Category: Business

LAHORE – Emirates announced on Thursday that it will further expand its European network with the introduction of a daily flight from Dubai to Zagreb, the capital of Croatia from June 1, 2017.

he new southeast European destination will be served by an Emirates Boeing 777-300 aircraft, the only wide-body service operating to/from Zagreb. “Emirates has had a commercial presence in Croatia since 2003, so to launch full operations is a natural progression. Emirates is pleased to have this opportunity to add such a picturesque destination to our global route network. We look forward to working with our partners and stakeholders in Croatia to provide our world renowned service to our customers on our young, modern fleet of aircraft. We are also committed to our contribution to growing the trade and tourism flows between Croatia and Dubai, as well as encouraging incoming tourism from the Middle East and Asia Pacific, where Emirates operates 45 destinations,” said Thierry Antinori, Emirates’ Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer.

ISLAMABAD – JazzCash, Pakistan’s fastest growing mobile financial service, has partnered with ecommerce giant, Daraz.pk, in a bid to facilitate online shoppers with its convenient and secure financial services.
“JazzCash recently claimed market leadership with 1.5 million active mobile accounts, a feat we have achieved through our innovative digital and mobile financial services,” said Aniqa Afzal Sandhu, VP of Digital and Mobile Financial Services – Jazz.
“By partnering with the country’s leading online retailer, we are looking to offer online shoppers that very innovation, which will enhance their payment experience.”
Dr Jonathan Doerr, Co-CEO – Daraz.pk, commenting on the partnership, said, “The objective of this partnership is to enable our customers to experience the best of ecommerce with convenient payment systems brought to them through JazzCash. With this initiative, we plan on extending the trust, familiarity and convenience of the Daraz experience to sellers and customers.”

ISLAMABAD – The 9th International Summit and Corporate Social Responsibility c7 was conferred upon RIS for its programmes that achieve excellence in terms of services to stakeholders and innovative sustainable solutions to social challenges.
RIS demonstrates leadership, sincerity and ongoing commitment to incorporating ethical values, compliance with legal requirements, respect for individuals, involvement in communities and protection of the environment into the way they do business. The award was presented by Engineer Iqbal Zafar Jhagra.
RIS is an educational institute where students not just acquire knowledge but it has initiated many ventures to promote innovation and technology-based programmes that improve student performance and engagement, particularly in science, technology, and math studies and among underserved communities. The multi-dimensional programme offers a range of subjects that provide students with more challenging environment where they apply systematic approach needed for the sustainable implementation and progressive up scaling of their creative skills.
Shamaila Idrees, manager for admissions, communication and PR at RIS, received the award on behalf of CEO of RIS and Rector of MIUC Walid Mushtaq.

Karachi – K-Electric initiated a program of on jab training to a batch comprises 32 apprentices whereas the power utility aims to train over 550 apprentices in its core business areas of generation, distribution and transmission during this two-year programme. After qualifying the apprentices programme successfully, the graduates will also be considered for full time employment in respective areas of the organization This was disclosed in an interactive ceremony held recently at KE Azm Learning Institute.
The ceremony was attended by Makhdoom Taufeeq, Joint Director, Ministry of Labor and Human Resource, Abdul Sattar Junejo, Deputy Director, Sindh Technical Education & Vocational Training Authority (STEVTA) and KE representatives. . Sattar Junejo, Deputy Director, STEVTA appreciated KE’s initiative of launching the programme and highlighted its significance in the professional life of apprentices in terms of providing them with required skill set and build self-confidence. He also assured all possible support from the government for successful execution of the programme.
While congratulating apprentices KE spokesperson said, “KE’s training programme comes at a crucial time when Pakistan’s electric power sector is passing through a transformational phase and there is a lot of investment coming in, which speaks volume about the bright prospect of these apprentices. KE’s innovative and research-driven approach coupled with deployment of latest technology in various facets of its business makes it a world-class power utility and thus an ideal platform of learning and exposure for trainees.”

KARACHI- Samba Bank Limited, a majority-owned subsidiary of the Riyadh-based Samba Financial Group, has selected Bench Matrix’s Retail Loan Origination System (LOS) to automate its consumer lending process at all 37 of its branches and moving towards a fully paper-less environment.

By automating the consumer lending process, the bank seeks to bring about improvements in its consumer lending and risk management process by enhancing internal and regulatory limit management, simplifying documentation management and collateral assessment, strengthening internal policy management and substantially reducing turn-around-time for loan applicants.

LAHORE – The UBL Facebook page, already the top Facebook page for any bank in Pakistan with more than 1.5 million fans, has been ranked number 14 among the global ‘Top 100 Banks on Facebook’.

The ranking has been published by The Financial Brand, a digital publication focused on marketing and strategy concerning retail banks. As the only Pakistani Bank to feature on the list, this achievement of UBL, once again reaffirms UBL’s Progressive and Innovative brand attributes. Commenting on achieving the high ranking, Ali Habib, Head of Corporate Affairs & Marketing UBL said, “Inclusion in this global ranking, that includes some of the most prestigious global banks, is a matter of pride both for UBL and for Pakistan. As Pakistan’s Best Bank, UBL understands the significance of evolving technologies and platforms in the lives of its customers and this achievement has been made possible only with the support and encouragement of our customers and their appreciation of the brand.”

KARACHI –  Continuing with the pursuit of expanding its service network, to provide its consumers with a higher quality of services, Samsung has recently inaugurated a highly equipped Service Center for its mobile devices at MA Jinnah Road, Karachi.

This modern facility has been enriched with sophisticated equipment, to set higher standards of service-quality, to fulfill the changing needs of various consumer segments. A special inauguration ceremony will be held on January 19, 2017 with punctuality at 4pm.

Samsung Electronics, a global technology leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, telecommunications and home appliances, has been opening up numerous service centers in different cities of Pakistan, to enhance the level of satisfaction among its buyers.

Thus, winning the complete confidence of customers and reassuring them that; Samsung truly cares for them and stands behind the performance and quality of its products.

KARACHI- Power Cement Limited (PCL), an Arif Habib Group company, is setting up a new cement plant in Nooriabad to raise its production capacity to 3.37 million tonnes per year. Power Cement Limited CEO Kashif Habib informed a group of journalists visiting PCL’s existing plant that the new plant’s total cost is Rs25 billion ($235 million equivalent) and has also attracted foreign debt financier’s interest. The new project will use the latest technology from FLSmidth, the top international cement equipment supplier, and will cater to local and international standards. PCL has recently installed environmental friendly, state of the art efficient bag houses, replacing all the electric precipitators at its existing plant, which were inaugurated by Environment Protection Agency Director General Naeem Ahmed Mughal on the occasion of the media visit. This upgradation has resulted in achieving much better control of dust emissions than the emission limit value of 300mg/Nm3 specified by the Environmental Quality Standards applicable in the country.

On the occasion, PCL Chairman Nasim Beg said, “Arif Habib Group believes in investing in areas which encourage development and boost economic activity by creating jobs while remaining conscious of our social responsibilities.”

LAHORE –  Mastercard, a leading technology company in the global payments industry, announced a strategic collaboration with Pakistan’s NADRA Technologies to optimize National ID cards with electronic payments functionality. The move will allow Pakistani citizens to carry out financial transactions and receive government disbursements by utilizing the unique 13-digit identification number of their identity card. Citizens will also be able to use their National ID to send and receive domestic and international remittances, eliminating the requirement to physically visit a bank branch or currency exchange house to meet their money transfer needs.

Under the terms of the agreement, Mastercard will also use its next-generation payment processing technologies to process all online payments made by Pakistani citizens for the issuance of National ID cards, passports or any other document provisioned by NADRA Technologies.

The announcement was made during Mastercard’s participation in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2017, taking place from 17-20 January in Davos, Switzerland.

Aurangzaib Khan, Country Manager – Pakistan and Afghanistan, Mastercard, said: “Our collaboration with NADRA Technologies is a testament to our commitment towards building a reliable and secure ecosystem for online payments in Pakistan. The new service will make international remittances more convenient both for the sender and beneficiary, and this is significant since Pakistan is one of the top receivers of remittances from abroad. Combining the National ID card with payment features will transform it into a powerful, multi-purpose channel for citizens to carry out financial transactions, and will facilitate faster and more efficient delivery of vital government services.”

Industry white paper unveiled at WFES 2017

 

New GE report highlights the power of ‘Digital Efficiency’

to increase productivity and lower environmental impact

 

• Industrial internet solutions can increase output, use natural resources more efficiently and lower environmental impact right now
• Digital efficiency applications have the potential to help industry save US$81 billion per year in fuel costs and close the global carbon gap by almost 30%
• Wide spectrum of applications across industries – power, lighting, aviation, railway and ground transportation – sectors relevant for the region

LAHORE –  GE (NYSE: GE) today unveiled new findings on how companies are using digital applications across their industrial operations to unlock productivity and lower their environmental impact, at the World Future Energy Summit 2017 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center.

In a recently released report, GE and co-author Intel offer a comprehensive view of how the Industrial Internet – embedded sensors, data analytics and connected platforms –  are helping companies increase their productivity and reduce environmental emissions to secure a cleaner and more competitive future.

“We are working closely with our partners in the region, such as Masdar, Saudi Aramco, and RasGas, among others, some of the first adopters of digital solutions, to support regional economies in achieving their energy and economic diversification goals. This is part of a larger movement that includes both large companies, and start-ups, from across the industrial and tech sectors, working together on innovation and implementation to realize the dramatic economic and environmental potential of digital efficiency,” said Deb Frodl, Global Executive Director of GE Ecomagination.

Overarching report findings on digital efficiency:

Emerging digital solutions applied across industry can potentially save US$81 billion in fuel costs annually and close the gap to reaching the COP21 goals by 30 per cent or 823 MT of carbon emissions per year, the equivalent of taking 174 million cars off the road.

The key economic and environmental impact of digitization were identified as:

• Power – US$14 billion in cost savings annually and a potential reduction in global carbon by 495 Mt/year
• Lighting – US$30 billion in saving, and 132 MT/year in carbon reduction
• Aviation– US$14 billion in annual saving and 45 MT/year in carbon reduction
• Railway – US$3 billion in saving and 19MT/year in carbon reduction
• Ground transportation – US$20 billion in saving and 132 MT/year in carbon reduction

 

GE has been working with its partners on digital industrial technologies that help achieve enhanced productivity, efficiency and asset optimization. For example, RasGas Company Limited (RasGas), one of the world’s largest and pioneering producers of liquefied natural gas (LNG), is marking the first global deployment of Industrial Internet technologies in the LNG sector.

In the UAE, Masdar is working with GE to pilot and commercialize sustainable energy-neutral advanced wastewater treatment solutions in the MENAT region, and co-develop Industrial Internet solutions to optimize efficiencies. GE is also working with Masdar to launch a co-leadership training program for women to drive innovation and talent development in the renewable energy sector. In aviation, GE Aviation and Dubai’s Museum of the Future have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to accelerate innovation and advanced technology around the world.

In Saudi Arabia, GE has announced several new digital industrial partnerships, technologies and initiatives. The GE Saudi Technology & Innovation Center (GE STIC) in Dhahran Techno Valley is at the heart of the company’s ‘Industrial Internet’ roadmap to drive digital transformation of industry. GE Oil & Gas Digital is introducing its first Asset Performance Management (APM) solution to reside on Saudi Aramco’s business network for the Aramco Jazan Complex Integrated Manufacturing Operations Management System (IMOMS). Saudi Electricity Company has joined hands with GE, and established a Generation & Optimization Center (GOC), a state-of-the-art center equipped with hardware and software to monitor 16 SEC power plants.

In Pakistan, GE and Engro Corporation Limited initiated a strategic alliance that will make Engro a key digital industrial partner for GE in the country and region. Already a major GE customer, Engro will accelerate its transformation into a digital industrial powerhouse by selling GE solutions and becoming a system integrator of GE Power’s digital solutions to the power generation industry. Engro and GE will also jointly develop new software applications on GE’s Predix platform for the Industrial Internet to address industries not currently served by GE in which Engro has deep domain expertise.In lighting, Current, which brings together capabilities from GE’s LED, Solar, Energy Storage, and electric vehicle businesses, is enabling its partners in MENA to tap into a wide variety of GE offerings and optimize their energy needs across their entire operation.

GE’s Industrial Internet operating system, Predix, is playing a pivotal role in providing a foundation for a range of digital solutions that improve energy and water efficiency across aviation, railways, ground transportation, manufacturing facilities, power plants and buildings.

The report draws on the experience of GE’s Ecomagination business strategy to deploy sustainable solutions that provide economic and environmental outcomes. Contributions to the white paper also came from the GE Ecomagination Innovation Center in Masdar City, where GE’s professionals work with UAE-based researchers and industry experts to identify sustainable solutions for today’s pressing challenges.

The white paper can be downloaded at: www.gereports.com. Copies of the white paper can also be collected at GE’s booth at WFES 2017, where the company is showcasing its advanced suite of digital solutions to support a greener future.