Business Elite 2016 Rivoli Group SPREADS ITS WINGS Emirates Steel: A BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS Falcon Aviation Services: FLYING HIGH Arete Global: CONSULTING & SOLUTIONS WITH A COMPETITIVE EDGE AGIS: ENROUTE TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 1

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CONTENT Rivoli Group: Spreading its Wings................................................................. 4 Falcon Aviation Services: Flying High................................................................................ 6 AGIS: Enroute to Sustainable Development...................................... 8 Arete Global: Consulting & Solutions With A Competitive Edge.................. 9 SRL Diagnostics Middle East Operations: Revolutionizing Diagnostic Services..................................... 10 Compareit4me: Stimulating Financial Agility.................................................. 11 Union National Bank: The secret of UNB’s success................................................. 12 Mohiudeen Wood Work: Forest in the Desert................................................................ 13 Advanta Seeds: Cultivating Innovation............................................................ 14 China State Construction Engineering Corporation: Building on regional reputation............................................. 15 Mundipharma: Formula for Success.............................................................. 16 AlKaram Studio: The Marketplace to Discover................................................. 17 Ascent Technology Consulting: Software Solutions for Building Operational Efficiency....... 18 Zaphir: Sweet Scent of Success........................................................ 19 Arab & India Spices: Machines do not Run Businesses, People do...................... 20 Emirates Steel: A Blueprint for Success......................................................... 21 Gulbahar International: Innovating To Succeed.......................................................... 24 Top Most Freight Solutions: The Best Business Partners in Freight Solutions................. 26 EDITOR IN-CHIEF: Olli Maila COUNTRY MANAGER, UAE: kaizer.abker@calcus.com ART DIRECTOR/LAYOUT: Lina Hurmerinta JOURNALISTS: Sabin Muzaffar, Criselda Diala-McBride Mourad Malloul, Senior Managing Partner, Rivoli. PHOTOGRAPHERS: Mansoor Ahmad, Noora Saif and Hiten Nainaney PUBLISHER: Calcus Publishing Group FZ-LLC 23rd Floor, Boulevard Plaza Tower Two, Emaar Boulevard, Downtown Dubai P.O Box 124342, Dubai, UAE. Tel: +971 4 4096795 www.calcus.com This publication has been produced and distributed by Calcus Publishing Group FZ-llc in association with Khaleej Times (GPP). 3

Rivoli Group spreads its wings Zurich-based investment firm is expanding its network as it takes advantage of opportunities opening up in the MENA region, says Mourad Malloul, Senior Managing Partner of Rivoli Group AG. T ell us something about Rivoli Group; how was it started? The Rivoli Group is an internationally active consulting and investment firm with its headquarter in Zurich, Switzerland, which operates with the highest innovative standards. The company was created through the acquisition of a European consortium of wealthy private investors with an excellent network in the economy and particularly in the sector of international high finance, while constantly following an innovating focus. Through an aggressive and internationally oriented restructuring in the last two years, we’ve achieved a management portfolio of currently over CHF 1 billion (US$ 1.01bn) within our corporate structure, which is a major achievement regarding the current market turbulences. What are your core areas of expertise and your main offerings? The Rivoli Group’s business activities are based on three main fields. Private equity and venture capital This area deals with consulting and financing of innovative start-ups, as well as equity financing and ongoing monitoring of companies focused on overseas expansion, in numerous industries. In doing so, we strongly rely on new innovative technologies and sustainability and want also to enable developing countries to participate in the international globalization and related its opportunities. Business development, project management and financing This division is divided into three areas. It develops and finances innovative retail and franchise concepts and on the other hand, the general development and financing of 4 new business concepts with a high potential for value creation. Special expertize The third area in which the Rivoli Group’s network has special expertise, is the development and commercialisation of innovative IT products with unique features-on the companies own as well as third party projects-. Additionally, we´ve greatly expanded our expertise and network in the field of outsourcing and offshoring, so that we can operate in the near future as a reliable partner for other target groups or potential clients. Financial and capital-market services The Financial & Capital Market (FCM ) Service Department of Rivoli Group -which was from the beginning integrated into the company’s strategy and since then extensively expanded-, includes the development of financial products and hedging strategies for small and mediumsized enterprises. We also support our clients and partners in initial public offerings (IPO) on international exchanges. Furthermore, we’re proud of our current leading position in Europe, in the field of trading with public shell companies. With this service we enable our clients and partners in many cases the fastest possible way into the stock exchange, to launch their projects with equity funds in the short term. Define what success means to you and how Rivoli Group has achieved that success over the years. Through our excellently developed network in the three main sectors, we reached a rapid organic growth of our company group, with a team of over 160 direct and indirect employees in 12 countries, with a strong presence in the Mourad Malloul, Senior Managing Partner. following markets/industries: • IT development and commercialisation • Property development and management • Retail and franchising • Industrial service and management • Innovation-oriented energy, clean tech, recycling and water-treatment solutions

• Medicine and pharmaceuticals • Food and non-food management, which includes particularly the aqua- and agriculture business fields Our success in these areas has come through our initial function as a bridge between sophisticated investors and promising innovative projects.The ongoing and individual care of our clients and partners provided the steady expansion of our service areas. Could you comment on the Middle Eastern market, and by extension the UAE, as far as your sector is concerned? We recognized the urgency in the Middle East, -particularly in Dubai, which is the economic heart of the region for numerous international companies– surrounding the increasing independence from fossil fuels. So indeed we have a great challenge to cope with. On the one hand, we need to develop new innovative and sustainable-oriented projects, but also we need to demonstrate a certain profitability to investors. However, we are very confident that we will manage it together; In view of our part, we are constantly working to expand our network in this context, so we will focus strongly on the expansion of our business development and VC sectors in the Middle East. Do you think Expo 2020 in the UAE will have an impact on your business? Well, most directly the Expo affects the tourism, hospitality, retail and aviation sectors. So we expect our retail and franchise business to benefit from this amazing opportunity for Dubai’s development. We’ve already noticed the Expo’s influence through our local and overseas clients and partners, regarding our retail and franchise offerings. But also our business development department expects to benefit from the Expo. So we’re planning the recruitment of up to 100 new employees within 2016 / 2017 for the Middle East market, to meet this challenge. We’re very curious about how dubai’s infrastructure and its transport sector will manage this great challenge. It’s a unique opportunity for the entire Middle East to learn how to ensure the success of all kinds of other large-scale projects, in the near as well as in the far future. What edge do you believe you have over your competitors? I would say one clear advantage we have is our excellently situated network, distributed through several sectors, in conjunction with our capital market expertise. Because of this, we have limited dependence on banks and other institutions. But also I would say that our constant efforts to understand the needs of our clients and partners enable us to offer the best possible solutions. What are your expansion plans for the next few years? First of all, we will strive to obtain a banking license in 2016/2017, to enable our expansion strategy in fields of corporate finance and investment banking services, and enable us to expand our service offerings in the FinTech industry. But also, the steadily increasing demand in the Islamic finance sector has been -for a long time- our intense attention. By focusing on these areas, we can shorten general financing processes for our clients and partners and further we can ensure our independence in the international economy, compared with our competitors. Another milestone in our growth plans is the international expansion of our VC offerings in the emerging markets, particularly in the MENA markets. Through a specially developed VC infrastructure platform – due for market launch at the end of 2016/ beginning of 2017– we expect to achieve a significant increase of our market presence. What is your vision for the company over the next 10 years? In the long term, we see ourselves as one of the most innovative global players, with leading positions in the international Private Equity (PE) and Venture Capital (VC) sectors.◆ 5

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Falcon Aviation Services: FLYING HIGH Established in 2006, Falcon Aviation Services is a company known for its high quality and innovative services. Located at the UAE’s premier VIP airport in Al Bateen – Abu Dhabi, the company has successfully delivered a wide array of services including private jet and helicopter charter, aircraft management, Maintenance Repair and Overhauling (MRO), oil and gas aviation support, and aircraft solutions. T alking exclusively with CALCUS, The Chief Operating Officer Captain Ramandeep Oberoi reflects on Falcon Aviation’s tremendous journey and continuous efforts to ensure their clients are always well served. Tell us about the company’s journey? It is a matter of immense pride that we are successfully entering the tenth year of our business. We are proud to be here. Although we have worked very hard, it still comes as a surprise to see our tremendous achievements because we did not know our growth would be so overwhelmingly rapid in various segments of aviation. We initially started as an oil and gas support company because there was no competition at that time. There was only one entity, Abu Dhabi Aviation, which was supporting this sector. The first contract we got was from Total and followed by ADMA. From there on we grew to give support to other oil and gas companies and other businesses like private jets, helicopter charters, aircraft management and MRO. You are also very successful in the business jet sector, tell us about that. Just a few years down the road while working in the oil and gas sector, we came to realize the potential of the business jets market. And that is when we decided to grow this segment on the side. This is of course a difficult market as the cost of operations is high. But we have successfully managed to maintain that business and made an effort not to lose money on it. Now that we have progressed and learned the business, we foresee a very bright future in this very challenging sector as well. Another offshoot of this business is aircraft maintenance, where we started managing VVIP jets and helicopters in addition to overhauling our business jets and helicopters, called the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) business. Tell us about your operations at Al Bateen Airport? Al Bateen Airport besides being an Executive Airport is an oil and gas support airport. We have tied up with ADAC to lease part of the Sheikh Zayed terminal and change it into an oil and gas terminal. Currently the terminal handles close to 500 passengers per day. This is a major shift for the airport and certainly means more business for ADAC. Al Bateen Airport also caters to the VVIP Passengers (Royal family) and the VIP market. What other business is Falcon Aviation Services currently involved in? Apart from Business Jets, MRO, and supporting the oil and gas sector etc., we also have a contract to fly three helicopters for Alpha Tours in Dubai. We would also like to start this business in Abu Dhabi as we see the tourism market growing here. In addition to this, we are starting our Fixed Based Operations (FBO) and MRO Operations at Al Maktoum Airport in a bid to growing our business in Dubai. What do you think entails quality? Aviation is very challenging, as you have to be vigilant and perfect in all segments of the field from purchasing the aircraft, maintenance, management, pilots and Cabin Crew (who are the front face of the company), your cabin crew, on-time performance, and most important safety. So in every section you have to be very competitive. ◆ 7

AGIS: Enroute to Sustainable Development Abu Bucker Husain, CEO, Al Ghurair Iron & Steel (AGIS) talks to Calcus/Khaleej Times about AGIS’ resilient journey to achieving the triple bottom line enabling success. T ell us about AGIS’s journey, its challenges and success stories? AGIS started operations in October 2008 right in the middle of the global economic crisis. A newcomer in the market at that time, we witnessed a challenging time during the recession, especially because we cater to the construction sector that took the main hit, keeping in mind that the GCC is a trading hub where buyers usually operate under open credit terms. With all odds against us, we still managed to establish ourselves as a quality producer. This was primarily due to the excellent quality of the products and prompt deliveries that customers could rely on. It is with immense pride to say that we have been running at full capacity since the very first year of our operations. Our joint venture with one of the world’s largest steel maker in terms of capacity and the best in terms of quality, Nippon Steel Sumitomo Metal Corporation, is a testimony of our success. How is quality control enforced at AGIS? In AGIS we pay a lot of attention to the quality of our products as well as service to our clients. Our quality marks and accreditations include ISO 9001:2015 QMS by BSI and Emirates Quality Mark (EQM) by Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA). We are constantly striving to produce and deliver defect-free material to our customers on time, every time. We do that by controlling the input material, the production process and inspection of our material throughout the process and at the finishing stage. Apart from Quality Assurance plan, we use various Quality Improvement Tools for continuous improvement of Business and Operational Processes, such as: Benchmarking, 7 QC Tools, 5 Why analysis, Statistical Quality Control (SQC) / Statistical Process Control (SPC), 5 S, KAIZEN and Quality Circles. Health and Safety are of utmost importance, especially in this sector, how do you manage that? 8 Health and Safety are not just important for the industrial sector, but are also given the highest level of attention by ZonesCorp, the Sector Regulatory Authority (SRA). We have OHSAS 18001 certification and our occupational health & safety management system is approved by OSHAD. Health and Safety issues in AGIS are taken care of by a dedicated EHS department and safety committee for continual improvement and implementation of best practices in health and safety. In addition to this, we organize regular medical camps at our premises for general health checkup of employees including audiometric testing for employees exposed to high noise level. What are the processes that enable you to keep in check issues related to the environment? We are a socially responsible, ISO 14001 certified organization making conscious efforts for environmental protection by ensuring our manufacturing processes are environment friendly and have in-built recycling processes to conserve energy and natural resources. Furthermore, at AGIS we have installed efficient pollution control devices to control emissions from the process lines. We have one Effluent Treatment Plant for Waste Water Treatment and Recycling, which ensures Zero wastewater discharge; in addition to a green belt developed around the factory premises. For all our efforts, the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water awarded AGIS for outstanding environmental performance consecutively in the years 2013 and 2014. What do you think entails sustainable development? Our actions today need to be responsible and carefully planned so as to not compromise the safety and well-being of future generations. At AGIS, we undertake energy audits and implement energy-saving measures wherever possible. Environment friendly and energy efficient LED lighting has been used in our CGL2 expansion. We have achieved 100% recycling of process wastewater by investing in efficient Effluent Treatment Plant and Water Treatment Plant. As part of our ecological sustainability measures, we have developed green belts outside our factory premises with the permission of ZonesCorp. ◆ Abu Bucker Husain, CEO Al Ghurair Iron & Steel (AGIS).

experience and expertise via a remote group of teams, but we always have local resources available in the region. To emphasize, our most preferred services are our solutions fo chemicals, retail, education, manufacturing and agriculture. We are also increasingly becoming a cloud solutions offering company. Comment on the Middle Eastern market and by extension UAE as far as your sector is concerned? For Arete Consulting, it was the most insightful move to expand to the Middle East market back in 2010. Since then, the Middle East market has been growing every year. The client profile here in the Middle East is eager to apply new trends in information technology, and they also tend to be pioneers in the areas which will help their businesses.  I believe, especially in UAE, the upcoming years will be the most promising for Arete Global as SAP’s new strategy pushing through cloud and many new lines of products bringing functionality, and simple and efficient user experience is facilitating our job of reaching out to as many customers as we can.  Do you think the UAE Expo 2020 has or will have an impact on your business? How? The Expo 2020 will definitely have impact on areas related to our business. As the event accelerates sectors such as tourism and trade directly, it will have an indirect effect on sectors such as logistics and finance.  Our solutions, which are the most simple and efficient in the information technology, will help these soon-to-be-the-fastestgrowing companies in every business where they have to overcome challenges while growing and expanding.  What competitive edge do you have over your competitors? A company’s competitive edge is defined by its strategy whether it is in manufacturing, supply chain or overall organization. In today’s world, and in our industry, companies that are focused and agile in their processes and organization will have the upper hand over their competitors. I believe our competitive edge is our focus. We are a company focused solely on SAP products and solutions, and this helps us in many ways: focusing on customers, acting fast, and being an agile and sharply responsive organization. These two factors, focus and agility, will help us in today’s highly competitive environment. What are your expansion and growth plans over the next few years? 
We believe in organic growth. Since 2010 we have established offices in Dubai, Riyadh, Cairo and Bangalore. In the very near future we foresee that we will exist in Abu Dhabi, Jeddah and Dammam.  
We will be transforming ourselves into a cloud solutions company; we believe that the nature and the future of business will be on cloud completely, not partially. Hence, for Arete Global, being a cloud solutions company is essential to its growth for the upcoming years. We believe by achieving this target we can easily threefold our business in the Middle East region.   What is your vision for the company over the next 10 years? 
We want to be the leader SAP cloud solutions provider in our targeted industries in Asia, Middle East and Africa regions, which we label as the AMEA region. 
We are here to develop and provide the right solutions to each and every one of the companies operating in our region. We aim to provide the correct solutions that will enable the companies to compete with their competitors in the rest of the world by streamlining their processes, simplifying all the tasks they have to overcome, and minimizing their costs while boosting their sales.  
I believe we are the right company that is affirmatively capable of reaching this target. We have the right resources with the right abilities, which can make us the leader in our targeted industries within this very specific region we are established.  ◆ 3 4 Kagan Sahin CEO. ARETE GLOBAL - Consulting And Solutions With A Competitive Edge 1 Tell us something about Arete Global. How did it start? Arete Global is a result of a geographical expansion strategy conducted by Arete Consulting based in Turkey.  Arete Consulting was exploring new geographies to grow and we chose this region for its potential industrial development and mature trade sectors.  We started our journey in Dubai Internet City, which allowed us to easily establish our company, and build a strong base for the rest of the offices in other countries.  What are your core areas of expertise and your offerings? Arete Global is a pure SAP services team. We do all kinds of consulting across all types of SAP products and solutions. Compared to other professional services firms, we not only deliver our 2 5 6 7 9

SRL Diagnostics Middle East Operations - Revolutionizing Diagnostic Services T ell us about SRL Diagnostics — Dubai. How did it start? SRL Diagnostics Dubai is a stateof-the-art reference laboratory located in Dubai Healthcare City, which provides a comprehensive range of laboratory tests locally. SRL Dubai is a part of Fortis Healthcare group, which offers its healthcare delivery services in India, Dubai, Mauritius and Sri Lanka with 54 healthcare facilities (including projects under development), and 280 diagnostic centers. Our journey in UAE. started over a decade ago when the first set of samples were airlifted to our central reference laboratory in India. The group decided to establish a state-ofthe-art reference lab for GCC in Dubai. The idea was to provide high end investigation “in UAE” instead of sending it “out from UAE”. The laboratory started operations in UAE in 2009 and was accredited by College of American Pathologists in a record time of less than 1 year. What are your core areas of expertise and your main offerings? Through our robust network of 300 + labs we offer extensive range of specialties in Pathology services. In addition, SRL also offers a host of other services like Radiology, Wellness services etc. Our Dubai lab offers tests across various departments including high end tests such as those done in Coagulation, Anatomic Pathology, and Molecular Diagnostics & Cytogenetics. Our team of over 30 Scientific Officers and Pathologists Lab techs, supervised by four Pathologists who review every test result, are also available to discuss results with the ordering physician. This ensures accurate and quick results and regular interaction between referring and reporting doctors. We also offer a host of advisory services such as; Operations & Management (O&M) services for Diagnostic centers, Process improvements, Accreditation support and Capacity building. The O&M services cover the project phase, pre-operating phase and the operating phase. Comment on the Middle Eastern market and by extension UAE as far as your sector is concerned? The Diagnostic Pathology market across the globe is continually evolving due to the advancements in technologies and ever changing disease patterns. In case of Middle East, the impact of this global change is quick, due to ease of connectivity with the rest of the world. In UAE, this gets amplified by the 10 Mayur Sabhani, Head - Operations. sheer variability of ethnicity in population. In a nutshell, a clinician who is treating an individual in UAE needs much stronger clinical support services like Pathology and also needs to be aware of changes in disease pattern, not only in this region but also across the world. Of course this means the providers need to give their best and interact with clinicians regularly. With growing focus, optimal utilisation of healthcare services, preventive healthcare and Insurance penetration, the UAE is a challenging but very rewarding market.. What competitive edge do you have over your competitors? Outsourced pathology market in UAE is highly fragmented; there are a number of small and medium-sized providers. While most of them “offer” a wide test menu, very few actually “perform” a wide range locally. Many labs accepting the samples send them to locations outside UAE to perform the test. We at SRL, offer perhaps the largest in-house test menu ranging from a routine clinical chemistry test to specialized Molecular Genetics tests. These tests are “performed” by our technical team which is supported by equally robust support functions like IT, Quality Assurance, Logistics etc. to ensure that we deliver what matters the most in Laboratory Diagnostics to our customers’ i.e. quick and accurate results with medical expertise. What are your expansion and growth plans over the next few years? The group plans to expand its footprints across GCC. We are currently evaluating setting up of 2 additional labs in UAE; this will be followed by other GCC countries in Phase –II. We also understand that local knowhow is critical in this region; hence we have multiple business models for partnering with investors, who have a long term interest in healthcare. ◆

Compareit4me.com CEO Jon Richards. Compareit4me: Stimulating Financial Agility CEO Compareit4me.com Jon Richards talks to Calcus about the tremendously successful journey of his start-up and raising the bar of success. T ell us something about compareit4me.com. How did it start? I spent around eight years working in digital in the UK, for a range of companies from banks to job portals, but mainly startups. I moved to Dubai in 2011 to head up the digital team for propertyfinder.ae. In many ways property finder was like start-up school for me. I learned from the highs and lows and really enjoyed helping the site grow and expand. Like every other new expat in Dubai, I needed a bank account but didn’t know where to start. In the UK, you wouldn’t take a financial product unless you had compared it.  Back in 2011, when we first launched compareit4me, banks were not fully utilising new media as a performance marketing channel. There was not much product information available online, so there was a gap we could fill. Over the years, banks came to realize the benefits of digital media and now fully understand the advantages of performance-based campaigns, like those running on the compareit4me platform.  What are your core areas of expertise and your main offerings? We’re the only site in the Middle East that is dedicated solely to finance and insurance. The idea is win-win for both consumers and banks. It is a good way for users to compare financial products and get that clarity that’s so important when you need to make a financial decision. It’s free and really a ‘why wouldn’t you?’ type of product. At the same time, it gives banks access to educated users, people who are ready to start talking to them and make a decision.  Define success and how has compareit4me.com achieved it over the years? For me success changes pretty regularly. I strive to achieve certain goals and milestones within the business and as soon as they are met, I move very quickly to the next goal. This means I don’t typically stop to celebrate each achievement. I think for most start-ups, your vision for potential success grows as you grow. For us, we didn’t imagine raising $3.5 million when we first started, but quickly you adapt to a new ‘normal’ and the bar for success is instantly raised.  Comment on the Middle Eastern market and by extension the UAE as far as your sector is concerned?  The UAE is an amazing place. The venture capital money, the angel network… but then you look at Lebanon and there is a lot of untapped potential there. Again, it’s very internet savvy there. Obviously there are some logistic and infrastructure issues there, but it is very interesting. What competitive edge do you have over your competitors? We are the only website in the Middle East dedicated solely to finance and insurance. That means we are really able to perfect our offerings. This is not only good for the consumer, but also for the banks as they know anyone visiting our site is actually looking for a finance product. I think it works out perfectly for everyone for us being dedicated and focused on just those two things. There are a million things we could compare, but being focused on just those two things is already paying off.  What are your expansion and growth plans over the next few years? We recently closed a $3 million round of investment from STC Ventures, the VC arm of Saudi Telecom, Wamda Capital, which is headed up by Aramex founder Fadi Ghandour, and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority.  We are planning to continue our rapid expansion. We already have presence in nine countries but do have more expansion plans. We just want to continue doing what we’re doing and growing. We will be making some very big announcements very shortly. ◆ 11

The secret of UNB’s success When competing in the Middle East banking sector, astute risk-assessment is paramount, says Union National Bank CEO, Mohammad Nasr Abdeen. A t the beginning of this century, Union National Bank (UNB) Group was a standalone entity. Since then, its journey has seen it expand across the Middle East and into China, to operate more than 120 branches. “UNB has come a long way, evolving into a large financial group, spread across geographical boundaries,” said UNB’s CEO, Mohammad Nasr Abdeen. The group has extensive coverage, with over 120 branches and over 300 state-of-the-art ATMs spread across five countries – the UAE, China, Egypt, Kuwait and Qatar – and offers conventional and Shariah-compliant banking services to retail, corporate, commercial, Islamic and brokerage clients. “We deliver an innovative product range through our wide network of branches and through our knowledgeable Relationship Managers, who work closely with our corporate, SME and high-net-worth customers,” Abdeen explained. “Customers remain at the core of UNB’s strategy, as evidenced by our tagline, ‘The Bank that Cares’. Based on the principle of creating value for all stakeholders, the ‘We Care’ approach is focused on shareholders, customers, employees, business partners, the environment and society at large.” According to Abdeen, UNB is “one of the most stable banks in the UAE and this is reflected through its consistent ratings and robust performance over the years”. SAFETY FIRST “Despite the global downturn, UNB has achieved consistent revenues and sustained business growth while adhering to the highest quality standards for customer service and operations,” he said. “We have continued to deliver solid results by maintaining strong liquidity and proactively managing our asset quality. UNB was ranked as the 22nd safest bank in the Top 50 Safest Banks in Emerging Markets for 2015, by Global Finance Magazine, 12 Union National Bank CEO, Mohammad Nasr Abdeen. which is a testament to our strategy of pursuing prudent risk-based growth.” While Abdeen predicted that in 2016 the UAE’s banking sector is expected to undergo a slowdown in lending and deposit growth, he was upbeat about the wider region’s long-term prospects in the banking and capital markets sector. “With populations getting younger, better educated and more demanding, there is increasing diversity in financial products and services, and accordingly, banks and financial institutions across the region are investing heavily to attract new customers,” he explained. EXPO OPPORTUNITIES Dubai’s hosting of Expo 2020 also heralds significant openings in the sector, Abdeen remarked. “Preparing to fulfil, and even exceed, expectations of the Expo, Dubai has announced and embarked on plans to launch mega projects that will present significant opportunities for the UAE’s banking sector,” he said. “Expo 2020 is expected to boost Dubai’s economy by around 0.5% annually, and the expected total economic output will amount to US$37 billion. It will also positively impact the growth of the banking sector to a great extent. The UAE government is expected to finance the Expo through a mix of bond issuance, bank borrowing, and cash raised from asset disposals and profits from Dubai businesses.” RECIPE FOR SUCCESS According to Abdeen, UNB is unique within the UAE banking sector, as it is 60%-owned by the government of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with the remaining 40% stake held by public investors. “We are known for our prudent lending policy and do not focus on one specific economic sector as a key driver for growth,” he said. “Instead, we ensure that there is an appropriate diversification of our exposure to the various sectors that make up the local economy. The relationship between risk and return is continually assessed for each sector and business line, in keeping with the prevailing economic conditions.” UNB remains well capitalised and has consistently received strong ratings from reputed international rating agencies. The bank has also received several industry awards and accolades. “Our success,” Abdeen said, “lies in our realisation of a greater engagement with communities, which is at the core of the bank’s corporate social responsibility.”◆

Managing director, B M Ashraf. Shore line preservation Groyne constructed out of timber logs, supplied by Mohiudeen Wood Works LLC, Umm Suqeim Beach, Jumeirah, Dubai. Mohiudeen Wood Work’s forest in the desert The story of the Middle East’s first timber sawmill is one of audaciousness and imagination, says its Managing Director B M Ashraf. 1 Tell us something about Mohiudeen Wood Works LLC. How did it start? In the early 1990s, I happened to visit Ajman and realised it would be an ideal place to set up a sawmill. Mohiudeen Wood Works LLC (MWW) was formally established in 1993, with gracious sponsorship and support from the Ruling Family of Ajman. MWW was the first full-scale industrial sawmill in the Middle East – not surprising, given sawmills’ traditional proximity to forests or timber plantations. Ajman was a virtual desert back then, so this was a bold step indeed. What are your core areas of expertise and your main offerings? Our ability to import logs into the UAE and mill them into custom sizes meant end users no longer had to wait for months to order special sections of timber from overseas – we drastically cut lead times into hours, which was unheard of in the local market. This key factor proved ideal for fast-paced projects, and enabled us to consolidate a huge market share. We came to be recognised as a key supplier of various species of hard- and soft-wood timber among many of the region’s top government entities, contractors, marine fabrication yards, ship builders, dry docks, oil and gas field development companies and joineries. 2 Just recently we completed supplying timber logs to Dubai Municipality for its landmark Groynes that are installed along Umm Suqeim Beach in Jumeirah, Dubai. Currently, we are supplying various sections of timber for use as form work in piling wells, for the prestigious Dubai Canal project. Could you comment on the Middle Eastern market, and by extension the UAE, as far as your sector is concerned? Unlike commodities such as metals and oil, timber is not controlled by a global value-structure. Instead, it is controlled by numerous individual suppliers, based on global supply and demand. We are, therefore, not prone to being directly influenced by regional market volatility. This stems from strong supply-chain management – because we procure directly from jungles and plantations around the world, we develop the flexibility to fix prices in accordance with market demands. Do you think Expo 2020 has, or will have, an impact on your business? If so, how? Expo 2020 has the potential to gain even more recognition for the UAE as a global centre for commerce and investment. It will certainly bring plenty of new business our way. With the visionary foresight of the rulers of the UAE, Expo 2020 will benefit the entire 3 4 nation, not only in the lead-up, but well after the actual event. How do you stand out from the competitors? Our decades of knowledge, derived from being a third-generation saw-miller, and our building of an unrivalled supply network, differentiate us from a “run-of-the-mill” timber supplier. We are able to recommend and supply alternative species of timber based on the end use because we conduct extensive tests on those species. We push for the usage of alternative timber species so we can ensure that our planet’s forests and natural resources are sustainably managed for generations to come. The UAE is recognised the world over as a young, dynamic nation headed by leaders that think out of the box. This approach has been key to attracting new businesses that, like us, implement radical ideas to benefit regional economies. What is your vision for the company over the next 10 years? The timber industry is rapidly evolving and the usage of timber with FSC and PEFC chain-of-custody certifications is gaining more precedence, since it is vital for conservation efforts. We have always strived to comply with such practices and will continue to do so over the next 10 years. ◆ 5 6 13

Advanta Seeds cultivates innovation Introducing changes and new ideas into the market has been Advanta Seeds’ hallmark. F Bhupen Dubey, Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Alberto Leon, Global Research and Development Director. rom its world-renowned products and solutions to the way it runs its day–to-day operations, innovation has been a crucial component of Advanta Seeds' growth strategy, according to its senior executives. “Innovation is collaboration,” said Bhupen Dubey, the Chief Executive Officer of Advanta Seeds. “We focus on creating a collaborative company culture that promotes open communication and teamwork among all employees irrespective of their role or management level. There are many companies that operate based on a hierarchical pyramid structure, but at Advanta Seeds we are open-minded, collaborate and make management accessible to all employees. We are a modern organization and through collaborative leadership and effective use of technology, we are building a company of the future.” CUSTOMER-CENTRIC ORGANISATION Kerstin Sobottka,  Global Marketing and Strategy Director. 14 “One way of bringing innovation into the market is by listening to customers’ needs and devising a strategy to satisfy that demand,” according to Dr. Alberto Leon, Global Research and Development Director. By adopting the latest technology, Advanta Seeds has successfully improved the quality of crops and significantly increased crop yields. A good example is our product Hyola TT canola (Triazine Technology) which is resistant to the herbicide triazine and gives growers better yield and crop performance, as well as high quality oil. “Another innovative technology that is in demand developed by Advanta Seeds is the ultra-high oleic (UHO) sunflower seed, which has a superior level of oleic acid and is stable across environments. Our UHO contains 90% of oleic acid, making it a game changer when compared to 60% to 80% of standard high oleic products,” Dr. Leon added. To further its culture of innovation, he said the company partners with universities to nurture innovation and provide opportunities for students to launch research programmes. NEW GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES Kerstin Sobottka, the company’s Global Marketing and Strategy Director, said that by breaking a number of industry conventions, Advanta Seeds has been able to deliver new value to its customers and partners. "We refuse to be constrained by industry limitations by combining common elements in a new way. We have been able to find new growth opportunities and create new market needs,” she said. Advanta Seed’s innovation strategy comprises four categories. The first is basic or routine innovation, which focuses on developing new hybrid products that provide more benefits to farmers. An example of this technology is the conversion of low-profit forage crops to higher-yielding sorghum, which helped boost milk productivity in dairy farms in India. The second category is radical innovation – the adoption of new technical competencies designed to add new traits to crops, such as tolerance to certain diseases, for example Advanta Seeds’ development of corn hybrids in Thailand, which are resistant to fungi infecting maize ear rots” stated Kerstin Sobottka. “The third category is the disruptive innovation – adding new traits to the end product. For example our Ultra High Oleic sunflower seed is producing a better quality oil,” she said. “This innovation requires a different business model, as Advanta Seeds does not only need to approach farmers, but also educate oil companies on the benefits of the product.” The fourth innovation strategy is called “architectural” which centres around developing a new market with a completely new product. Advanta Seeds developed revolutionary oil, Nutrisun, a high oleic and high stearic healthy sunflower oil with wide range food applications. Advanta Seeds’ commitment to innovation focuses on putting customers at the heart of all its product development efforts – a strategy that has bode well for the company. ◆

China State Construction Engineering Corporation BUILDS ON REGIONAL REPUTATION Region-wide infrastructure projects, such as the GCC Railway, herald bright future for the Chinese construction company, says President and CEO, Yu Tao. A s China continues its own incredible growth story, its enterprises are playing important roles in the economic expansions of other regions. China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) has, according to Middle East President and CEO, Yu Tao, operated in the GCC region for more than 30 years and for the past ten years they shifted the focus mainly to UAE and Kuwait market. Tao remains optimistic about current projects under execution and looks forward to more government infrastructure projects throughout the GCC that have been delayed for long time. Founded in 1982, Beijing-based CSCEC has grown to become one of the largest construction companies, but its success story begins at home. “Generally, China State is the biggest building and infrastructure contractor in the world.” Tao explained. “Currently CSCEC are involving and building more than 50% of the airports in China and more than 90% of the super-high-rise structures – in the category of buildings with more than 300 metres tall.” The company went on to build an international reputation and, in the Middle East, began an expansion scheme in 2004. “Over the past 12 years, starting with one project, we have become a very active international contractor in the region,” Tao said. “We are particularly busy in the UAE market, from villas in Palm Jumeirah to hospitals, hotels, airports, interchanges, highways and the water canal for the RTA in Dubai.” RIDING ON THE BACK OF CHINA’S GROWTH Because of its immense scale, CSCEC is able to not just fulfil the role of main contractor, but operates a number of specialist branches, CSCEC Middle East President & CEO, Yu Tao. concentrating on, for example, steel structures and MEP. This diversification, Tao believes, has allowed the company to distinguish itself in a crowded regional market. “The competition in the market here has always been fierce, especially during the financial crisis,” he said. “The market has been reduced substantially and contractors have had to try very hard to secure projects. In order to survive you’ve got to be competitive, and that means being strong financially, technically and in terms of resource management when delivering a project.” CSCEC has benefitted substantially from the extant growth of China’s domestic economy. Today, the Asian giant has become one of the world’s leading exporters of construction materials and Tao believes this has worked well in CSCEC’s favour. “We have access to competitive, highquality products and also top class specialist subcontractors,” he observed. “So generally we are doing excellent projects and have received global-quality awards. In terms of safety we are continuously improving our performance, and when it comes to timely-delivery, we are probably one of the best contractors around. You probably heard of “China Speed” which in fact is what we have achieved 30 years ago; we are always an insurance to deliver on time.” REGIONAL FOOTPRINT Aside from the UAE, the company’s regional presence extends to Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. Tao’s team is currently awaiting the launch of large-scale projects such as the GCC Railway and Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 World Cup. These ambitions, he said, are ideally suited to the scale of CSCEC. “In the coming years, we will try to expand our market share as much as we can, but the most important thing for us is to ensure quality and safety, and that we deliver on time. Our plan is to further increase our market share in the infrastructure segment, where we expect to see major road projects initiated in GCC countries, as well as the railway. “We intend not just to serve as a project contractor, but also help with the financing of the project. The finance required for the railway and airport is normally huge, however that is exactly the strength of CSCEC and we are confident to find a right solution or formula to work with the relevant government authority to finance the major infrastructure development in the region. ◆ 15

MUNDIPHARMA: Formula for success Vice President, Dr. Ashraf Allam The US pharmaceutical company has an eye on Middle East and Africa, a region with ‘untapped’ potential, according to Vice President, Dr. Ashraf Allam. M undipharma sees the Middle East as one of the potential markets in its industry. As its Vice President, Dr. Ashraf Allam, said, “This region is one of the last-remaining low-hanging fruits of the pharmaceutical industry; the potential here is immense. Today, MEA is one of the fastest growing regions for Mundipharma in the world. We’ve been extremely nimble and entrepreneurial in our approach, which has won us considerable success.” Mundipharma’s corporate spirit, according to Allam, centres on “providing products that give people the best possible quality of life”. By carefully nurturing its relationships with patients, doctors, nurses, pharmacists and distributors, the company believes it has arrived at a formula for success. In drug treatments, Mundipharma is proud of a number of game-chargers it has brought to market in therapy. “We are dedicated to help patients with severe and debilitating diseases with the benefit of novel treatment options in fields such as moderate to severe pain; oncology and haematology, cancer care; respiratory disease; ophthalmology; wound care and antiseptics,” Allam said. “Mundipharma’s analgesic portfolio focuses on the treatment of acute and chronic pain, of moderate to severe intensity, caused by cancer and other nonmalignant conditions. The Mundipharma pain arsenal includes immediate and controlled-release tablets, and various other formulations, such as capsules, injections and patches, suited to the different needs of individual patients. The existing range of oncology products includes treatments for neuro-oncological, rare haematological malignancies and cancer supportive care.” TRUSTED WORLDWIDE Mundipharma is also focused on building a presence in respiratory disease, particularly in asthma and in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, conditions that affect millions of people worldwide, Allam said. In addition, Mundipharma’s recently acquired ophthalmology portfolio carries a number of products that cover the primary treatment methods for patients with openangle glaucoma. The flagship brand, BETADINE® (Povidone Iodine) antiseptic range is one of Mundipharma’s most well-known products, “trusted in hospitals around the world for over 45 years to prevent and treat infections,” according to Allam. BETADINE® was rated among the top brands in the UAE for the second consecutive year. “BETADINE® is an important first line of defence against topical infection,” he explained. It is a trusted brand among consumers at home that prevents infections from occurring in small wounds and grazes, sore throats, treating feminine infections, and to stop minor problems from escalating. Povidone-iodine, the key active ingredient of BETADINE®, kills a broad range of bacteria, viruses and fungi, including antibiotic resistant strains as well as some of the most recent lethal viruses such as SARS, MERS and the Ebola.” In addition, Mundipharma’s recently acquired ophthalmology portfolio carries a number of products that cover the primary treatment methods for patients with openangle glaucoma. THRIVING IN MEA Allam, who also served as the chairman of 16 the association of Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, believes that the company’s presence in Dubai is a huge advantage in its bid to expand throughout the Middle East and Africa region. “The main advantage that Dubai offers us as a regional hub is its ability to attract talents from all over the world because of the exceptional quality of life that people enjoy here, along with the overall safety of the city and the political and economic stability of the country,” he explained. “Furthermore, I must commend the UAE authorities and the Dubai Science Park leadership for the efforts they have taken to make this a place where businesses can operate with great ease. They treat companies as customers rather than simply enforcing laws and regulations without listening to the industry.” “I think a lot of people see Mundipharma as a great, growing company that’s got a lot of runway in front of it, whereas several other multinational giants have seen their opportunity shrink, as patents expire and room to grow becomes limited,” he noted. “We are planning to continue our growth journey by expanding into new geographies, launching new products and strengthening our position with the products we currently have in the market. Another strategy is for us to acquire and license products from other companies that still do not have a strong presence in this region.” As MEA economies continue to grow, governments, particularly those in the GCC, have "placed great importance on the healthcare industry," Allam said. “Our mission and commitment is to improve the health and quality of life of the human race everywhere, and partner with key authorities so we can all stay healthy.” ◆ ®: BETADINE is a registered trademark of Mundipharma

CEO Abid Umer. ALKARAM STUDIO - The Marketplace to Discover T ell us something about Alkaram Studio InternationalInternational. How did it start? Building on the strength of Alkaram Textiles, the concept was created for customers to experience the depth, range and creativity of Alkaram product portfolio. From fashion fabrics and apparel to kidswear, home textiles and homeware, Alkaram Studio is a complete creative concept where customers can realize their dreams and aspirations. Alkaram Studio is a perfect haven for aesthetically-inclined women. You can get close to the originality of the style with fashion fabrics, ready-to-wear lines and stunning accessories. It enables you to create your own clothes and accessories with all the material required. What are your core areas of expertise and your offerings? We offer the best quality fabric to consumers at affordable prices. Our premium quality luxurious fabric appeals to consumers across the globe. “Our premium quality luxurious fabric appeals to consumers across the globe.” Comment on the Middle Eastern market and by extension UAE as far as your sector is concerned? As we lead our brand from an Omni channel perspective, we want to be able to give our customers across GCC the same level of service and brand experience. The UAE is the perfect platform to reach our customers across MENA. Do you think the Expo 2020 has or will have an impact on your business? How? The UAE and particularly Dubai has been the melting point of the region and with Expo 2020 the crossover amongst the whole spectrum of consumers will only grow. What competitive edge do you have over your competitors? Our Company has the advantage of having complete vertical integration under one roof, with more than 11,000 employees, led by qualified experts. No challenge is big for our team! What are your expansion and growth plans over the next few years? The brand enjoys a huge following from customers from the sub-continent. We are looking at the Indo Pak community as the basis for our expansion plans through GCC, UK and USA. What is your vision for the company over the next 10 years? To be recognized as a global fashion brand with focus on premium quality.◆ 17

ASCENT TECHNOLOGY Building Operational Efficiency Software Solutions Interviewing the CEO, Kundan Singh Shekhawat – Ascent Technology Consulting. T ell us something about Ascent Technology Consulting. How did it start? Ascent was founded by a team of professionals in 2009 and we gradually moved our base to Dubai, UAE, as headquarters in 2011. Ascent brings the best technology and functional minds together and aspires to create a difference across the globe through its niche software products and solution offerings. Ascent is emerging as one of the fastest growing companies in its product space and we have recently extended our operations to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman besides covering Africa from our Kenya office. What are your core areas of expertise and your offerings? Ascent specialises in building operational efficient solutions with primary focus on Financial Institutions and various other mission critical Industies. Ascent has made significiant investments in its Research and Development Center to continously enhnace the Software product portfolio and stay ahead of its competitors on a global platform. Ascent is a Software Product IP Company and has successful engagements with some of the large Banks and Financial Institutions in automating transaction processing and handling reconciliation related challenges through Ascent’s properitory AutoRecon© Software. Ascent also automates Business Continuity Management manual activities through its second product AutoBCM©, which is multilingual and also helps organizations in performance based resilience strategy. Comment on the Middle Eastern market and by extension the UAE as far as your sector is concerned? The current market scenario across the globe is challenging and Middle East is no different. Every organization is looking towards better operational control and trying to cut costs and reduce the revenue leakage from all possible sides. Ascent helps large organizations in automating the operational activities with its Software products, which are highly configurable 18 Kundan Singh Shekhawat Chief Executive Officer and can be deployed out of box. We operate within mission critical sectors and UAE has always promoted compliance related automation intiatives which are a boon for us. Our clients have shown a strong faith is us as we are based in UAE and have been proudly serving our GCC and Middle East clients from UAE office. Automation is the only solution which is profoundly preferred by various industries in the Middle East and UAE for achieving operational excellence and enhancing customer satisfaction. And we offer webbased automated solutions for the front, middle and back office operations. Do you think the Expo 2020 has or will have an impact on your business? How? Yes, definitely. The competition is very high and the business houses need a sustainable growth. Thus, there is a need to adopt dynamic financial and business continuity solutions by every firm, irrespective of their size and business. And, through Expo 2020, we would like to reach out to more people to help them identify the business gaps and offer the best in the industry. What competitive edge do you have over your competitors and what are the significant challenges you faced over the past few years? We are an Enterprise Software product provider and all our competitors are fairly large companies. We have been winning against competition due to quick decision making, flexibility to deliver instant results to clients and offering end-to-end solutions that are affordable to the client. The biggest challenge has been to build a strong brand where clients can blindly trust and sign up for large engagements. While I look back, we have created some amazing success stories and I would like to make special acknowlegement of our first few clients who partnered with Ascent. Our top management is always available at every stage of operation life cycle, which, I can say, is the biggest edge over our competitors. Our solutions are smart, fast, nimble, and robust to simplify the critical operations of the businesses, and are in compliance with global standards. What are your expansion and growth plans over the next couple of years? We have ventured into GCC and African continent. Now, we are looking forward to exploring into the South East Asian market and the company has plans to open a new office in APAC. We are pretty much confident about our upsurge into global markets. What is your vision for the company over the next 10 years? We have experienced a wonderful journey since the inception of Ascent. With an excellent team and people around we want to be considered as the top product company in this segment and penetrate the market in automating back office operations and business continuity management activities. ◆ www.ascentitgroup.com www.autobcm.com

www.lauravera.com Zaphir’s sweet scent of success Survival in the regional perfumes sector over the past tempestuous decade has been no mean feat, says Laura J. B. Vera. C ould you tell us a little about Zaphir Contemporary? How did it start? Zaphir was launched in 2001 as a niche concept for the promising Gulf market. We don’t manufacture the retail products you find in stores. Instead we design the scented oils used by our institutional clients. The Zaphir brand belongs to Chemarome International Group and finds its origins in Barcelona, Spain. The core concept revolved around capturing the tastes and scents of the Orient and the Arab World in particular, taking inspiration from the Al-Andalus heritage in my country. What would you say was your core strategy in growing the business? The market back in the early years of the millennium was dominated by French houses that had little interest or expertise in the heavier mukhallat (oil-mixture) trends. We understood fairly quickly that our unique selling point was our focus on oriental scents. Zaphir wanted to be the oriental supplier for mukhallats and bakhoor (incense) oils. I started by researching with my team the best sources of Indian attars and Asian agarwood oils (oudh). We knew we couldn’t “cook” the best dishes without the best ingredients. And like it or not, industrial chemistry has a long way to go in matching the quality you get from using natural source materials. How do you feel the regional market is performing in your sector? The market was extraordinarily lucrative for the first decade of the century, booming much as every other industry sector was. With the onset of the global financial crisis, our operating market suffered a few initial slowdowns, but quickly picked up to become stronger than ever. However, in 2012 the market began saturating dangerously. You just need to peruse any souk or mall to recognise perfume shops are ubiquitous in this part of the world. Since 2014, the fragrance market has undergone a noticeable contraction. It is not that the buying public has developed an aversion to perfumes, but consumers are allocating less of their disposable income to such products. As a result, the industry is consolidating and we don’t expect a recovery before the last quarter of 2016.  What do you think defines a successful company and what are the reasons behind your success? We focused on the right segment at the right time and on the right customers when times changed. And now we focus on our most-valued customers, and have fewer product launches than before, but each product is developed to a higher degree of quality. Some 10 years ago we would develop 300 formulations for over 100 customers all over the GCC. Today we develop less than 100 products for around three dozen customers. But our revenues are 50% above that of a decade ago. What edge do you feel you have over your competitors? There is no idea too big or project too small for us and we customise our response to any customer. Our bigger competitors have burdensome MOQs (minimum order quantity) and long project delivery cycles. We deliver an exceptional, personalised service and use ingredients many of our competitors have not even heard of, all of which has magnetic appeal in a region with such a strong perfume culture. What are your expansion and growth plans over the next few years? We don’t see much room for growth in the next five years and feel that mistakes will be costly. We don’t see a possibility for high double-digit growth unless Iran joins the market. But Iranians are not so keen on Oriental notes, preferring French directions.  Where do you see the company going over the next 10 years? We will take it one step at a time. This is a volatile region, so we will monitor the market for the best opportunities. We will focus on organic growth with existing customers and add a few more only if prudent. ◆ 19

Arab & India Spices - Machines do not run businesses, people do T ell us something about Arab & India Spices. How did it start? Very often it is said that  the history of spices is the history of trade and ours has been a historical journey which dates back three decades with our first spice mill in the state of Gujarat, a state known for its rich culinary, colorful and vibrant culture, and the flavor of which has been carried by this brand across the globe and is a brand in the international food market.  Established in 1986 Arab India Spices Ajman in a 4,000 square feet shop was one of the first millers of various kinds of pulses and ground spices in the whole of Middle East region. With a modest daily production of 5 metric tonnes (MT). We have today bolstered our production capacities up to 15,000 MT per month in an expanse of 400,000 square feet, making AIS a true global giant in the Spice industry. What are your core areas of expertise and your offerings ? We have been an anchor of this industry in the international domain. Our wide spread global distribution and processing of pulses and spices using technologically advanced sortex machines  is our core strength and we are one of the few suppliers of major Pulses and Spices of all categories of supermarkets, grocers, catering to companies, Flour mills, wholesale and semi-wholesale, which ultimately reflects their willingness and trust in our product and service. Comment on the Middle Eastern market as far as your sector is concerned ? Rapidly expanding population growth, increasing tourism and rising disposable income levels have stimulated remarkable increases in food and beverage consumption across Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members in recent years. As a result, regional governments are prioritizing strategic investments in homegrown food manufacturing capabilities to counter rising food consumption which is projected  to reach 49.1 million metric tonnes by 2017. What do you think defines a successful company and what are the reasons behind your success ? The success of any organization is largely reliant on the vision of its leader and our leader Harish Tahiliani the Managing Director and co-founder of Arab India Spices Ajman is truly one such incisive corporate visionary leader who strongly believes in the inclusive growth for growth of an organization and the people associated with it be it an employee or a customer or a vendor. He with a wealth of industry’s vast knowledge and experience brings out the best in his employees. What competitive edge do you have over your competitors ? What distinguishes Arab India Spices Ajman as an organization is our corporate governance especially with our approach of Social Corporate Responsibility which we adopt as a watch word in all their business processes. The organization thrives on the philosophy of best practices practiced and adopted across our value chain and supply chain thus ensuring quality deliverance to our customers. What are your expansion and growth plans over the next few years ? As the GCC Food consumption is on the surge we are gearing up for expansion suitably and hence adding up 4 more lines to increase our capacity production by another 4,000 MT per month.We have also upgraded the technology of pulse processing by procuring advanced machines from Switzerland,Turkey and India.   What is your vision for the company over the next 10 years ? We generally envisage our plans  to grow step by step, though there is a larger vision in place to be the Global Goliath in the distribution of Pulses and Spices. This we achieve by drawing short term yearly goals. Our team closely observes the market trend and add the required product lines working hand in glove with our customers to ensure that we supply, “What They Need and  When They Need” as any product or services has time essence.  They say “Machines do not run business, people do..” and our business philosophy compliments this encompassing employees and customers.  Today Arab India Spices is because of its employee and its loyal customers. ◆ 20 “The history of spices is the history of trade.” Managing Director Harish Tahiliani.

CEO Emirates Steel H.E. Saeed Ghumran Al Romaithi. Emirates Steel: A Blueprint for Success CEO Emirates Steel H.E. Saeed Ghumran Al Romaithi talks to Calcus/Khaleej Times about the importance of maintaining the triple bottom line to achieving sustainability W hat efforts do you make in utilizing the CO2 that steel manufacturing generates during the iron reduction process. How does Emirates Steel promote environment and resource conservation? The UAE is leading the way in the region in developing a blueprint for how to incubate and establish a low-carbon, new-energy industry. The government is adopting an approach to utilize clean technologies, renewable energy and low -carbon solutions that have economic and environmental returns. More specifically, in alignment with this vision, Emirates Steel strives to fulfill its objectives by producing steel in a safe and sustainable way. Included in these priorities is the company’s ongoing effort to utilize the CO2 generated during the iron reduction process at its DRP plants, and its efforts to promote environment and resource conservation. As a matter of fact, Emirates Steel is an integral part of Masdar and ADNOC’s first CO2 capture, usage and storage initiative in the region (CCUS) which is the Middle East’s first joint venture to develop commercial-scale carbon capture, usage and storage projects. Accordingly, it is part of the government’s continued efforts to create a low-carbon steel industry and enhance CO2 management in UAE. The CCUS project consists of three steps, beginning with captured the CO2 from the Emirates Steel plants, secondly, compressing the CO2 and transporting it along the 50 km pipeline by Masdar to oil fields operated by ADNOC. Finally, the third and last step is when ADNOC will inject the CO2 into their oil fields to enhance oil recovery, while storing the injected ➤➤ 21

CO2 underground. This ambitious project will enhance the oil and gas production and will result in preserving the UAE’s natural gas for domestic electricity generation and other uses. This pioneering initiative will not only allow industrial capture of CO2 from Emirates Steel’s facilities, but will also allow for it to be utilized enhancing oil recovery. This project will also liberate natural methane gas, traditionally used to pressurize oil wells and oil recovery, and to use it for other traditional power generation and water desalination. Moreover, this project will establish commercial principals for a CO2 industry and demonstrate the technical viability of CO2 operations, presenting a practical approach for energy-consuming industries to lower their carbon footprint. Being part of CCUS, Emirates Steel sets an example in supporting Abu Dhabi’s sustainability objectives and assisting the UAE in implementing the strategy to reduce carbon emissions through operating environmental friendly heavy industries in the country. The core idea of the CCUS project is basically to aim to seize up to 730,000 tons of CO2 annually from the Direct Reduction Plants which is approximately 55% of the overall CO2 generated by the company and utilizing that to feed the project when it goes operational. That is to say, that seizing up to 730,000 tons of CO2 annually is equivalent to planting around 100,000 trees or Co2 from ~170,000 cars (20% of AD cars) or Co2 from ~100,000 houses (US). Hence, this is a massive and significant contribution to Emirates Steel’s carbon footprint and the environment, keeping the UAE in line with its commitment to the Kyoto and Paris Protocols. All in all, it is worth mentioning that the CCUS project is the Middle East’s first commercial scale CCUS facility and the only CCS project outside of North America. Currently, there are only 12 operating CCS or CCUS plants globally. What have been Emirates Steel’s biggest achievements? Emirates Steel’s biggest achievements could be summed up by saying that since its inception in 1998, we have worked hard to produce the highest quality products for our consumers, thus establishing a strong brand name and position in the market. We have developed a brand strategy that revolves around clearly articulating our differentiation against competitors, and we continually push these differentiators to our customers by aligning our brand to our unique value proposition which focuses on quality, innovation and price. Emirates Steel has become an expert in providing the highest standards of steel applications through innovation, commitment and quality, never failing to optimize our 22 efforts in offering the best customer service and environment sustainability. Moreover, we always aim to provide customized steel solutions required by different industries. The company also operates within strategic partnerships that increase various benefits, as well as boost our contribution to the industrial infrastructure and economic developments in the country and region. Product Range and Innovation: Emirates Steel’s product portfolio is defined through two main categories, the heavy section category, and the rebar and wire rods category. The heavy section category of products includes the range of medium, heavy and jumbo sections, which are long steel products used in the construction sector and in the production of structures for industrial and engineering applications. In the UAE, the industrial followed by non-residential construction sectors are dominant sources of demand for such products, including high tech offices, hotel constructions and lower technology warehouse structures. This range of sections are also used in many other structures for the oil & gas offshore and onshore platforms, and other electrical transmission and petrochemical industries. Our unique steel product range caters to all stages of oil and gas projects, while our range of structural sections varies from approximately 200 to 1,016 millimeters in depth, including jumbo sections. Furthermore, our Heavy Sections Mill produce parallel-flange beams, columns, and bearing piles with up to 1,016 millimeter web depth and 427 flange widths, and parallel flange channels up to 430 millimeter depth, in addition to the new customized sheet piling designs, which is manufactured in grades meeting the EN S355 GP, S390 GP and S430 GP standards. In the rebar and wire rod category, Emirates steel is a leading producer of hot rolled reinforcing bars (rebar). The company’s rebar is regarded as a premium quality product due to the sourcing of premium quality iron ore, the state-of-the-art assets used in the manufacturing process and the implementation of internal quality control procedures. Our annual production capacity is 1.8 million tons with rebar products ranging from straight length reinforcing bar (rebar) to rebar in coil. Moreover, in 2012 we have been awarded a Quality System Certificate (QSC) as a Material Organization (MO) from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) for the manufacture of rebar. Therefore, we are the fourth manufacturer of nuclear quality rebars worldwide and the first in the GCC. Emirates Steel’s innovation has led to the production of Value Added Grade steel products used in nuclear power generation projects, fulfilling the increasing demand for steel used in these type of projects in the region. A great example of this is our strong partnership with Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation ENEC, the UAE’s first peaceful nuclear energy program for power generation, to produce and supply nuclear quality reinforcing steel bars (Rebars) for their Barakah nuclear power plants in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi. Megaprojects: We have earned approvals from leading oil and gas companies in the region and worldwide, and successfully supplied over 200,000 tons of high quality structural steel, whereby our client portfolio includes some of the most known names within the oil and gas arena, such as excellence centers in the GCC, India, and the US; national and international oil and gas companies, oilfield service providers, energy sector and related companies across the region. Some of the iconic projects the company is involved are Abu Dhabi International Airport Expansion, Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), Al Saadiyat Island Projects, Burj Khalifa, the Palm Dubai, Dubai Marina, Emirates Palace Hotel, among others. Human Capital: Human Capital Investment is yet another achievement we are proud of, whereby till date, we have achieved 23.1% of Emiratization with our 550 UAE nationals working at Emirates Steel of which 384 are Engineers and Technicians, 127 working in admin jobs and 39 students which we have given scholarships to; Nevertheless, we are aiming to raise this rate from 23.1% to 30% in the future. As far as our investment in Human Capital is concerned, we are determined to fulfill our ambitious and strategic targets in Emiratization in line with Abu Dhabi Vision 2030. Comment on the Middle East market and by extension the UAE as far as your industry is concerned? The current market conditions are witnessing a downturn on regional and global levels due to the surge of cheap imports, mainly coming from China. In the UAE and the MENA region, Chinese exports have been growing at an accelerated pace due to low trade barriers and after being hit by multiple anti-dumping measures around the world, thus exerting further pressures on domestic market prices. Emirates Steel has been working towards surpassing these challenging conditions by moving away from spot business transactions to more mature business models and responsible partnerships. The gradual growth in demand for sustainable steel products is almost assured with all the planned positive developments in the UAE such as the upcoming EXPO 2020 in Dubai.

Steel consumption is expected to continue growth in 2016 in the MENA region, as it achieved 6.2% to 72.7 MT in 2015 according to the World Steel Association. Investments by both private and public sectors in construction sector, including huge infrastructure projects has stabilized and increased the region’s steel demand. Locally, we have one of the most developed construction markets in the world, the intensive spending on such projects in the UAE has resulted in an increase in the country’s steel production capacity and today the UAE has 5.3 million tons of rebar capacity installed 1.25 million tons of section capacity and 1.15 million tons of wire rod capacity. Within the UAE market, Emirates Steel has maintained its share at approximately 47%, while it continues in expanding its export business, particularly for higher value added products. Tell us about the company’s CSR initiatives and why it’s important for industry leaders and stakeholders to attain the triple bottom line? In Emirates steel we adopt a solid vision for contributing towards the social and economic development of the community. Hence, our CSR strategy focuses on three main areas which are our workplace, our community, our environment. Our workplace: When it comes to our workplace, we take this part of our CSR strategy very seriously. Because our people are at the heart of our business we constantly think about the impact our actions have on all the people involved with us. Everyone’s well-being is taken into consideration as we rely on their hard work and commitment for the success of our business. Emirates Steel’s first aim is to provide every human being working on our premises a safe and healthy environment to work in. Thirdly, in order to build a future generation that is able to sustain work in this industry we are investing to build leaders. We are aiming to build a leading Emirati workforce in the steel industry by giving them focused scholarships, training them and investing our time in them. Emirates Steel sponsors high school graduates with the goal of developing a talent pool of technically qualified nationals to further support the Emiratization drive. We have developed tailor-made programs to ensure the delivery of the required expertise and core technical competencies through vocational certification, diploma and bachelor degree programs. These qualifications have been approved by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and are internationally recognized. As for existing employees in our workforce, we constantly strive to train them so they can excel and always be supplied with the latest technologies and knowledge. Our Community: Our aim is to engage with our communities and be part of them in every way. For example to give back to the health and well-being of our communities we donate equipment and learning materials every year to people with disabilities in the UAE to help them learn new skills and overcome a wide variety of developmental challenges. By donating to the disabled, Emirates Steel supports their rehabilitation and future employment. In doing that, Emirates Steel takes advantage of various social welfare schemes Abu Dhabi provides for the benefit all segments of society in the fields of education, employment, healthcare and social assistance. We were part of many major events such as Abilities Me, Rashid Center for Disabled & Autism Awareness. Another example is to give back to the education of our communities by sponsoring students in competing with other international universities abroad such as Khalifa University bridge competition. This year we aim to give communities the opportunity of education and reading, which falls under the government initiative IQRA. Moreover, a crucial part of our CSR strategy is targeted towards community development whereby our aim is to give back to the general community whether they are local or nonlocal. For example, initiatives we have planned vary with different focuses such as giving basic food supplies to needy local families and laborers, giving clothing and other items to the needy refugee families, taking care of the elderly, taking care of children in need. Our Environment: Emirates Steel follows a strategic approach to minimize the effects of its industrial activities in different stages of its operations process on the environment, and is committed to adopting the latest innovations in energy efficiency and sustainable practices. Emirates Steel has conducted different ecofriendly initiatives and projects, including its energy conservation initiatives by selecting the low impurities raw materials and Ferroalloys that save energy consumption; its pollution prevention efforts through fume treatment to promote a clean and healthy working environment in compliance with environmental federal law and international standards and its contribution to the ambitious CCS project that utilize the CO2 generated during the iron reduction process at DRP plants.◆ 23

Wahid Habibi, CEO of Gulbahar International. Innovating to succeed Gulbahar International is a leading firm with an ability to demonstrate ingenuity and successful business models across the globe. G ulbahar International is a dynamic, well-established manufacturing firm with its headquarters in the Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai, UAE. As part of the Gulbahar Group, the company is mainly focused on meeting its customer demands and expectations. The company has a huge office and factory spread over 15,000 square meters. Gulbahar International has been able to strengthen the market by developing and delivering contemporary offers relevant to the changing attitudes and ambitions of the persistently growing demand of the customers. Excerpts of an interview with Wahid Habibi, CEO, Gulbahar International: Tell us about Gulbahar International and its journey to success? We are a part of the Gulbahar Group, which is a consortium of companies operating across several sectors including construction, commodity trading and manufacturing. With the manufacturing industry experiencing its highs and lows in recent years, Gulbahar International has been able to carve its own niche with sheer motivation and dedicated passion. Irrespective of the competitive market, I am proud to say that our journey has been successful, satisfying and rewarding. What in your opinion entails quality? The core of Gulbahar International lies in the quality of its products. We believe primarily in quality that has the power to retain customers. Here at Gulbahar International we focus on quality in every 24 segment of our operation. As leaders in our sector we have consistently maintained excellence in standards by combining industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver quality products and services in several geographies across the globe. What are your target markets and regions? Gulbahar International has been dealing in general trading, import and export in Afghanistan for several decades. As far as manufacturing and distribution is concerned, the company has a very strong business presence in Central Asia, Middle East, Africa, CIS, US-Balkans, European countries, Eastern Europe and the Far East markets. The company has state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and technologically sound machineries from Germany, France and Italy, and its presence in different European countries that are centrally controlled from its headquarter in Dubai, UAE. The company base is rapidly increasing and surpassing other competitive players in the industry by sheer innovation and excellence based on its global presence. What is the core business of the company? Pertinently, Gulbahar International business encompasses all stages of manufacturing, operations and distribution, right from material processing to production, packaging, preparation as well as distribution of the end product. I truly believe customer loyalty comes from delivering quality products and by offering great customer service. Being customercentric, we make sure that our long list of clients always remains happy through quality. By staying focused and possessing a team of industry experts who are highly competent, we are able to deliver excellence that has been instrumental to our success. In your opinion, what is the key to customer retention? The core value of our company revolves around building a satisfying customer base by ensuring 360-degree operations that covers all aspects of customer retention. Right from the time when a customer interacts with us, we ensure detailed and in-depth attention to customer needs, which leads to a promising relationship and further strengthens our bond with them. We

eagerly pay attention to customers’ needs, desires and demands and come up with a perfect product, which meets their taste and temperament. How do you make the perfect product for your customers? True to its character Gulbahar International has formulated a clear plan and strategy to take on the market. We go out of our way to select the perfect raw material from around the world. We utilize our dynamic team of experts in this field. We have state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and expertise specialising in different areas in addition to using the highest quality of raw materials. All this makes it possible for us to meet international as well as industry standards of quality, thereby producing the finest range of products. “The core value of our company revolves around building a satisfying customer base by ensuring 360-degree operations which covers all aspects of customer retention.” Anything you wish to add? Blending expertise with knowledge, Gulbahar International has achieved one milestone after another and strengthened its position on a Global front. Gulbahar Group is swiftly manoeuvring into a multinational company (MNC) with operations in various business centres across different European countries. Our products have received tremendous feedback and acknowledgment and is revolutionising both local and international markets. We are constantly broadening our horizon and scaling new heights. All this has been achieved by working hard, having a sound strategy and constant innovation. My aim is to see our products across seven seas and put it on a global map as and wherever I go. I am working towards that in the right earnestness. ◆ 25

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The Best Business Partners in Freight Solutions T ell us about Top Most Freight Solutions (LLC). How did it start? Top Most Freight Solutions is the dream conception of one man, Mohammed Maqsood Ali Baig. It was formed in May 2006. Baig is a thorough professional with 24 years of Operations and Sales experience in the Logistics industry. He established Top Most with a vision to play a dynamic role and become an indispensable part of the fastest growing economy in the world. Baig commenced his career in this industry 24 years ago as a beginner. Over the years he has mastered all areas of logistics. He has gradually moved up the corporate ladder which has enabled him to bring his dream of creating a service oriented firm to form. Baig is not just the ingenious creator of Top Most but is also the most indispensible part of the organization. He created Top Most as he was aware that the corporate world has its own limitations, it was shackling his exposure, and expertise in all disciplines of logistics. Hence he believed it would be better if he started his own company as it would do well for him and his business partners. What are your core areas of expertise and your offerings? Top Most was created with a singular vision and that is to provide unmatched service to its business partners. Service has and will always be at the pinnacle of offerings from Top Most. Being able to cater to some of the big names in the industry and emerging victorious from the most complex of situations is what Top Most offers to all its partners. Top Most takes immense pride in being a one- stop shop for all logistical requirements. We do not wish to be bound by any specific category of service; our motto is to excel in all levels of all partnered expectations. Being car and motorbike fanatics ourselves, we realize how precious vehicles can be for anybody and this is why our customers always rely on our expertise and experience. Top Most Freight Solutions has been for a long time intensely associated with the motor racing industry. We have supported racing teams and individuals to move and deliver their kits in good order and on time. In its tenure of 10 years, Top Most is proud to have moved thousands of vehicles around the world. Over the years we have gained a reputation that enables us to deliver anything be it stock, armoured, customized, rally, racing, antique, vintage or classic vehicles. Whatever mode of transport you choose, we make sure your motor vehicle is taken care of and is handled with the utmost attention to details. Securing vehicles during transit is one of the most important stages of any vehicle shipping. Our team is professionally trained and our equipment is state of the art. Comment on the Middle Eastern market and by extension UAE as far as your sector is concerned? With the encouraging efforts of the GCC Customs laws it is becoming easier to move cargo between GCC countries. This has further ensured that more augmentations have been provided to move cargo across the GCC countries without any difficulty. One of the most important modes is the Etihad railway coming in place which will guarantee reduced costs, faster transit, and eco-friendly transport between GCC countries. The consumption of diesel will go down, road conjunction would reduce to a commendable level, and cargo emissions would be less. There is, however, one major obstacle affecting business and that is the unrest in the Middle Eastern countries, which is resulting in people not willing to invest money in the uncertain markets. Do you think the Expo 2020 has or will have an impact on your business? How? Top Most like many other companies is looking forward to Expo 2020. We believe the Expo will pave way for bigger infrastructure which will be required for the construction and development of the site. For this logistics will be required on a larger scale. This will lead to a lot of movement of cargo, people and building material. Hence it would prove to be a boon. Dubai is already on the radar of world economy with 2020 it would only get bigger and better and grander. 5. What competitive edge do you have over your competitors? Our zeal to perform the finest and achieve the best always distinguishes us from our contemporaries. Our paramount quality to be at your service all through the year and 24/7 has earned us an irreplaceable place in the industry. Our global network is ever expanding which certifies that we are accomplished enough to shoulder your freight necessities seamlessly. Our team consists of experts from different stratas of the industry, which makes our opinion all the more reliable and trustworthy. Every stage of the freight is well reviewed by professionals whose authority on the job is unchallengeable. We pride ourselves on the ability to review the various stages of freight with such precision which results in our partners benefiting to the maximum. What sets us apart from our peers is the fact that Top Most is not just a service provider but an amalgamation of the thought process of the entire team. Top Most has and always will be gratified to have housed the workforce from the industry. What are your expansion and growth plans over the next few years? Top Most aims at establishing local offices in Saudi Arabia, other GCC countries and the sub-continent. We are working towards gaining expertise in Load engineering specially to do with road transport. Top Most aims at becoming the face of service oriented logistics provided by UAE. What is your vision for the company over the next 10 years? Increase both our customer base and market share. We strive to gain both Vertical and horizontal growth. We strive to become the most preferred employer. Top Most may not be big but is significant and we wish to maintain this year after year and take any challenge that comes our way with positivity and resilience. We are to date and wish to remain self-sufficient with absolutely no liabilities. ◆ Mohammed Maqsood Ali Baig. 27

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