Mannai Heavy Equipment Group (HEG), the exclusive dealers for DAF Trucks in Qatar, hosted a regional after sales conference for DAF Truck dealers from the Middle East and Africa. DAF is a successful brand in the country with a strong presence in the infrastructure sector and a large number of its trucks supporting major infrastructure projects in Qatar such as the ongoing development of the Rail network, among others.

Mannai HEG and DAF are keen to build on this momentum to ensure evolving standards in aftermarket care, which is one of the reasons for hosting this summit in Qatar – an important growth market for the brand in the region. Mr. Altan Yuksel, After Sales Manager-HEG, said: "The DAF after sales conference brought some of the region's top dealers together. During the summit, we addressed ways of increasing client satisfaction and delivering greater value to owners, while ensuring maximum uptime for their fleets through intensive technical training and service updates."

He also said technical training covering service technicalities were also implemented successfully in the past year and that all technical staff continue to be trained and certified to the highest level according to DAF's Dutch standards. Owners can rely on DAF's wide network throughout the region, with service points across the region, all offering unprecedented parts availability and intensively trained staff for class leading uptime. DAF has a reputation for delivering reliable, cost efficient and comfortable high quality trucks. Mannai HEG expects these traits to drive annual growth in DAF sales in the upcoming years as Qatar's infrastructure development needs grow. 

The 7^th edition of the Middle East District Cooling Summit (MEDCS), the highly anticipated annual event for the district cooling industry, opened yesterday at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Doha, with the participation of distinguished list of 240 delegates, including VIP guests and key resource speakers from all over the world. Setting the tone for the discussions was the Summit’s Welcome Address delivered by Salah Nezar, Sustainability Director of Qatar Project Management and Summit Chair. In his speech, Nezar reiterated the call for the application of district cooling systems in order to meet the steadily growing requirement for cooling especially in fast developing urban centers in high temperature countries in the Middle East.

“Without district cooling, almost half of the energy used in cooling through conventional methods is wasted. This could have otherwise been be used to enhance the quality of life in urban neighborhoods,” Nezar said. “The social, economic and environmental benefits of district cooling systems make this option a sensible choice for emerging cities that are looking to promote a healthy economic growth under a harmonized society and sustainable environment.

“District cooling is an essential means to increase energy efficiency, reduce harmful carbon footprint and promote human well-being in campuses, hospitals, districts, cities and countries,” Nezar explained. “The effectiveness of a proposed district cooling solution depends greatly on the efficiency of the mechanical systems within the built environment as well as in the accuracy of the controls system. A holistic approach must therefore be provided in integrating forward looking solutions in a single platform while taking into consideration the various aspects such as energy efficiency versus water depletion, cogenerations versus grid connection, centralized versus distributed schemes, etc.”

Meanwhile, George Berbari, CEO of DC Pro Engineering and the Summit’s Co-Chair followed up on Mr. Nezar insights by encouraging Tri & Co-Generation systems in district cooling. “The next big buzz in district cooling is tri-generation,” Berbari said. “This is primarily due to the availability of cutting-edge absorption and electric centrifugal chiller technology.” According to Berbari, the new triple effect chillers from Thermax, Hitachi and Kawasaki with a Coefficient of Performance (COP) rating of 1.75 to 1.8 offers 25% higher cooling capacity output compared to double absorption chillers. “The new triple effect chillers and electric centrifugal chillers with high COP of less than 6.0 and variable speed drives are making tri-generation and heat recovery conversion to cooling more feasible than ever before,” Berbari added.

Berbari also revealed several factors that make tri- and co-generation district cooling systems suitable for Qatar. These include the country’s status as the third largest natural gas producer and the largest LNG exporter in the world; a 40% increase in four years in terms of electric peak power demand in the country, which exceeded 7,000 MW in 2014 as compared to almost 5,000 MW in 2010; internal power plant auxiliary losses accounts up to 10% of generated power and distribution losses for up to 15%; and indirect eclectic power subsidy via subsidized fuel reached 4.4 billion QR or 2,600 QR / capita.

“Co-generation and tri-generation can improve prime fuel utilization efficiency from a national generation average of less than 32% to 75-85% range depending on application,” Berbari explained. The Summit, which runs up to today, 11 November 2015 has AuCom Motor Control Systems (AuCom MCS) as the event’s Platinum Sponsor. Other sponsors of the Summit include Diehl Metering, Nalco, AB Energy, Veolia, RSS UAE Honeywell & SAIA Burgess UAE, ELIPS UAE and IGEL Electric as Gold Sponsors. Silver Sponsors are Badger Meter, Johnson Controls and Hamon and SUSIN i-Tork , while the Bronze Sponsor is Grupo Inco and the Titanium Sponsor is Trane.

The summit’s Associate Sponsors are Alfa Laval and SPX. Meanwhile, LAKOS USA is the Filtration and Separation Partner, King & Spalding is the Law Partner, and Rohr Rein Chemie (Middle East) is the Specialized Services Partner of the event. Al Emadi will be among the event’s exhibitors.

Internationally acclaimed pastry chef Pierre Hermé, dubbed “The Picasso of Pastry” by Vogue magazine, visited Qatar for the first time to celebrate the success of his first boutique in the Middle East in a unique event.

Open in 2013 in Lagoona Mall, the Pierre Hermé Paris boutique has become locally renowned for its macarons, chocolate and pastry offerings. On the evening of November the 9^th, the Pierre Hermé Paris boutique was transformed into an exotic garden that brought the flavors of Pierre Hermé Paris’ macaron and chocolates to life. The event highlighted the exceptional ingredients used by the chefto create his outstanding desserts. The most admired flavors of the evening were the macaron “Infiniment Citron Caviar”, macaron “Truffe Blanche et Noisette”, and macaron “Marron Glacé”, three of the Chef’s signature flavors from the end of year collection as well as some of the iconic flavors of Pierre Hermélike Ispahan, Mogador, and Satine.The event was attended by a number of VIPs, Pierre Hermé Paris enthusiasts and media.

“It is a great pleasure for me to be here and to welcome you all to our boutique that we opened in 2013. We are so pleased with the success of the boutique and so happy to be present in Qatar, an exciting market with such potential and future”, said Pierre Hermé during his visit to the boutique in Lagoona Mall.

During his visit to Qatar, the Chef also collaborated with The St. Regis Doha, to host exclusive masterclass where he shares the secrets on how to make the latest macaron “Infiniment Citron Caviar”, which is part of the new LesAdorables collection for Winter 2015. Valued Starwood Preferred Program members and key media representatives took part in the masterclass that was led by Chef Pierre Hermé, accompanied by one of his executive R&D pastry chefs. The masterclass showcased the art behind his exclusive creation. The class also highlighted the high quality and rare ingredients used, in addition to the Chef’s inspiration, creative process and techniques employed when preparing his legendary macaron. The Chef also shared his insight, inspiration and know-how on the art of pastry.

The Chef ended his culinary journey in Qatar with a book signing sessionheld at the FNAC in Lagoona Mall for two of his books newly launched by FNAC in Qatar: "Pierre HerméIspahan", available in French and the latest publication by Pierre Hermé - "Pierre Hermé Macaron: The Ultimate Recipe from the Master Pâtissier" available in English. The books describe the essential steps in achieving the perfect macarons, showcasing the Chef’s best collection of recipes and mouth-watering food photography.

Heir to four generations of Alsatian bakery and pastry-making tradition, Pierre Hermé began his career at the age of 14 as an apprentice to Gaston Lenôtre. Renowned for his talent of cleverly associating tastes, sensations and flavors, Pierre Hermé offers a truly Parisian gourmet experience to the Qatari public.

The Pierre Hermé Paris boutique in Qatar offers a wide range of unique chocolates in 16 flavors, as well as various hot chocolate flavors and chocolate tablets, ideal for chocolate lovers. The boutique also features Pierre Hermé’s specialty, macarons, in 12 different flavors and flavor combinations changing with the seasons, along with a delicious variety of pound cakes and jams. Pierre Hermé Paris has over 45 boutiques, across 12 countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. 

Rotana Hotels, the leading hospitality institution in the region, has announced the appointment of Mr. Mark Timbrell as General Manager of Oryx Rotana, the five-star luxury business hotel in Doha.

Commenting on his new appointment, Mark Timbrell, said, “I am delighted to be at Oryx Rotana hotel in Qatar, and I eagerly look forward to working with the distinguished team that has achieved a significant level of excellence in their service offerings. Together we will continue the march to success and better achievements to serve the hotel, which is well-known as a top destination for the business community in Doha.”

Timbrell has considerable experience in the hospitality industry, where he began his career in 1983 in Britain and moved between several hotels. In 1995, he took the leadership of Forte Grand Hotel in Amman - Jordan for two years. He then moved to Bahrain to handle the Regency Intercontinental Hotel until 1999. In the same year, he returned to Jordan and managed several hotels until April 2007. Following this assignment, he joined the Rotana Group as General Manager of Gefinor Rotana Hotel in Lebanon, and in 2013 he was appointed the General Manager of Hotel Khalidiya Palace Ryhaan by Rotana in Abu Dhabi. 

The 7^th edition of the Middle East District Cooling Summit (MEDCS), the highly anticipated annual event for the district cooling industry, came to a close yesterday, 11 November 2015 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Doha. After two days of highly informative presentations from distinguished resource speakers and lively discussions actively participated in by delegates from the region and all over the world, several key recommendations for consideration of key stakeholders within the industry were reached.

With the industry being under threat of stagnation because the high cost of district cooling is being passed on and shouldered mainly by the end-user, industry experts at the Summit called for stronger links between the industry and the scientific research community. This they said would facilitate the development of new ways of designing and adopting more sustainable and environment friendly systems, including finding practical solutions to some technical problems faced by the industry.

Accordingly, industry experts have encouraged the adoption of ideas and solutions proposed by some researchers regarding the efficient use of water and energy in district cooling. This includes the end in the use of drinking water in district cooling due to the availability of the technology for the use of Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE).

Some of the other recommendations drafted by industry experts at the end of the Summit included:

• Connection of Natural Gas to central cooling lines through the development of distribution network stations
• Enable and encourage tri-generation of electricity, heat and cooling as this technology saves up to 75% of primary energy and natural gas; that such technology helps reduce CO² emissions in almost the same proportion
• Promote the use of clean and renewable energy for power generation in district cooling systems such as planting ‘Trifolia trees’ that produce Biodiesel for use in the process of the tri-generation
• Urge district cooling companies to invest at least 20% of its consumption of electricity in solar energy. With the cost of generating electricity through the use of solar power becoming cheaper than traditional methods, this can be realized through the creation of solar fields away from residential areas
• Improve the quality and quantity of the provision of TSE in order to use it more effectively in cooling stations
• Urge government to classify buildings that use mostly clean energy for cooling and refrigeration and encourage them to continue using this approach; also classify buildings who use less non-renewable energy
• Create a more flexible legal framework to help the development of the industry and protects all parties, including end-user
• Encourage better coordination between the concerned authorities to find a practical framework for the implementation of the infrastructure, including the areas of district cooling

“District cooling is indeed the way ahead in meeting the steadily increasing requirements for cooling in a region characterized by fast-rising urban centers under extremely hot temperatures especially during summer,” said Deep Banerjee, Senior Conference Producer at Fleming Gulf. “While the implementation of district cooling systems is increasing, some challenges also need to be addressed. These include making such systems even more efficient in terms of energy and water use.

“With this year’s edition clearly being another huge success, we wish to thank the distinguished line-up of speakers who all took time off from their busy and hectic schedules to share their valuable insights on the subject throughout the two days of the Summit,” he added. “We would also like to thank all the delegates, exhibitors, supporters and sponsors, who have made this year’s staging even more meaningful and important.” During the second and last day of the Summit, further in-depth discussions and presentations on energy efficiency and environmental benefits of district cooling systems were conducted.

These included a presentation from the Qatar Green Building Council on ‘Green Solutions for District Cooling’; ‘Water Conservation in District Cooling Plants’ by Vivek Apte, Regional Project Director of Johnson Controls Middle East, an ‘Exclusive TSE Session by Dr. Ghazi El Sherif, Environmental Expert of the Quality, Safety & Environment Department of the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) of Qatar; and another presentation on ‘Sustainable Power Generation & District Cooling Projects’ by George Kenich, Guest Lecturer at Harvard University in the U.S.A..

There were two panel sessions moderated by Mr. Nezar: one on the topic of ‘Which water? Treated Sewage Water or Seawater for Cooling?’ and the other which was a Wrap-up District Cooling Panel on ‘Smart Power Generation & Energy Efficiency’. There were also presentations from Roberto Bertelli, Sales Director of AB Italy on ‘Modular Tri-generation for District Cooling’ and from Dr. Eng. Abdel Hakim Hassabou, Research Scientist, Solar Energy at the Qatar Energy & Energy Research Institute (QEERI) on ‘Geothermal Principles for District Cooling – Updates and Future Considerations’.

In line with the company’s long term commitment to fostering sports and nurture young talents from across Qatar, McDonald’s Qatar continues to support several sports activities in the community. The tournament ran for 4 months which was concluded on November 6 was held at Al Gharafa Training Gym.

18th Seasons Men’s Championship Cup U-18 has been organized by PBAQ and gathered the best players from 7 different schools including Philippine International School Doha (PISQ), Philippine School Doha (PSD) and Dukhan English School. McDonald’s Qatar provided banners and jersey uniforms for the team members. The tournament was attended by impressive number of supporters who enjoyed the spirit of sports and camaraderie with one goal to make sports and healthy lifestyle part of the citizen’s everyday life.

McDonald’s Qatar team was awarded as 1^st runner up during this tournament.

Leading international retailer of cultural, leisure and technological products, FNAC, hosted a book signing ceremony for celebrated French pastry chef Pierre Hermé at their store in Lagoona Mall. Attended by pastry and macaroon lovers, the event marked the book signing ceremony of two of his best-selling titles “Pierre Hermé Ispahan” and “Pierre Hermé ‘Macaron”, and provided audiences in Qatar with an amazing opportunity to interact with the avant-garde chef widely regarded as the top pastry chef in the world.

Now for the first time, all the macaron recipes from this revered French patissier are published in English in “Macaron”, which presents 63 recipes elegantly illustrated with stunning food photography. “Ispahan” reinterprets the Ispahan that incorporates three dreamy flavours of rose, litchi and raspberry in over 40 mouth-watering recipes for sweet treats including tarts, croissants, sorbets, macarons and fruit pastes and include special notes from celebrities and food connoisseurs on their fondness for this unique dessert.

FNAC promises a unique and enriching experience for people of all ages and offers the most sought after selection in editorial, entertainment, cultural and technical products and appliances. FNAC is located on the ground level of the Lagoona Mall, in the West Bay area.

Lagoona Mall, Doha’s premium shopping and lifestyle destination, is hosting an annual fashion event, the Lagoona Mall Fashion Week, to celebrate the breadth of global brands available within the mall.

The first edition of the Lagoona Mall Fashion Week starts on November 15^th and runs till the 21^st,, with daily fashion shows between 06:30 and 08:00 PM along with live performances. The event will present the latest Autumn/Winter 2015 collections from participating brands showcasing affordable luxury items and high-quality merchandise that redefine good living. The daily shows are scheduled to take place at the Avenue on Level 1 and is open to general public and fashionistas living in Qatar.

Some of the world’s leading brands will be participating in the inaugural edition. The high-octane event kicks off with a fashion presentation by MANOUSH, represented by Fifty One East on the 15^th of November followed by a showcase from Karen Millen on the 16^th; Raoul on the 17^th, Adolfo Dominguez and Supertrash on the 18^th, Pronovias on the 19^th, Max & Co on the 20^th and closes with the Gerard Darel’s collection on the 21^st of November.

The event furthers Lagoona Mall’s commitment to strengthen Qatar’s rapidly evolving fashion retail industry, which is proving favorable for global retailers looking to expand internationally, particularly in the luxury category. 

In-store retailing has been under rising pressure from increased costs of doing business, as well as the growth of online shopping. Yet, bricks-and-mortar sales still accounts for the majority of retail spend. As per a recent report, according to a new publication from Hamburg-based yStats.com, Qatar had less than 20% of Internet users making purchases online, despite the fact that the majority of residents already have Internet access. The country is still behind a number of other emerging economies in the ecommerce stakes due to factors such as delivery challenges, a preference for face-to-face, lack of choice due to limited range of online products and services, no price differential as compared to as compared to in-store purchases, consumer privacy concerns, prevalence of cash on delivery and others.

Jacob Chacko, Business Lead – SMB & Commercial, Middle East & Turkey at Aruba Networks, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company believes that the retail model of the future will be a radically different experience from today, largely driven by the changing shopping demands of the younger hyper-connected consumer. Bricks-and-mortar retailing will remain to be a very significant part in retail, however the lines between channels will erode at the benefit of both the customer and the business. Advances in technology will significantly improve the relationships between retailers and customers, much the way analytics is already doing to online shopping.

Real opportunity lies in responding to this change, focusing on delivering a truly integrated and seamless omni-channel experience. The future of retail is an exciting one, and over the next few years we expect to see a number of key developments taking place in stores around the globe:

The emergence of the smart personal shopper

Online retail will continue to exist for customers who want to buy a specific product and have it delivered to their home. But those who enter a store do so to learn, to view and feel items and to speak to a person. As the physical environment of a store changes, communication barriers between customers and employees such as counters will be removed, enabling staff to provide a more personalised experience.

Mobile technology will revolutionise the sales process and experience. Tomorrow’s retail staff will be unleashed from the sale counter, and given the equipment to connect with customers across the entire store, offering a more consultative approach. In fashion retail for example, assistants will be able to show customers a range of outfits and styles a particular item could work with. With a real time view of stock and availability, they will be far more capable of closing sales, only recommending items that are both in stock and in size, whilst offering further choice and reducing wait time for shoppers.

The rise of immersive engagement

Walking past a store, a customer’s phone buzzes, offering them to try on the same pair of jeans they saved in their online basket a few days ago. Enticing them in, as they’ve already shopped online, for today only they will get an additional 10% off all purchases. Location-aware technology will identify customers’ mobile devices, enabling upsell and cross-sell offers based not just on what they’re viewing, but also what they’ve purchased before. As customers roam the store, engagement programmes will link with in-store beacons to dynamically offer up suggestions at various points along the store path.

Here, the loyalty programme and the new found freedom of the retail assistant will combine and, with a shared purchase history, the best retailers will enable assistants to make personal style recommendations, based on customer preference and items they may already own. Experiences will extend loyalty beyond purchases too, offering experience enhancements such as VIP parking spots when customers approach retail stores, and recognising regular customers on entry.

The end of cash and plastic

Part of matching the new connected consumers’ expectations will be delivering a seamless, frictionless payment experience, removing any barriers slowing down the speed of a retail sale. Eliminating queues from stores, roaming staff, now empowered by mobile technology will be able to transact with customers in seconds, as shoppers keep focus on the purchase experience rather than the cost. One of the most important factors to consumers, payment security requires additional compliance with higher security standards, ensuring consumers are protected from fraudulent activity and avoiding the irreparable reputational damage and financial costs associated with a breach in payment security for the retailer.

This adoption of mobile, digital payments will further enable retailers to offer things like on-demand delivery options, where products can be delivered straight to the customer’s home or even car. For retail businesses, this will also likely lead to higher revenues. Just as the shift from cash to plastic showed consumers are willing to spend more when not parting with cash, so too will sales be further strengthened by further dissociation from the traditional bank instrument - the card.

The road to the future

These hyper-connected consumers already in the marketplace have a rapidly growing share of spending power. This always-on generation demand things like fast internet access and a more seamless, digital experience they’re already getting from other services. While new innovations are being tested and tried in today’s market, much of this development is stifled by existing and fragmented existing IT infrastructure, negatively impacting the customer experience, and slowing the consumer adoption of new technologies that could help drive the retail business forward.

Because of this, retailers are already starting on the back foot. To build a successful platform for innovation across multiple channels, they must ensure the technological needs of today’s customers are fully met, otherwise they face being left in the dust. Focus on enriching the customer experience immediately, and set the stage for rapid innovation in the coming years.

Registration for the fourth annual Dolphin Energy Doha Dash will officially open on November 17th. The launch event will take place at the Go Sport store at Villagio Mall from 5:00pm-7:00pm, with free registration for the first 100 participants. Go Sport, the event’s platinum partner, will also offer a 20% discount on all items at its Villagio Mall store on the day.

Supporting the vision behind the Qatar National Sport Day, The Dolphin Energy Doha Dash 2016, which has established itself as one of the most popular community events in the Qatari Capital, is expected to attract thousands of runners to Losail Circuit on February 9^th, 2016.  It has a race for everyone; a 5km run for those aged 12 and over (registration fee100 QAR), a 3km run (50 QAR) for participants over 8, a 1km run for children and a 1km ladies walk, both of which are free of charge. The newest addition, a 10km run for those aged 15 and over (150QAR), is set to attract seasoned runners from across the city.

Mr Hassan Al-Emadi, General Manager-Qatar, Dolphin Energy, said: “We are proud of Dolphin Energy’s long-standing association with the Doha Dash. We believe that practicing sports and leading an active lifestyle is integral to personal and social well-being and we are committed to promoting these values, especially at a local level in Qatar.”

For the second year, Go Sport continues to support the Doha Dash as a platinum partner. The multi-brand store will offer a 20% discount to all visitors to its Villagio Mall store on November 17^th. Furthermore, a free information session will be held with fitness professionals, open to everyone who wishes to participate. Qatari Rugby star Mishaal Abdoulatif Eid Ateag Al Sheik Al-Kuwari will inaugurate the registration event, along with Qatari hurdler Mariam Farid, the 400m hurdles silver medallist at the West Asian Championships and Doha Dash ambassador. Fitness expert and radio personality, Ali Longmate, will also be present at the event.

Andrew Fairall General Manager, Go Sport, commented: “The Doha Dash is a wonderful community event with sports promotion at its heart. Naturally, everyone at Go Sport is excited to be part of this worthy initiative for yet another year. On this occasion and to help people prepare for the races, we are offering a special 20% discount across our store in Villagio Mall.”

Since its launch in 2013, the Doha Dash has seen a steady year-on-year increase in participation. 2,546 participants took part in the 2015 event, which is approximately a 77% increase from the inaugural event in 2013. Participants can visit www.dohadash.com to find out more about the event. Registration will be open on the website on November 17^th, 2015 and the Doha Dash 2016 schedule will be announced in the coming weeks. 

As the third edition of CSR Qatar 2015 prepares to get underway in Doha in less than two weeks’ time, key speakers at the country’s flagship conference for CSR and sustainability shared their views on the trends underpinning the changing CSR landscape in Qatar while providing insights into the strategies and practices that business must adopt in order to push the country’s sustainability agenda forward. Held under the patronage of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, CSR Qatar 2015 takes place from 23 – 25 November at Hilton Doha Hotel, under the theme “Transforming CSR to Support a Socially Responsible and Sustainable Economy in Qatar”.

Commenting on the shift in businesses’ approach to Corporate Social Responsibility, Rob Sherwin, General Manager - Corporate Affairs and Deputy Country Chairman, Shell, who will be speaking at the opening panel discussion of the conference, said, “Companies in Qatar and the GCC region are increasingly making two shifts in their approach to Corporate Social Responsibility: firstly – moving away from ad hoc philanthropy and sponsorships towards longer-term partnerships where the company is contributing and transferring capabilities and expertise in addition to just money; and secondly – reframing CSR not just as the way the company spends / gives away its money, but also how it makes its money, ie: ethical business, good employer, environmentally responsible etc.”

Saleh Ali Al Mohannadi, Secretary-General of Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS), stressed the need for more closely aligned public-private partnerships. He said, "Under Qatar Vision 2030, there is an inherent link between the four pillars (economic, social, human, and environmental development). All of these pillars are obviously interrelated in that they require strong public-private partnerships." Now, he added, it is not the State's exclusive responsibility to seek the best interest of the society in general; the business community also has the ethical and pragmatic duty to adopt projects and strategies that go in line with the above pillars, serving the welfare of the nation where they are working and thriving.

Identifying education, youth development, and capacity building in science and technology as the key areas for Qatari corporates to invest back into the country, Dr. Muhammad Ajmal Khan, Qatar Shell Professorial Chair of Sustainable Development and Professor for Food and Water Security at the Centre for Sustainable Development, Qatar University, said it is imperative for any nation to develop a vibrant science structure and ensure that economic growth is achieved in consonance with environmental demands.

“Technology and science shape tomorrow’s world and improving the quality of education is fundamental to heightening interest in, and facilitating a culture of, science and technology in the country. Enhancement of the educational system leads to the development of a scientific infrastructure, which over time will evolve into a platform for producing cutting-edge technology and innovations which positively impact the society and bring lasting prosperity and progress to the nation,”Dr. Khan said.

Dr. Muhammad Ajmal Khan will be speaking on the second day of the conference on the topic “Developing the Future Workforce”, while Saleh Ali Al Mohannadi will participate in a panel discussion entitled “Shared Value Approach: Optimising NGO Relationships by Creating Measureable, Impactful Projects”, to be held on the same day. They are among a stellar line-up of speakers at the conference that also includes H.E. Ewa Polano, Swedish Ambassador to Qatar; Naim Yazbeck, General Manager, Microsoft Qatar; Ricardo Viana Vargas, Director of the Infrastructure and Project Management Group, United Nations Office for Project Services – Denmark; Joe Y. Battikh, Head of Sustainability, Corporate Responsibility and Government & Industry Relations, Ericsson; Khalid Abdulnoor Saifeldeen, Director of HITC and Chairman of Kulluna, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC); Nael Attiyat, Country Manager – Qatar, DHL; Dr. Mohammad Saif Al-Kuwari, Board Member, National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) and Yousef Bin Ahmed Al-Kuwari, CEO, Qatar Charity.

CSR Qatar 2015 will feature a number of insightful keynote presentations, panel discussions and workshops covering a variety of topics ranging from sustainable development, social entrepreneurship and education to worker and labor rights, employment generation, and CSR in sports.

Commenting on his company’s participation in the third edition of CSR Qatar, Microsoft Qatar General Manager Naim Yazbeck said: “Microsoft Qatar is proud to be part of this vital national conference. This represents another step forward, reflecting Microsoft's commitment to supporting human development in Qatar – a key pillar of the National Vision for 2030. Building on our participation in last year’s CSR conference, we are delighted to be this round’s official Technology Sponsor. The event will tackle the latest innovative strategies, compelling challenges, and emerging topics in relation to CSR in Qatar and the world.”

CSR Qatar 2015 is supported by several leading public and private organizations in Qatar including WOQOD (Qatar Fuel) and Microsoft.

McDonald's Qatar has been recognized as a Gold Winner in the Retail Store Design category at the 2015 International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Middle East and North Africa Shopping Centre and Retailer Awards. The award recognizes the region’s most innovative shopping centers for outstanding achievement in Marketing, Design & Development and Retail categories.

The award was presented to Mr. Fadi Rezek, General Manager, at the awards ceremony held recently at Dubai, and attended by business leaders and VIPs from Qatar and the region. The award-winning design concept of McDonald’s Qatar is the first of its kind in the MENA region, and reflects the current universal retail trend to create spaces with an industrial and urban look and feel.

Mr. Kamal Saleh Al Mana, Managing Director of Al Mana Restaurants & Food Co., the owner and operator of McDonald’s restaurants in Qatar said, “We are honored with this recognition and are delighted with the appreciation for our design aesthetics and philosophy from global experts. Our restaurants in Qatar reflect McDonald's founding commitment to create warm, innovative and convenient spaces for our customers to enjoy their experience with us. We have always aspired to make every trip of theirs a memorable one, not only for the great food and service but also for the appealing ambience that makes them feel welcome and comfortable.”

The 2015 Middle East and North Africa Shopping Centre and Retailer Awards competition was open to shopping center owners, developers, management companies, architects, designers and retailers. ICSC announced the winners during an awards ceremony in Dubai at ReCon Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Founded in 1957, ICSC is the global trade association of the shopping center industry. It has more than 70,000 members in over 100 countries representing the cross section of the retail industry including developers, investors, academics and public officials amongst others. The shopping center industry is essential to economic development and opportunity. They are a significant job creator, driver of GDP, and critical revenue source for the communities they serve through the collection of various revenue generating models that support in national growth and development.

W Doha Hotel & Residences, Qatar’s leading luxury lifestyle hotel, is excited to announce the first ever Belgian Culinary Week in Qatar.

Belgian Chef Brecht Vanthemsche has arrived in Doha to present the best of traditional Belgian cuisine, as he teams up with the eclectic brigade of W Hotel chefs. Every evening will see a unique Belgian menu from 16th November until 21st November. On Friday 20 November, participants will get the chance to immerse themselves into an exclusive brunch, which will see a plethora of different Belgian classics that are sure to suit every palate.

Organized in partnership with the Embassy of Belgium, FEVIA (Belgian Food Industry Federation), Flanders Investment & Trade and the Belgian Business Club in Qatar, it will be the inaugural Belgian Culinary Week in Qatar. “I am delighted with this great opportunity to give others the chance to experience the rich tapestry of Belgian culinary culture. My country is known for its quality of life, and so the enjoyment of food is an intrinsic part of our part of our society. It is in fact part of our culture!” says H.E. Christophe Payot, Ambassador of Belgium to Qatar.

The week will see The Market encapsulate the phrase: “Small Country, Great Food”, by offering an exclusive dining experience which will look to pay homage to the rich culture of Belgium gastronomic heritage. “We look forward to this cooperation in our kitchen, and we hope to take our guests through an exceptional culinary experience”, says Safak Guvenc, General Manager/Area Manager, W Doha Hotel & Residences. Aside from the classics such as Moules Frites, guests will be able to enjoy assorted seafood, quality meat dishes and of course … Belgian chocolate!

For further information please visit: http://www.marketdoha.com/belgian-culinary or call +974 44535343.

The Ritz-Carlton, Doha, as the 2014 Inter-hotel football tournament winner, will host the 3^rd, annual Inter-hotel football tournament. The opening ceremony was held on November 14, 2015 at 7 pm at Aspire outdoor football pitch number 12, and it will be followed by the round of matches.

The annual football event is organized to promote the spirit of sportsmanship amongst Qatar’s hotel community ‎by offering their star footballers a platform to exhibit their skills. This year’s tournament has a record ‎number of participants; a total of 15 hotels including Sharq Village & Spa, Kempinski Residences & Marsa Malaz Kempinski, Grand Heritage Doha Hotel & Spa, Hilton Doha, W Doha Hotel, Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel, Doha Marriott, Marriott Marquis City Centre Doha, Amari Doha, Adagio Apartment Hotel-Premium, Fraser Suites, Doha, The St. Regis Doha, Grand Hyatt Doha.

‘The football matches slowly raise to be an important asset of Qatar community serving to inspire a healthy sport environment around the country. We are extremely excited to support the teams and we invite all football enthusiast to come and support the inter-hotel football tournament ‘ said Erden Kendigelen, General manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Doha. The final match and the closing ceremony will be held on December 5 at 8 pm at the football field of Aspire park.

Soaring 115 meters above Qatar’s sea and desert landscape, The Ritz-Carlton, Doha is an ‎‎impressive symbol of the nation’s emergence as a destination for travellers to the Middle ‎‎East. The 374-room, five-star hotel fuses contemporary styling with classic Arabic and ‎‎European design. Located on its own exclusive island in the prestigious West Bay ‎‎Lagoon district, the hotel has sweeping views, which overlook the turquoise blue waters ‎‎of the Arabian Gulf. For more information or reservations, please visit, join us on ‎‎www.facebook.com/ritzcarltondoha and follow us @RitzCarlton or call +974 4484 8000.‎

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., of Chevy Chase, Md., currently operates 89 ‎hotels in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean. More ‎than 30 hotel and residential projects are under development around the globe. For more ‎information, or reservations, visit the company web site at www.ritzcarlton.com. The ‎Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marriott ‎International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAR).‎

Activities and workshops by Qatar Development Bank (QDB) and Qatar Business Incubation Center (QBIC) are underway for the 4^th Global Entrepreneurship Week – Qatar (GEW Qatar), a weeklong international initiative that promotes entrepreneurship discussions and creates networking opportunities for innovators, employers, and everyone else in between the entrepreneurship spectrum. QDB is the country host for this year’s GEW-Qatar events, with QBIC supporting in hosting and organizing activities as well.

Both organizations hope to attract numerous thriving entrepreneurs in Qatar to a variety of workshops and seminars aimed at educating and encouraging conversations, dialogues, and leading the discourse around entrepreneurial issues. This year, over 140 countries is participating in Global Entrepreneurship Week, hosting tens of thousands of entrepreneurship activities. The aim behind GEW Qatar is to provide budding entrepreneurs access to the tools and knowledge they need to grow, to advocate for more dialogue around experiences in establishing SMEs in Qatar, and to invite successful entrepreneurs to foster awareness of the rewards of entrepreneurship among the country’s potential business owners.

This year, more than 40 events and workshops are taking place, primarily at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Doha, and QBIC’s Head Office on Salwa Road. The workshops and activities will revolve around themes including legal requirements for startups in Qatar, media and pitching strategies, financing opportunities, product and market development, how to leverage on technology and social media, social entrepreneurship, and many others.

Specifically, QBIC will be hosting two full days of activities on campus, and contribute to other workshops at Grand Hyatt throughout the week. Some of the workshops include, “How to pitch a killer presentation”, and a closed workshop focusing on Tourism startups, with experts from QBIC’s dedicated Tourism incubator. Aysha Al MudahkaQBIC CEO said: “We at QBIC are delighted to be hosting two full days of activities on our premises. We’re fortunate to already be the forerunners of hosting such a sizable and reputable global event with our partners at QDB. By inviting influential speakers, figures and trendsetters in the world of entrepreneurship, we’re undoubtedly fostering a culture of entrepreneurship in Qatar.”

QBIC will also be inviting two renowned entrepreneurial speakers to share their experience and recipe for success with the attending participants. The lectures are open to the public, and registration is available via the official GEW website. Rob Fitzpatrick, author of The Mom Test, will be speaking to attendees about customer development and the experience of startup failure. Rob’s book has been taught at UCL, Imperial College, Harvard and Oxford University.

Mohammed Jaffar, founder and CEO of Talabat.com, the app for food delivery that is now available across the GCC region, will be sharing his success story and words of advice with entrepreneurs. Our partners and guests at Injaz Qatar, Al Jazeera Media Network, Al Asmakh Charity Foundation, Qatar Development Bank, Social Media Solutions, and Alpen Capital Investment Bank, will offer lectures and seminars throughout the week.

To be part of this exciting entrepreneurial week, register now: qa.gew.co

Oryx Rotana, the five star luxury business hotel in Doha, held its swimming competition for the third year in a row earlier this month. Participants had the opportunity to showcase their talents and enjoy the sunny day by the pool with friends and family.

The competition kicked off at 6.30 am and lasted till 10.00 am, where participants in five age groups took part: nine years and less, 11 years, 13 years, 15 years and 16 years & above. The competition included categories like individual medley, freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly.

On this occasion, Lana Jwainat, Cluster Director of Marketing and Communications at Oryx Rotana and Rotana City Center said, “We were pleased to see a large turnout of participants during the recently held annual swimming contest. Our goal has always been to make the day enjoyable and to add an element of suspense as well. Moreover, parents were invited to spend quality time with their children and motivate them to showcase their talents in sports. Both youngsters as well as adults who like to challenge themselves were invited to win and earn medals. Participants were also offered the opportunity to improve their skills in swimming with the help of skilled trainers, in addition to the chance to win valuable prizes.”

At the end of the competition,all winners and participants from different categories were announced. Abha Vijy Harne (girls) and Ravindu Pamodh Horanage (boys) emerged winners in the 9 years and below category. In the 11-years old category, Ananya Navaneeth & Shenoa Zenos Sarkari (girls) and Jos Aiser Jacinto (boys) were declared winners. Meanwhile, Chiara Sarah Reyland (girls) and Daanish Khan (boys) were announced winners in the 13-years old category.

Ushara De Silva (boys) and Shreya Manoj (girls) won in the 15-year old category, where Francesca Fernandes won the senior girls category. Ushara De Silva dominated the senior boys category and was the overall 2015 champion.

Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara, the luxury brand’s first resort in Qatar, developed by Al Rayyan Hospitality, has been awarded the prestigious Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System (HACCP) certification in Qatar,  reaffirming the resort’s commitment to operating in line with the top health and hygiene regulation for hospitality services.

HACCP is a recommended control system for the hygiene of food products. It is a preventive food safety management system that monitors every step in the manufacture, storage and distribution of a food product, and is analyzed for microbiological, physical and chemical hazards. The certification is highly regarded within the hotel and food industry and is recognized by SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and Certification Company.

The certificate was presented to Mr. Thomas Fehlbier, General Manager of Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara in the presence of FSMS Committee team (Food Safety Management System committee) an event held recently at the Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara. The event was also attended by the resort’s senior delegates as well as representatives from the international certification body. Before setting out to achieve HACCP certification, the resort has set its own benchmark in the hospitality industry with the implementation of the resort’s food safety and management system that provides consistent quality service. In order to receive the HACCP certification, Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara has been constantly strict on food safety management.

Mr. Thomas Fehlbier, General Manager of Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara said, “We are delighted to be awarded with this international certificate that recognizes our efforts to become the number one resort in Qatar and the region, committed to excellence and customer satisfaction. Food safety and hygiene is of paramount importance to us and we have continuously strived to deliver as per our guest’s expectations and more. Our F&B department worked incredibly hard to ensure everyone was familiar with their duties regarding HACCP, both in its adoption and implementation. With the new certification, our Guests can further enjoy their stay at the resort with the confidence that we are providing the very best-in-class services that positions us at the top of our game.”

Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara’ feels a world away from bustling Doha but is only a 25 minute journey by luxury ferry from Al Shyoukh Terminal located in the city’s downtown area or a 10 minute helicopter ride directly from the airport with bird’s eye views of the spectacular coastline.

W Doha Hotel & Residences, Qatar’s leading luxury lifestyle hotel, earned the much-sought after accolade for Favourite Middle East Hotel for Business Travel by Conde Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards Middle East. W Doha bagged the award despite strong competition, and stood ahead of some of the most renowned hotels in the region on the basis of votes by readers of Conde Nast Traveller Middle East.

The hotel offers a plethora of services and amenities for business travellers, including meeting rooms equipped with state-of-the-art technology and multiple venues for business events and conferences. It has gone one step ahead to mobilise technology and allows guests to make reservations via social media by using the hotel’s official hashtag, #WDoha and enjoy keyless check-in with SPG® app. In addition, W Doha advocates environment friendly practices, and offers green meeting venues, which are paperless, clutter-less and energy efficient, with a provision of recycling and waste management.

Moreover, it offers 24-hour connectivity for business travellers, who are on-the-go with varying schedules. Room services, business centre and all relevant amenities are made available round the clock, so schedules aren’t interrupted and business needs are met sans delay. “It is a great honour and we are delighted to receive this award. W Doha works hard to ensure that every guest who arrives at our hotel, be it for leisure or business, has an exceptional experience, and it is good to see that this is acknowledged by both, the hospitality industry veterans and guests,” says Safak Guvenc, General Manager/Area Manager, W Doha Hotel & Residences. 

The Conde Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards Middle East is the region's most prestigious annual awards, honouring the best of the best in luxury travel and hospitality. Votes from readers of Conde Nast Traveller Middle East were collected and audited, and the winners were announced at the black tie Conde Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards ceremony at the Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah on November 11,  2015. 

For further information please visit: http://www.whoteldoha.com/BelgianCulinaryWeek or call +974 44535343.

Lagoona Mall, Doha’s premium shopping and lifestyle destination, operated by Darwish Holding has won top honours at the 2015 Africa & Arabia Property Awards. Held at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel, Dubai on the 11th – 12th November 2015, Lagoona Mall was competing for one of the highest accolades in the property industry at the Africa & Arabia International Property Awards Summit.

Lagoona Mall won the awards in the Best Leisure Development Qatar, Highly Commended Retail Development Qatar and Best Leisure Development Arabia, and has been nominated to achieve similar success at the International Property Awards to be held in London in December. The award was presented to Mr. Eamon Kelly, Director of Lagoona Mall by Lord Richard Stuart Best from the House of Lords, at the glittering event that was attended by leading industry players and social dignitaries from the MENA region.

Commenting on the award, Mr. Bader Al-Darwish, Chairman and Managing Director of Darwish Holding said, “We are delighted to receive these honors which reflect the experience that guests have when they visit Lagoona Mall. From the day we opened the mall, we have always endeavored to set the standard for shopping and retail in Qatar and have delivered consistently on our promise. These awards are testament to high quality finishing and luxurious design of the mall, the high end brands and the clientele combined with the expertise and efforts of our team who remain committed to providing the best in class retail and leisure experience to all our customers. It has been a truly exciting time for all of us at Lagoona Mall, and such recognitions encourage us to keep going and work harder to raise the bar even more for the retail sector in the region.”

The Africa & Arabia Property Awards, now in its 21st year, are judged by an independent panel of 70 industry experts, with judging focusing on design, quality, service, innovation, originality, and commitment to sustainability. Hundreds of entries were received from 25 countries across the regions of Africa and Arabia. The judging panel was chaired by Lord Caithness and Lord Best, members of the House of Lords in the UK Parliament.

The Africa & Arabia Property Awards are part of the International Property Awards – the world’s largest, most prestigious, and widely recognized program. Worldwide, the 2015 International Property Awards has received more than 2000 entries from over 110 countries this year. At the end of 2015, the top winners for each category across the Africa & Arabia regions will compete against companies from Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas and the UK to become the ‘World’s Best’ in their field. These will be announced at the International Property Awards finals at The London Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square on the 7^th of December.

Darwish Holding manages a portfolio of prominent companies that offer high-quality products and exceptional services to the people, businesses and the State of Qatar. Founded in the 1920s, the company swiftly expanded and now has diversified business interests across a spectrum of industries. These include distribution, investment, retail business, real estate, commercial services and technology.

Spanning across 128,000m² of space that exudes glamour and elegance, Lagoona Mall hosts an appealing mix of highly desirable local, regional and internationally known retailers and designer labels and represents a double award winning project for Darwish Holding. The retail and leisure development sets new standards in levels of service, ease of access and number of international brands not seen before in Qatar.