich environment
where bilingualism is a natural outcome
of the educational experience”.
Kindergarten 1 to Kindergarten 2 will
be driven by the English Early Learning
Goals, while the Literacy and Numeracy
strategies will shape the school’s ap-
proach to the teaching of English and
Mathematics. The International Primary
Curriculum will promote a thematic and
internationally minded framework to
conduct the teaching of Science, Tech-
nology, ICT, Art and the Humanities
throughout the primary school.
Arabic will also be enriched and
taught through activities such as music,
literature, art, dance and drama. Dr.
Samia Al Farra, Chief Education Officer,
Taaleem said, “Arabic subjects will be
taught by enthused specialists that will
lead the way with the innovative and
creative programmes of study making the
learning of Arabic an inspired, enjoyable
and coveted accomplishment.”
The middle and high schools will
open in September 2011, offering an en-
riched International Baccalaureate Mid-
dle Years Programme incorporating the
IGCSE and leading to the International
Baccalaureate Diploma programme in
Grades 11-12.
UAE Digest, June 2010 l 21
 BOOKS

Explorer of wilderness
Arabian Sands gives you a peep into a unique Bedouin lifestyle that is vastly
different from our modern urban existence, and is now all but forgotten
By Vanit Sethi

W
ith the comfortable life-
style in modern-day UAE,
it is difficult to imagine
a period of time when
life and everyday living was extremely harsh
for the local Arabs as well as foreigners who
ventured on these shores. Yet the Bedus went
through all the hardships of the desert
with equanimity
and a cheerfulness
rarely found in
those inhabiting
today’s high-rise
structures. That’s
the message British
explorer Wilfred
Patrick Thesiger
conveys in his book on
travel adventures across
southern Arabia, The
Arabian Sands.
Thesiger’s love for the
simple bedoiun lifestyle
was so intense that he
travelled along with the
nomads through the desert
and lived like them – eating,
dressing et al. his sense
of adventure took him far
yond where any modern explorer is prepared
to go – in the process suffering all the hard-
ships that accompany a nomadic lifestyle in
the unforgiving desert landscape.
What makes him give up all the modern
creature comforts is something difficult to
comprehend. But the fact is that Thesiger
enjoys those out-of-the-world adventures and
the inconveniences that are an inevitable part
of the tribal way of life he willingly chose to
lead. his experiences may seem too much of
a botheration for a modern-day explorer used
to much faster modes of travel and commu-
nication. For Thesiger, however, the essence
of adventure is lost if one does not become a
part of the landscape one is travelling in. he
rejected all the material comforts of Western
civilisation for a purer, simpler and more
fulfilling way of life, in his eyes.
The book gives you a peep into
the unique Bedouin
lifestyle that is vastly
different from
be- our modern urban
existence. It is an eye-opener for
not only us expats, but even for young Ar-
abs and Emiratis, who have little knowledge
of the lives their parents and grandparents
led. Wilfred Thesiger cherishes that austere
existence which has all but disappeared.
But it was not only in the hot deserts of
Arabia that Thesiger found his true calling.
In fact, the earlier years of his life were spent
in the thick, tropical jungles of Africa –
mostly in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. As
he travelled and lived with the Bedus and the
marsh Arabs in Iraq, he became one among
the Samburus in Kenya. The ease with which
Thesiger moved from one culture to another,
immersing himself completely in contrasting
modes of life is indeed remarkable. It is said
he could be dressed like an Englishman in the
morning, like a Bedu in the afternoon, and
a Samburu in the evening. his adventures in
Africa are aptly captured in the book Wilfred
Thesiger in Africa, a collection of essays and
photographs by people known to him, most
notably Alexander Maitland and David Atten-
borough. Maitland, in fact, has chronicled
Thesiger’s travels like a labour of
love for a person unparal-
leled in the explorers’ hall
of fame. Attenborough’s
lengthy interview with
Thesiger for the BBC delves
deep into the psyche of an
explorer who clearly “belonged
to another era, unconnected
with the present, and dreading of
the future”. So cut off was Thesiger
from modern civilisation that he
heard of man’s landing on the moon
from an African tribal much after the
event. Not that he cared much about
the most epochal event of the twentieth
century!
The photographs of his African sojourn
are brilliant. In fact, the camera was the one
modern invention he was fond of, as it helped
him record his path-breaking trips into the
unknown.
But all his adventures may have remained
unknown to us were it not for some of his
publisher friends who persuaded him to get
down to writing. While Wilfred Thesiger in
Africa may still have seen the light of day, being
a recollection from various sources, the marvel-
lous Arabian Sands owes a lot to Thesiger’s
well-wishers, of whom they are quite a few.

22 l UAE Digest, June 2010


Exploring Iran, inside out
By Vanit Sethi
T
he Dubai International Financial
Centre (DIFC) has become a
hotspot for artists, exhibitors
and art lovers. It regularly hosts
exhibitions from artists across the globe,
primarily focusing on those from the Middle
East, North Africa and South Asia (Menasa)
region. The Farjam Collection – a private col-
lection – routinely showcases some gems from
its kitty for the public. In addition, it hosts
a unique concept called First Wednesdays,
wherein anyone interested in art can visit an
exhibition on the first Wednesday lunchtime
of every month and they will be provided
with an educational trip through the exhibits
by experts. Currently, the exhibition Iran
Inside Out is running until June 15.
Curated by Sam Bardaouil and Till
Fellrath, it examines the ways in which artists
working inside and outside Iran reconcile
cultural and geographical distances with
the search for individual expression. Of the
works on display, Farhad Moshiri, Khosrow
hassanzadeh, Farideh Lashai and Vahid
Sharifian reside in Iran, while others such as
Shiva Ahmadi, Sara Rahbar and Rokni and
Ramin haerizadeh, are settled in different
countries. Interestingly, those living abroad
often draw more on their cultural heritage,
while those living in Iran focus on issues of
everyday life and try to explore more of the
outside world. But within these disparities,
one element stands strong: the recurrent ref-
erences - sometimes ambiguous and at other
times emotional - to Iran, its past, present and
People viewing the exhibition
future.
The viewpoints developed by the art-
ists in the exhibition are a result of their
individual reflections on their specific
places of residence. While those inside their
homeland work within their own cultural
and political setting, those living in the
diaspora are reacting to their new environ-
ments and struggling to form a new identity.
This exhibition presents these two groups of
artists side by side for the first time.
The exhibition has had a successful run
at The Chelsea Art Museum in New York
City and the DePaul University Museum
in Chicago. Around 40 works – including
painting, sculptures, and mixed media -- are
exhibited in its first appearance outside the
United States.
“These works draw upon a common
Iranian heritage and identity, and also speak
of universal and contemporary concerns. The
responsibility of artists is the same, regard-
less of their country of origin: to cultivate
imaginations and infuse in the viewer a sense
that everything is possible,” commented
Emilie Faure, Collections and Exhibitions
Manager, The Farjam Collection.
The Farjam Collection is one of the
finest privately-owned art collections in the
world today. Spanning vast historical and
geographical spectrums, it includes treasures
from ancient Islamic art, works by modern
Western masters such as Picasso, Braque,
Matisse and Giacometti, as well as an
impressive selection of works from contem-
porary Iranian and Arab artists including
Rostam 2 by Siamak Filizadeh
ART
Moshiri, Ehsai, Aghdashloo, Neshat, Al Rais,
Ermes and Mostafa.
Farjaan Collection’s earlier exhibitions
include highlights of Islamic Art, The holy
Qu’ran, and Works on Paper by Modern
Masters.
The Hafiz Foundation
The Farjaam Collection at the DIFC
is supported by The hafiz Founda-
tion, which was founded in 2008
to support outstanding initiatives
within the visual arts, with a special
emphasis on the greater Middle East.
With the city of Dubai as its base, the
foundation aims to become a centre
for production, preservation, and
promotion of the arts at large. At the
heart of the Foundation’s goals is the
development of educational opportu-
nities for young Middle Eastern art-
ists, students, scholars, curators, and
art enthusiasts.
As a partner to both local and
international cultural initiatives, the
foundation’s recent activities include
having supported the founding of the
award-winning Middle Eastern arts
magazine Bidoun, support for local
arts education programs, as well as
the organization of a series of exhibi-
tions displaying selected works from
the Farjam Collection.
UAE Digest, June 2010 l 23
 HEALTH
A perfect body
P
regnancy, weight loss or gain,
accident or illness can all change
the shape and tone of your body. A
host of body and facial rejuvenat-
ing therapies are, thankfully, available today
but not all of us are aware about these. Dr
Catherine Bergeret-Galley (MD), an interna-
tional board-certified plastic surgeon, made a
special presentation at Coral Beach Resort –
Sharjah on the different options available for
facial and body rejuvenation.
She explained, “Aesthetic treatments
have improved beyond measure over the last
few years. All women did in the past was
to cleanse, tone and moisturise their faces.
That is not the case today. You can now take
your pick from lifting, firming, exfoliating,
skin-softening, hydrating, rejuvenating as
well as indulging in an array of high-tech
techniques.”
Dr Catherine caters to an A-list clientele
across the Middle East and Europe and splits
her time between Paris and Dubai.
Continuing on the subject, Dr Catherine,
said, “If you diet and work out obsessively to
achieve a super svelte physique, the chances
are that your cheeks will be sunken and your
skin will look baggy and wrinkled. Put up
with a fuller figure, and your face will have
a plumper, more youthful feel. As a result,
facial fillers are finding favour with a younger
clientele.”
What’s wonderful about Dr Catherine is
she addresses each of her patients need indi-
vidually and carefully analyses how best to
achieve their desired outcome. “If a woman
comes to me to correct the fine lines around
24 l UAE Digest, June 2010
Dr Catherine Bergeret-Galley
her mouth, I ask myself if altering those
lines is really the answer.” She said, “Will it
alter the personality of her face, rather than
making her look more youthful?”
Dr Catherine specialises in aesthetic and
reconstructive surgery and has over two and
half decades of experience in addition to
prestigious degrees from USA and France.
She said: “The focus today is more on facial
rejuvenation than on facial reconstruction.
The results from lipolyse laser are similar
to liposuction. It is ideal for treating areas
such as the knees and ankles. The laser is in-
troduced into the skin using a small needle
to treat the offending fat, which is heated,
broken down and then disposed of through
the lymphatic system.”
“Again, when it comes to treating aging
skin around the eyes, laser resurfacing can
Rejuvenation therapies
carried out by
Dr Bergeret-Galley (MD)
reconstructive surgery
specialities
• Breast reconstruction after cancer
• Facial repairs (maxillofacial surgery)
• Restoring body members and other
lost substances after major traumas,
bedsores or carcinologic surgical
excisions
• Dermatological surgery with treat-
ment of all skin or sub-skin tumours
• Secondary treatments of congenital
abnormalities
aesthetic surgery specialities
• Facial rejuvenation: face lifts, peel-
ings, lasers, eyelid surgery, correc-
tion of ears and nose, Botox and
fillers
• Body re-contouring with liposuc-
tion and fat re-injections
• Obesity aesthetic sequelae, lipecto-
mies and bodylifts
• Buttocks enhancement
• Breast aesthetic surgery
• hair restoration with micrografts,
flaps and tonsural reduction
• Skin quality improvement: scars,
stretch marks and acne sequelae
often trump surgery. If the skin is mildly
wrinkled and / or pigmented, the laser can
be a good option.
“The stem-cell facelift is becoming
increasingly popular too,” Dr Catherine
explained. It is carried out under local
anaesthetic and fat is harvested from the
patient’s body manually using a syringe,
usually from the lower abdomen where there
is a plentiful supply. This fat is rich with
regenerative cells which include stem cells,
blood vessel-producing cells, and growth
factor secreting cells. The fat is processed
through a machine which ‘cleans’ the cells
which we then inject with the fat and stem
cells around the muscles and into the soft
skin tissues in the face. It is a complete facial
rejuvenation without involving surgery and
is very safe.”
 TECHNO
Third dimension on the tube
Watch the magic of World Cup soccer in 3D, as five TV companies vie for
the big sales pie in time for June 11
By Vanit Sethi
I
n electronic entertainment, the next
big revolution is 3D, which will be up
and running this month on TV sets
the world over, in time for the soccer
World Cup in South Africa. Five television
giants have already announced their plans
towards that end within the space of three
months. Sony, Panasonic, Samsung, LG
and Sharp have set the pulses racing with
announcements of the new innovations in
their product line-up. There was one mantra
in almost all the press gatherings: 3D; and
one date to reveal its true colours: 11 June
2010, the day the World Cup soccer kicks off
at the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg,
South Africa.
Content is king
sony came out first with its 3D armoury on
February 17. Probably aware of the competi-
tion in the offing, it displayed both its hard
power and soft power. While the sales battle
will continue in the hardware segment, the
company proudly announced its trump card
Osamu Mura, Managing Director, Sony Gulf, displaying the 3D glasses
26 l UAE Digest, June 2010
– content. As content in 3D is still limited,
and it may be a while before software
catches up with hardware, Sony positioned
itself as pioneers in both worlds.
hiroyasu Sugiyama, General Manager,
3D Strategy Office, Sony Corporation,
Japan, announced: “In the 3D space, Sony
is uniquely positioned compared to other
consumer electronics makers because we
are not only going to sell 3D-compatible
consumer hardware, but also ensure there is
affluent variety of 3D content that consum-
ers can enjoy.”
Being in the TV broadcasting industry
- apart from producing playstation games
- gives Sony that edge over its competitors
who are all into hardware alone. In addi-
tion, they will film major sporting events in
3D (FIFA World Cup and Sony Open in
hawaii - a golf tournament organised by the
PGA Tour) that will be made available to
consumers through various channels. The
early entrant here will, in all probability,
catch the consumers and viewers. But of
Panasonic’s 50-inch Viera TV’s 2010 range
course, a lot depends on pricing and the easy
availability of 3D content.
Style statement
The next 3D announcement came on April
13, when Panasonic announced its line-up.
Not too late, considering that consumer
interest had not yet peaked. Besides, the
World Cup fever had just begun taking
hold. Panasonic moved in for the kill with
its plasma high-definition TV – the Viera
2010 range, featuring a 50-inch screen size,
in addition to the new 3D Blu-ray player
- DMP-BDT300. Plasma technology’s
advantage - such as cross-talk reduction,
crisp and clear high quality moving pic-
tures, enhanced luminance efficiency and
improved picture quality – gets sharper with
3D. Confident of this advantage, Pana-
sonic’s MD for Middle East Marketing, Seiji
Koyanagi, said the company was targeting a
market share of 50 per cent in the large size
3D TV segment by 2012.
The company now offers a line-up of
Full HD 3D products. The new range Viera
Plasma and 3D Blu-ray player almost repli-
cate the cinema experience. To demonstrate
their ‘eco-friendliness’, staff said their plasma
panels are designed with an effective screen
half-life of 100,000 hours, or over 30 years of
TV viewing. Besides, all models are manu-
factured without using mercury or lead in
order to cut toxic waste when the television
reaches its end of life.
Despite Sony gaining the early mover
advantage, Panasonic has its devoted band of
followers who swear by the brand’s sleekness
and sophistication. Its high-quality image is
a major plus for the class-conscious Middle
East buyer.
Conversion leap
Following close on the heels of Panasonic
came Samsung a week later on April 19, with
the dramatic announcement that it could
convert 2D programmes into 3D on its new
range sets through a special processing tech-
nique, while on the older 2D sets, you could
wear the special Active glasses to get the 3D
effect. Some scribes were sceptical about
this new feature, arguing that viewing 2D
content in 3D is at best ‘not the real thing’,
and at worst, ‘irritating and distracting’. It
goes to reason that if it was that simple, why
would 3D content be produced at all, what
with its hugely added costs?
Samsung’s fact-sheet elaborates in detail
how this is possible, but does not state
whether it is desirable. However, in their ads,
Samsung did carry warnings about using
Models showcasing Samsung’s Full HD 3D TV with the eyewear
3D indiscriminately particularly caution-
ing pregnant women, senior citizens, heart
patients and small children.
The company expects 3D to be a big hit
on its flat panel TVs. It will unveil the 3D
LED TVs 8000, 7000 and 6000 series. The
8000 series comes equipped with the latest
3D HyperReal Engine and Clear Motion
Rate technology, allowing users to enjoy 3D
content in a more realistic way, according to
the company brochure. The 3D LED televi-
sions all feature ultra-high contrast ratios
as well as slim depths that allow for more
artful designs, plus increased energy sav-
ings. They come with the ability to stream
content using AllShare and Internet@TV,
which offers several benefits of download-
ing applications like Yahoo, Facebook and
Twitter.
The sets ranging from 40 to 46, 50,
55 and 63 inches, come along with a disc
player and 3D glasses as a promotion during
the launch. They are available in all major
electronics stores across the UAE.
Wide vision
Not to be left behind the three majors was
LG, which announced its 3D plans on
May 10. To be one-up on its competitors
it unveiled the dual IR-emitting sensors,
which sends signals syncing the lenses with
the TV. This ensures a wider and longer
viewing angle for the 3D images. For bigger
homes with good spaces, this promises a
complete home theatre experience the whole
family can enjoy. For smaller homes where
LX9500 from LG, which employs shutter-glass technology
seating spots are fixed with not much scope
for manouvreability, this ‘unique advantage’
from LG may not be of much use. Obviously,
LG’s target consumer is the one having larger
living spaces with some activity happening
on both sides of a room or hall – say, in a
party setting or a large family gathering.
The LX9500 employs shutter glasses-type
technology, with glasses that add depth to
an image by blocking one lens, and then the
other in sync with the screen’s refresh rate.
It uses an innovative backlight structure to
deliver its images. Illuminated by panels of
LEDs directly behind the screen, the Full
LED display provides images of exceptional
brightness and clarity, as well as a localised
spot control for best picture quality. Slim
and sleek, the LX9500 boasts a depth of just
22.3mm, and a 16mm super-narrow bezel
that allows for a more expansive picture.
Speaking at the launch event, Dr.
Mustafa AG Abushagur, President of the
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)
Dubai, exclaims: “With its tendency towards
early-adoption of new technology, the Mid-
dle East is on the cusp of widespread changes
in technological development.”
Be that as it may, this month will prove
whether ‘Life’s Good’ for LG or not.
Adding colour
In sharp contrast to those peddling their
3D wares, Sharp decided to sing a differ-
ent tune on May 14 – highlighting colour
instead of dimension. So, while the rest of
the TV bandwagon waxed eloquent on the
UAE Digest, June 2010 l 27
 HOME & GARDEN

third dimension, Sharp shed light on LCD

technology. tV company launch date u.s.P. Product range
Fred Yamaguchi, Managing Director,
Sharp MEA, downplayed the 3D angle. Sony Feb 17, 2010 Content creation LCD TVs, Blu-ray disc
“Based on the Quattron quad pixel technol- players, 3D compatible
ogy, Sharp will launch 3D TVs soon in the PCs, Playstations
region, like other TV manufacturers,” he
answered, almost as an aside. Panasonic April 13, 2010 Eco-friendliness hD Plasma TVs, Blu-ray
So, while the television giants battle it out disc players
in shopping malls and electronic stores across
the region and outside, viewers are waiting to Samsung April 19, 2010 2D to 3D conversion LED, LCD, PDP TVs, Blu-
add depth to their home entertainment. ray disc players

3D animation show in
Arabic
Classic Media acquired Worldwide TV
and home Entertainment distribu-
tion rights (exclusive for Middle East)
for brand new pre-school series Nan &
Lili. Created by multi-award-winning
director and executive producer Firdaus
Kharas of Chocolate Moose Media for
Al Jazeera Children’s Channel (JCC),
this is the first ever Arabic animated
pre-school series. The show is created for
a global audience of pre-school boys and
girls (2-4yrs), designed to engage young
viewers in a playful way while educat-
ing and empowering them through a
world of exploration and discovery. The
episodes (200x3mins) are currently
available in three languages: Arabic,
English and French, with a further 100
episodes in development for delivery
later this year.
Presented in novel 3D animation,
Nan & Lili are two cute and funny
characters, joined by a range of animals
including camels, sheep, goats and
elephants as they play and learn together.
During its first broadcast year, the
programme won several international
awards.
LG May 10, 2010 Dual sensors and LED TVs, Blu-ray disc
expansive picture players, 3D home projectors
Sharp May 14, 2010 Quad pixel technology LCDs, LEDs etc
MILESTONES IN 3D CINEMA
First 3D film: The earliest confirmed 3-D film shown to a paying audience was The
Power of Love, which premiered at the Ambassador hotel Theater in Los Angeles
on September 27, 1922.
Latest 3D film: Avatar (2009) has gone on to be one of the most expensive films
of all time, with a budget at $237 million. It is also the highest-grossing film of all
time.
Most successful 3D films: Bwana Devil (1952), Man in the Dark (1953); house
of Wax (1953); Revenge of the Creature (1955); September Storm (1960); The
Stewardesses (1970); Echoes of the Sun (1990); Avatar (2009)
MILESTONES IN TV INDUSTRY
• 1926: John Logie Baird invented and introduced the first TV system in
London, England on January 26, 1926.
• 1928: The Baird Television Development Company first transmitted TV
signals across the Atlantic Ocean, from London to New York.
• 1948: Cable television, formerly known as Community Antenna Television
or CATV, was born in the mountains of Pennsylvania.
• 1953: Colour television system first began commercial broadcasting on
December 17, 1953.
• 1956: The TV remote controller first entered American homes in June
1956. Called ‘Lazy Bones’, it was developed in 1950 by Zenith Electronics
Corporation.
• 1962: The first satellite television signal was relayed from Europe to the
Telstar satellite over North America.
• 1964: The very first prototype for a plasma display monitor was invented by
Donald Bitzer, Gene Slottow, and Robert Willson.
• 1996: Web TV was first rolled out.
• 2010: The arrival of 3D TV.

Firdaus Kharas, creator of Nan and Lili; Malika Alouane, Director of Programming at Al Jazeera
Children’s Channel and Baraem TV, Chloé van den Berg, Executive Vice-President, Classic Media
28 l UAE Digest, June 2010

N
o matter what your opinions
are on football, the World
Cup being held in South Af-
rica this month, the chances
are that you will be invited to socialise
with those who want to watch their chosen
country team on the games being shown
on television screens in pub and clubs.
Join in the World Cup fever in
shangri-la Hotel, Qaryat al beri, abu
Dhabi and experience the excitement in
a fully air-conditioned football tent in
the Plaza Bar with the world’s largest wall
television. Get your adrenaline pumping
with surround sound system and cheer
on your favourite team with drinks and
delicious snacks. A live DJ will be spinning
chilled out tunes during breaks.
Open from 1pm to 1am daily from
11th June to 11th July.
Dubai Creek golf & Yacht
Club also has an air conditioned
tent at Qd’s for folks to watch the
matches in style, whilst still enjoying
the atmospheric experience gazing
out over the Creek - with buckets
on offer and nibbles to match.
Plus, Lakeview and the Boardwalk
will also be hosting the footie, so
something for everyone!
This June as football frenzy
descends, Park Hyatt Dubai
is offering a choice of two
football zones: its waterfront
bar, The Terrace, in addition to a
specially constructed enclosed air
conditioned balcony at The Thai
Kitchen. A World Cup food menu
has been created and there will be an
array of South African vintages and
World Cup
viewings
a large selection of International malts
to be enjoyed whilst you cheer on your
team’s match viewed on the flat screens.
Every game, every goal and every pen-
alty of the premier international football
tournament staged in South Africa is
broadcast live in The Arena at Jumeirah
Beach hotel. An air conditioned football
arena in the Conference Centre, with a
capacity of up to 600 guests, will feature
live football action on state-of-the-art
super-size screens paired with intelligent
lighting and audio. With free entry to
The Arena, guests will purchase a voucher
booklet at Dh100 per person for adults
and Dh50 per person for guests between
the age of 10 and 17 years on arrival,
HOSPITALITY
which can be redeemed against food and
beverages in the Public Arena. Children
below the age of 10 years will have the op-
portunity to play in a supervised children’s
zone and access The Arena free of charge.
The Arena opens on all football match days
one hour prior to the first game.
The matches will be telecast live at the
JW Marriott Dubai on the huge plasma
TV screens at Champions Sports Bar and
the with speciality dishes from the countries
that are playing, at German hofbräuhaus.
There are lots of competitions and prizes to
be won at both venues.
Catch the action live at the radisson
blu Hotel, Dubai Media City. For the
entire World Cup season the hotel offers
two stylish venues to watch the games
and enjoy fabulous hospitality. Watch
your favourite teams battle it out on
one of the large plasma TV screens
at Icon Bar & Lounge, offering tasty
food from all participating countries
and a great bucket deal to guarantee
real football fever.
Every four years, the world’s sports
fans share an experience unlike any
other in its intensity, its drama, its
exultation, its heartbreak: the World
Cup, a tournament involving 32
countries from almost every corner
of the globe. For a month, it will
transform the belgian beer Café,
at the grand Millennium Dubai at
Tecom, Barsha, into perhaps the city’s
best party scene. Try BBC’s famous
mussels with fries with your Belgian
beverages. For the duration of the
World Cup, there will be daily lucky
draws with great prizes to win.
UAE Digest, June 2010 l 29
 SPORTS

Ski Dubai gets

tough for charity
Ultimate physical endurance competition
will test fitness levels and raise money for
worthy cause

Kick starting
sporting
careers
Young hopefuls at-
tended TESA open
day in April having
heard of the success
rate of the sporting

S
ki Dubai, the world-famous attraction from
Majid Al Futtaim Leisure, has many registered
participants for the UAE’s first endurance chal-
lenge to be held on snow. Modelled on the world’s
toughest commando assault course, the Aprilia Ice Warrior
Challenge will help raise money for charity providing
specialised education and therapy for children with various
TESA rugby students at the London Wasps training ground
disabilities.
The challenge will see participants pushed to the limits
of mental and physical endurance, as they compete to finish
the assault course in sub-zero temperatures. Participants can
be sponsored by friends and family and the person raising
the most money will win a Motorbike worth Dh20,000,
donated by Aprilia, manufacturer of high performance mo-
torbikes. Additionally, the person to complete the challenge
in the fastest time will claim the title of “Ice Warrior 2010”
and a great prize from De Walt tools, totaling Dh4,500.
Lucas Marchand, Operations Manager, Ski Dubai
commented: “It is very exciting for us to be building one of
the most difficult assault courses here. This event will be a
personal achievement that people can be proud of. This is
a wonderful initiative that will not only raise money for a
noble cause, but also see contestants draw upon their will-
power, strength and determination to complete the contest.”
The course will span over two kilometres and contain a
web of challenges like commando crawl on a vertical slope,
tyre runs and other gruelling activities. Scheduled to start at
6 am on Friday June 4.
academy, testimony to
its high calibre train-
ing and contacts with
top clubs
Dubai-born Mo-
roccan brothers Yousef
and Saleem Bouvezgui
are both to trial with
English Champion-
ship side Gillingham FC, having been hand-picked by visiting Chairman Paul
Scully. Scully had flown to Dubai to visit Transguard Elite Sporting Academy
(TESA) which is based at the Repton School in Nad Al Sheba and was so
impressed with the brothers he invited them both to train with Gillingham’s
youth team over the summer.
In addition, a further six children from TESA have been chosen to go for
trials at Newcastle United. These include 10-year-old Charlie Abbott, who has
previously spent time at the Everton Academy. The six boys going to Newcastle
United FC are also products of the Repton School-based sports academy and
will be under the watchful eye of former England star turned Newcastle Acad-
emy Director Peter Beardsley as they undertake a week’s trial at the club.
Carlton Palmer, former Sheffield Wednesday and England midfielder and
TESA’s head football coach, added: “We have some very talented kids here and
it’s great to be able to reward them with the trip to Newcastle.”
But it’s not just TESA’s football recruits who have caught the eye of some
of Britain’s top clubs; three of its rugby players have been for trials with Sale,
London Wasps and Northampton. Duncan Yates, 17, Danny Tusitala, 17 and
18-year-old Johnny Luteru enjoyed time trialling and being coached by the likes
of former England rugby union and league legend Jason Robinson.

30 l UAE Digest, June 2010

 END PAGE
Flight to disaster
By Con Clude
O
n a lazy Saturday morning,
I was woken up by a phone
call from a neighbour
who asked us to switch on
the TV. And there, we saw the breaking
news of a plane crash in Mangalore in the
southern Indian state of Karnataka. The
plane was carrying 160 Indian passengers
living in the UAE to the lush green coastal
town, many of whom were on vacation, to
attend a wedding, a funeral, admission of
children into colleges and other obliga-
tions.
It is impossible for many people living
here to believe that the friends, relatives
and colleagues they knew so well are no
more. harshini Punja, an ex-student of
Our Own English high School, was out
with some of her friends at a mall the
evening before the tragedy. Going for
a family wedding with her parents, she
tweeted: “The only thing I’m looking
forward to are the rains.” In our neigh-
bouring building in Sharjah, two children
were left orphaned as their parents died
in the crash. The devastated kids couldn’t
stop crying. In a building in Karama, a
large extended family of 14 perished in the
crash. My colleague’s spouse kept reading
the last message of his friend: “I’m going
out for my final shopping before the vaca-
tion.” The SMS seemed to have just frozen
on his mobile.
They are many more stories like this
coming out every day. All the Indian
channels were abuzz with detailed cover-
age, spot visits, discussions and arguments.
Now, it seems the black box alone may
provide clues to what actually happened.
What can you tell people who have
lost their loved ones? Life, at times, seems
32 l UAE Digest, June 2010
indeed fickle and without any logic.
May all the souls of the departed rest in
peace.
On terror’s trail
The shadowy world of international ter-
rorism throws up rude and unexpected
surprises. The 26/11 accused Ajmal
Amir Kasab has been sentenced to death
by an Indian court; David Coleman
headley stands trial in the US for the
Mumbai attacks; and Faisal Shahzad, a
naturalised American, has been a prime
suspect of the Times Square bomb-
ing plot. All three accused trace their
roots to Pakistan. While Kasab was a
child brought up in a poverty-stricken,
remote region of the country, headley
(real name Dawood Syed Gilani) and
Shahzad have had a privileged upbring-
ing in the United States, but somehow
got mixed up with radical co-religionists
on their visits to Pakistan. Curiously,
headley has also been accused by the
Indian authorities of being a double
agent for the CIA.
All the strange twists and turns
in these three men’s lives could well
make up an interesting hollywood or
Bollywood movie. But what surprises
most right-thinking people is how
can apparently well-to-do individuals
suddenly become radicalized? And why
do all the terror trails inevitably lead to
Pakistan? Something seems seriously
wrong somewhere!
Labour’s love lost
With David Cameron now occupy-
ing 10 Downing Street, the Tories are
back in power in the UK after 13 long
years, under a coalition with the Liberal
Democrats. The British election proved
to be a historic one, as it was marked by
many firsts. It was the first time since
United Kingdom general election, Febru-
ary 1974” 1974, and only the second
time since the Second World War, that a
British general election returned a hung
parliament. For the first time in the UK,
the three main party leaders engaged in
a series of televised debates. The Liberal
Democrats garnered the largest popular
vote since the party’s creation in 1988,
and they found themselves in a pivotal
role in the formation of the new govern-
ment.
This was the first time since 1979
that none of the three main party leaders
headed a previous general election cam-
paign. Thirty five per cent of the voters
supported a party other than Labour
or the Conservatives - the highest such
figure since the 1918 general election.
The Green Party won its first seat in
the Commons, and the Alliance Party
of Northern Ireland its first seat at the
ballot box.
The UK is now getting prepared
for a new political season. The volatile
markets will soon get used to a coalition
government and react more favourably
to the new dispensation. More govern-
ments across the world will learn to live
with the reality of coalition politics. The
Indian political system has been used
to coalition governments for a while
now, managing quite well on the whole,
maintaining a high GDP growth rate too.
In fact, coalition governments offer a new
way of working together, and that may be
the way of the future.