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BlackBerry in Oman- Stay connected

BlackBerry phones and services were introduced in the sultanate by Oman Mobile in December 2007, bringing in one of the most eagerly awaited products. Even as the telecom operator is working overtime to cope with the surging demand, Mostafa Ahmed Kom-bor, sales manager, marketing and sales division, Oman Mobile, takes some time off to speak to BusinessToday about Blackberry’s features and pricing.

What would be your sales pitch to a customer who is a potential BlackBerry user?

Customers should buy a BlackBerry because it is a unique device that takes care of all your communication needs. A user can access up to ten e-mail accounts including Yahoo, AOL, MSN, Gmail or POP3 Internet Service Poviders (ISP). One can view popular attachments like jpeg and tiff files, Microsoft Word and PowerPoint in colour. It is a powerful tool that keeps you connected all the time. Its unique features help you receive e–mails on the go, consequently helping to increase productivity and return on investment. The service also gives real time push to e-mails.

How confident can customers be about the safety features of a BlackBerry?

Apart from its ability to access e-mails, a BlackBerry stands out because of two things. One, since data is compressed up to 80 per cent, it enables files to be transferred in small bytes ensuring that a user receives e-mails faster on a BlackBerry compared to a desktop. Two, it sports an end-to-end security feature which protects information from hackers. The data is encrypted 256 times while in transit safeguarding its confidentiality, integrity and authenticity. The device has been certified as being secure by governments in the US, UK and Canada and is being used in high security areas.

What are the variants that you have on offer and what are the charges for using the service?

There are three models to choose from, starting with the BlackBerry Pearl 8100 priced at RO239. This is designed for users who prefer conventional mobile phones and comes with a camera and a large screen. The BlackBerry 8700g is the most popular smart phone and features an Arabic Keyboard also. It is priced at RO249. The BlackBerry8800 priced at RO299 is suitable for senior managers. A one-time connection fee of RO10 will be levied. Customers will be charged a monthly rental of RO19.50 for a 10MB download.

Blue City- Beginning of a new city

The groundbreaking ceremony of Phase I of Al Madina A’Zarqa was held at Al Sawadi under the auspices of H H Asa’ad bin Tariq al Said, representative of His Majesty, the Sultan. Laying the foundation stone of Phase I to mark the official commencement of the development, H H Asa'ad said, "We need such big projects not only for tourism development but also to contribute to the development of the area around it. With the growth in tourism, we are looking at the equal development of all areas in the country in the next ten years."
The event was attended by members of the royal family including H H Haitham bin Tariq al Said. Minister of Heritage and Culture, other ministers, dignitaries, diplomats and guests from across the region and Oman also attended the function. H H Haitham says Al Madina A'Zarqa is planned to become a model for a lifestyle that adapts to the surroundings. "The project has not excluded traditional Omani architectural design and construction; on the contrary it is inspired by the architectural elements to be found in the local environment."
Anees Issa al Zadjali, chairman of Al Madina A’Zarqa, unveiled the model of the Phase I. The first phase, which will be ready for delivery by 2010, was officially released for sale. Phase I will have 5,193 villas and apartments, four hotels and six individual retail areas with a total floor area of approximately 1.7mn sqm. It was announced that further properties would be released for sale in the coming months.

in Limelight

Hassan Ali Jawad
Managing partner
United Securities

United Securities has been named as The Best Brokerage Service Provider in the Middle East Region at the First Annual Banking Awards instituted by World Finance, London. World Finance, a World News Media publication, is a premier finance magazine. "The achievement recognises our never-ending and constant efforts for reaching up to international standards of customer service and operations," says Hassan Jawad, managing
partner, United Securities. The brokerage firm has constantly worked on raising the bar in the sultanate's market. It was named as the best broker in customer service and organisational structure and second best firm in trading volume in 2003, 2005 and 2006 by the Muscat Securities Market. "We have a broad client base and provide services across the MENA region," says Jawad. The firm has upgraded its office and its staff strength to take care of growing market opportunities.

Rahma al Musharafi
General manager
Majis Industrial Services

Majis Industrial Services (MIS) signed three contracts for projects pertaining to the supply of water utilities and services in the Sohar Industrial Port Area (SIPA) in November 2007. The contracts worth RO18.77mn were awarded to Al Adrak Trading, Towell al Zawra Engineering Service and Al Ansari Trading Enterprises. Majis Industrial Services was established to operate the seawater intake and outfall facility at SIPA. It has also been entrusted with the responsibility of providing related services like distribution and operation of potable and process water, collection and treatment of wastewater and looking after the industrial effluent distribution system in Sohar. Musharafi has been entrusted with the responsibility of providing tenants at SIPA with world-class services. The company is expected to take on the distribution and operation of potable and process water for the entire sultanate in future.

Dr J Retnakumar
Resident manager – Oman operations
New India Assurance

New India Assurance launched three new products – Smart Home, Family Health and Travel Health – to cater to the fast-growing needs of the insurance market. Says Dr J Retnakumar, resident manager – Oman, New India Assurance, “Keeping in mind the spurt in infrastructural developments in the sultanate, project insurance has been our focus area in the past few years and we have covered many prestigious orders. Our financial position, seamless services and international network are our strengths." The insurance company's initiative on traffic safety awareness was well received. An essay-writing competition for school students sponsored by the company was also a huge success with more than 500 students participating. Retnakumar says New India Assurance will to continue with its awareness programmes at various levels
as a contribution to the society where it operates.

AHB formalises agreements

Alliance Housing Bank (AHB) has signed a subscription and shareholders agreement with Ahli United Bank (AUB) and International Finance Corpora-tion (IFC), a member of the World Bank group. AHB will also be rechristened Ahli Bank, Oman. The agreement gives AUB a 25.1 per cent share in AHB, while IFC will acquire 9.9 per cent stake. Says Sayyid Khalid al Busaidi, chairman of AHB, “As a result of this alliance, we assure our customers and shareholders in Oman the best in banking services using the synergies and expertise of our partners." The bank is looking at leveraging the experience and skills of its partners in risk management and introduction of new products and services.
AUB's acquisition-led strategy has helped establish itself as a strong regional bank with a presence in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt, Iraq, Oman and the UK. Says Hamad al Marzouq, deputy chairman of AUB, “This tie-up represents yet another important step in the series of AUB's successful strategic investments to establish a strong pan Gulf banking group.”

Wave villa goes for RO2.55mn

The Wave, Muscat raised RO30mn at the first public auction held in the sultanate for its exclusive beachfront properties on December 1. The auction was conducted by renowned auctioneer Paul Cavanagh. With the price for a beachfront villa touching RO2.55mn, the successful proceedings, as well as the immense demand for its beachfront properties, prompted The Wave management to release four more such properties to be included in the auction. The move was well appreciated by the audience and the bidding tide did not abate till all the 16 properties were sold under the auctioneer’s hammer. After the proceedings, H E Abdullah bin Abbas bin Ahmed, Chairman of Muscat Municipality and chairman of The Wave, said, “We are thrilled with today’s auction. There was tremendous energy in the room, which resulted in
selling all the properties and generating RO30mn. This certainly sets a new benchmark in the country."

Vale sets up office in Oman

Brazil-based Vale, the world’s second largest diversified mining company, has opened its Middle East office in Oman. The function was held under the auspices of the Undersecretary for Ports and Maritime Affairs at the Ministry of Transport and Communications, H E Said bin Hamdoon bin Saif al Harthy. Brazil’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Oman H E Isnard Penha Brasil Jr was also present at the ceremony.
According to Sergio Leite, country manager for Oman, the opening of the Vale branch office in Muscat is part of the company’s strategy for supporting steel sector growth in the Middle East, and positioning itself as the best supplier for its customers in the Middle East, North Africa and India. Vale has a market capitalisation in excess of US$150bn. "Oman was a suitable choice when choosing the location of our office in the Middle East. Its strategic location in the Arabian Peninsula will play a key role in boosting our competitiveness in the region. Oman is already well established as a trading post, and its deep water port and industrial areas are already part of well established distribution networks," says Leite.

Vale is carrying out studies to develop an industrial complex in Sohar, comprising a deep water port, and a direct reduction pelletizing plant. To begin with, the proposed plant’s nominal capacity is envisioned to reach 9mn tonnes per year of pellets for direct reduction. Future expansions could scale up plant capacity to reach 22mn tonnes. Operations are set to commence at the end of 2010. The company is investing heavily to meet glo-bal customer demand and has recently announced US$59bn investment plan for the next five years. In 2008 alone it will invest US$11bn, of which 77 per cent will be allocated in project development and R&D.

Desert Nights Camp opens

The OHI Group has opened its Desert Nights Camp in the Sharqiya Sands region. The Desert Nights Camp was inaugurated on December 12 in the presence of an exclusive gathering at the campsite in Al Wasil. Maqbool al Saleh, chairman, OHI Group, welcomed the invitees to the camp, which was inaugurated by H E Rajiha bint Abdul Amir. The camp compri-ses several Bedouin-style tents that are fully air-conditioned, with bedrooms, attached bath and a cozy sit-out. All the tents open out to panoramic vistas and there are plenty of adventure activities like camel riding, desert safaris and dune bashing. Tents at the camp cost RO120 (for two) per night.

Sohar power plant opened

The Sohar independent power and desalination plant was inaugurated on December 16, in the presence of H H Mansoor bin Majid al Said, Murthada bin Ahmed bin Sultan, chairman of the board of Sohar Power Company, and Dirk Beeuwsaert, CEO of Suez Energy Inter-national. The US$550mn plant has been in full commercial operation since May 2007 and can deliver a full combined cycle capacity of 585MW to the main Oman interconnected system. The power plant is coupled to a desalination plant able to deliver 150,000m3 of drinking water per day. The plant has operated in open cycle up to its maximum load of 360MW to support the grid demand peaking at 2,600MW.

Nawras launches 3G+ services

Nawras has become the first mobile operator in the sultanate to launch third-generation mobile services. Christened 3G+, the privately owned operator will initially offer four services – broadband Internet, mobile information browsing, video calls and video monitoring. Says Ross Cormack, CEO, Nawras, "The 3G+ system will offer faster and better mobile services that enrich the lives of our customers. The rollout of 3G+ is the culmination of nearly 20 months of trials." The company has also unveiled a new look to usher in the 3G rollout. "The new set of services also warrants a new look. Our customers will be familiar with the new branding in the coming days." The 3G+ enabled services are automatically available to all Nawras customers and they don’t need to change their SIM cards.

Oman Today Restaurant Awards

Buffet: Samba, Shangri-La’s Barr al Jissah Resort and Spa
Café: Caffe Vergnano 1882
Far Eastern: Silk Route
Fast Food: McDonald’s
Indian: Mumtaz Mahal
International: Chili’s
Italian: Tuscany, Grand Hyatt Muscat
Middle Eastern: Al Tanoor, Shangri-La’s Barr al Jissah Resort and Spa
Pub Food: Al Ghazal Pub, InterContinental Muscat
Ambience: Shahrazad, Shangri-La’s Barr al Jissah Resort and Spa
Service: Woodlands

The winners of the much-awaited 2007 Oman Today Restaurant Awards were felicitated at a black-tie event on December 5. Attended by over 400 guests representing the finest and best in the hospitality industry, the gala dinner at Shangri-La’s Barr al Jissah Resort and Spa was a glamorous celebration of the very best of cooking and service in the country. Says Saleh Zakwani, publisher, Apex Press and Publishing, "Our endeavour is to constantly improve the awards every year. Based on feedback from the hospitality industry we have planned to keep the voting for for the awards open this year till the end of 2008. The awards will subsequently be given out in the first quarter of 2009."

Now in their sixth year, the awards were the culmination of two well fought rounds for the participants in the contest. The first round of voting was by diners. After voting closed on September 14, each of the four judges independently visited the finalists to rate them. The judges’ votes were then collated to find the winners in each category. Bank Sohar was the main sponsor and Blue City the co-sponsor of the event while African and Eastern sponsored the beverages for the Awards Night function.

In Person

Yuji Nakamine, executive officer, general manager, Overseas Sales Division, Mazda Motor, was in Oman on his maiden visit, to take stock of Mazda's performance in the region and to see the market's response to the launch of the its first SUV in the sultanate. Excerpts from an exclusive interview:

What brings you to Oman?

I've been in this position for a year and a half following my stint in Thailand as executive officer, president of AutoAlliance (Thailand). The GCC, in my view, is strategically important for Mazda and I wanted to visit as many markets as possible to take stock of the situation here, particularly the reaction to the CX-9.

Are you happy with the market's reaction to the CX-9?

The product has been well-received worldwide. The reviews in the press have been positive worldwide, including the GCC. In North America, a predominantly SUV market, the CX-9 has done well, as also Australia where Mazda is particularly strong. Even in the GCC, the reaction has been wonderful and I'm confident of its success. On this basis we have set ourselves a GCC sales target of 3,000 units for 2008.

Any plans to launch the CX-7?

We have no particular plans to launch the CX-7 at this moment. We want to concentrate on strengthening the product line-up in the GCC, including Oman, which will lead to increased business growth. The products missing in this market are the CX-7 and the Mazda 2. We will gauge the reaction and accordingly devise our strategy.

What is the philosophy behind the Zoom-Zoom campaign?

As the Japanese economy struggled in the 1990s, Mazda was no exception. So we undertook a comprehensive study as to what products should be offered based on the Mazda DNA and philosophy. We came up with the Zoom-Zoom concept for the new generation of products, starting with the Mazda 6 in 2002. Every new car, which has been launched so far, reflects the Zoom-Zoom philosophy of being spirited, stylish, insightful and fun to drive.

Have Ford's troubles had an impact on Mazda?

There has been no negative downside because of the problems at Ford. In fact, Mazda's responsibilities under the Ford umbrella has only increased, and Ford looks up to Mazda as it strategic partner with whom it shares excellent synergies.

Has output increased from Auto Alliance Thailand?

AutoAlliance Thailand (AAT) is Mazda's joint venture with Ford for producing pickups has been very successful. The demand for pickups is increasing from overseas markets, and as a result AAT has had to increase production volumes.

What are your goals for 2008?

From a strategic viewpoint I would like to build the brand, particularly in the booming GCC market and would like to grow our business here.