Religious Tourism a Key Focus as AKMC Announces New Hotel Project in Holy City of Madina

-Leading Hospitality & Commercial Property Developer Announces Expansion of its Portfolio in Line with Tourism Growth in Saudi Arabia-

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA, 2nd May 2011:  Al Khozama Management Company (AKMC), a leading luxury commercial property development, investment and management company in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has announced the signing of a management agreement for its first five-star hotel in the holy city of Madina, the Al Faisaliah Hotel Madinah. The company already operates the award winning five-star AKMC-Al Shohada Hotel in Makkah, and is scheduled to open the Al Khozama Hotel-Madina by the end of 2011. In addition, AKMC owns and/or operates a number of other luxury hospitality, retail and commercial properties Riyadh.
Confirmation of the agreement between AKMC and Al Aqeeq, a leading real estate development company in Saudi Arabia, was announced during the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) currently taking place in Dubai from 2nd – 5th May 2011.
AKMC’s activities and investments in the Kingdom reflect the continued growth of the tourism industry in Saudi Arabia, particularly in the business and religious travel sectors, where the latter currently accounts for 47.1 percent of all trips to the Kingdom.  Last year, almost 1 million Ramadan visas for foreign pilgrims were issued by the Ministry of Haj, an increase of 16 percent on the previous year.


Mr Masaed Al Said, CEO of AKMC said:  “One of the key aspects of AKMC’s business and development strategy is to expand its hospitality portfolio into the significant religious and business cities in the Kingdom.  Under the leadership of H.H. Prince Bandar Bin Saud Bin Khalid, AKMC has been at the forefront of the hospitality industry’s development in the country since 1995, and continues to set the benchmark for impeccable service and luxury in all the cities in which it operates.”
Conveniently located within close proximity to the Mosque of Prophet Muhammad PBUH, Al Faisaliah Hotel Madinah comprises 495 well-appointed guest rooms and suites, a number of restaurant and dining options, and the first spa and wellness studio in Madina.
The five-star property complements the services and amenities being offered at the company’s boutique Al Khozama Hotel-Madinah located on the western periphery of the Prophet’s Mosque.  The luxury property with 140 rooms and suits is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2011.
AKMC’s appointment as hotel operator for the Al Faisaliah Hotel Madinah follows its successful development and management of the five-star property AKMC-Al Shohada Hotel in Makkah, now recognized as one of the leading hotels in the holy city. Impeccable service standards, which include the unique 24-hour butler service, coupled with unrivalled rooms and suites, have contributed to the hotel winning “Makkah’s Leading Hotel” at the 2010 World Travel Awards.  The hotel is a key contender for the 2011 award to be announced this week.
Hussein Hatata, Vice President – Hotels Division, AKMC said:  “AKMC’s strategic approach to development in the Kingdom has enabled the company to meet the demands of a fast growing industry and set standards that are currently unmatched in Saudi Arabia.  AKMC has received more than 20 international awards for excellence in hospitality in the past two years alone, and we are confident that this will continue in 2011.

About AKMC:
Since 1995 Al Khozama Management Company (AKMC) has been the frontrunner in the development and management of luxurious commercial properties in key locations across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia .Combining smart investment in prime properties, outstanding vision for tomorrow’s trends and an innovative approach to management, AKMC is consistently establishing the benchmark in both operational and aesthetic standards.
AKMC boasts a diversified business model that covers the ownership, investment and management of properties in the hospitality, retail and office sectors and is the only company in the hospitality sector that has such a wide-ranging portfolio – from leisure resorts and city center business hotels, to those in religiously significant locations of Makkah and Al Madina Al Munawarra.
AKMC ranks in the top 100 companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. -  For more information visit www.akmc.com.sa

Dubai Investments PJSC Reports Net Profit of AED 101 million for First Quarter of 2011

Dubai – UAE: 2 May, 2011 - Dubai Investments PJSC (“DI”), the

largest investment company listed on the Dubai Financial Market, today

announced its financial results for the first quarter ended 31 March 2011

(“the Period”).

DI reported profit of AED 101 million for the Period as compared to

AED 278 million for the comparable period last year. Consolidated total

income for the Period was AED 643 million as against AED 859 million

for the comparable period last year. Total assets as of 31 March 2011

stands at AED 14 billion, while net worth increased to AED 8.6 billion.

The annualized return on share capital achieved for the Period is 11.3%.

The decline in profit as compared to previous period is mainly due to

lower fair valuation gain on investment properties. For the Period, Group

recorded a fair valuation gain of AED 33 million as compared to AED 177

million for the comparable period last year.

Khalid Kalban, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Dubai

Investments, said: “The Group continues to have strong capitalization

with asset base of AED 14 billion and equity of AED 8.5 billion. The

low leverage structure has provided tremendous operational flexibility,

and has allowed the company to respond quickly to changing market

conditions during difficult times.

“The current political situation in MENA and the slow recovery in the

UAE real estate sector are significant challenges. The Group is, however,

1

expanding capacities in industrial and manufacturing sectors and making

entry into new markets. Further, we are closely monitoring the market

for an appropriate opportunity to enhance and make additions to our

existing investment base.”


About Dubai Investments:

Dubai Investments PJSC (DI) is a world-class company that invests in viable and profitable

entities. With over 20,229 shareholders, and paid-up capital of AED 3.3 billion, it is the largest

investment company listed on Dubai Financial Market.

Dubai Investments PJSC was incorporated in 1995, with the primary objective of investing in

companies and projects.established

companies

encompassing

a

diverse

including manufacturing, food and related fast moving consumer goods, wholesale and retail

trade representation, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, industrial and commercial properties,

real estate management and property development, transportation, shipping, distribution and

logistics, marketing and sales, publishing and telecommunications.

DI’s mission is to add value and to grow its investment portfolio through active strategic

stewardship, financial engineering and leveraging its corporate brand, business promotion

capabilities, network of relationships, and financial resources.

The REDTAG Group Franchisee for Jordan

The REDTAG Group (Dubai) and MATAJIR General Trading (Jordan) today released a
joint statement confirming the signing of an exclusive Master Development Agreement for
the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

The five year deal would see MATAJIR own and operate REDTAG stores as master
franchisee for the territory; an announcement on the first stores to be opened in the
Kingdom is expected to be made in the coming weeks.

REDTAG, a value fashion and home wares brand of BMA International FZE in Dubai
has seen significant success in the GCC markets since launching in May of 2006. The
REDTAG Group now owns and operates 65 stores (51 under the REDTAG store brand)
throughout the GCC, with a further 12 new stores planned to open in 2011.

REDTAG Group CEO Ernest Hosking commented, “This would be our group’s first
Franchise operation and also the first REDTAG store outside of the GCC. This is a very
exciting step forward for our brand and will further enhance its position as a leading value
retailer in the wider Middle East. We expect to make further announcements this year as
we conclude negotiations on other territories in the region.”

Faris Al-Derzi CEO of MATAJIR incorporation with TAMANI Investment and Trading as a
group of companies who currently own and operate the ABC department store in Amman,
explained “we are very excited about our new partnership with REDTAG and bringing
such a successful value brand to the Jordanian market. First two stores location will be
announced in the coming weeks.”

About REDTAG
REDTAG is a refreshing concept from Dubai that is making its mark on today's Middle East retail landscape. It is a chain
of value fashion and home stores that offer a world of choice in an enjoyable shopping experience at unbeatable value.
Offering 365 days of value, REDTAG stores launched in 2006 are now a big hit with more and more families looking for
fashion and style. The pricing of the products, the stringent quality assurance and the availability of customer favourites
is why REDTAG is the first choice for value-conscious customers.
REDTAG is part of BMA International Dubai, currently with 65 stores across the GCC that has been growing at a rate of
20 per cent annually. REDTAG is poised for a quantum leap in the retail world with an ambitious plan to open at least 12
new REDTAG stores per year in malls as well as high streets that will see the REDTAG brand become a leader in the
value fashion and lifestyle market.

PERSONALISED SERVICE AT ROSEWOOD HOTELS IN SAUDI ARABIA EARN HIGHEST INTERNATIONAL RATING

- Al Faisaliah Hotel, A Rosewood Hotel and Rosewood Corniche awarded Top Rating by International Institute of Modern Butlers -

2^nd May 2011, Saudi Arabia:  Personalised service has always been a differentiating factor between the good and the great in the hospitality industry, so it comes as no surprise that both Rosewood Hotels & Resorts’ ultra-luxury properties in Saudi Arabia – the Al Faisaliah Hotel in Riyadh and the Rosewood Corniche in Jeddah - have been awarded one of the highest internationally recognised rating for their 24-hour butler service by the International Institute of Modern Butlers.   

As the first hotels in the Middle East to receive a Five Category Butler Rating by the Butlers Guild, Al Faisaliah Hotel, A Rosewood Hotel and Rosewood Corniche were required to meet a comprehensive list of criteria for their butler service, with attention to detail a key element in the evaluation. The 72-strong butler teams have participated in intensive annual training programmes with the Institute of Modern Butlers for the past four years.

Steven Ferry, Chairman of the International Institute of Modern Butlers said:  “For the last thousand years butlers have been employed to provide personal service for royalty, nobility, estate homes, and now luxury hotels.  The butler programmes conducted for Rosewood Hotels in Saudi Arabia honour the time-tested methods of traditional butlering, but with a creative and modern approach, allowing us to update techniques and redefine state-of-the-art, discreet service.”

Powers of observation are particularly critical for the butlers at both Al Faisaliah Hotel and Rosewood Corniche, whether in noting a guest’s preference for a particular fruit in his fruit bowl, or which side of the bed he prefers to sleep and with what pillows.  Both hotels also use the latest technology to ensure the highest level of efficiency in the personalised service offered. Butlers enter all guest requests into a bespoke database system, which then allows the hotels to pre-empt preferences and requests for a guest’s future stay in the hotels.

Butlers attend to guest requests immediately and range from unpacking suitcases, cleaning shoes, presenting food en suite, providing relevant and enlightening information on the hotel facilities and the city in general, assisting with technology requirements, to checking the smallest detail from housekeeping and room service.

“Al Faisaliah Hotel prides itself on attention to detail and the round-the-clock personalised service we provide to every one of our guests, and we are delighted be recognized internationally for this,” said Peter Finamore, Managing Director, Al Faisaliah Hotel. “The smallest detail often makes the biggest impression and our guests appreciate and have come to expect the unrivalled personalised service we provide.”

Hans-Peter Leitzke, Managing Director of Rosewood Corniche was equally delighted with the achievement:  “The ultimate in luxury - whether in a car, a finely crafted suit or a premier hotel - is in the personal, the bespoke, the one of a kind.  The service our team delivers to every one of our guests is individual, personal and highly attentive.  At Rosewood Corniche it is also about anticipating our guests’ needs before they have to ask, and every element of our service strives to do just that.”

Personalised service at both hotels extends beyond the impeccable service provided by the butler teams.  The Royal Suite at Rosewood Corniche in Jeddah and the Royal Penthouse and Royal Diamond Suites at Al Faisaliah Hotel in Riyadh, also include the services of a personal chef.  The ultra-luxury Oasis Suite in the newly opened Al Faisaliah Hotel -South is the only hotel suite in the Kingdom with its own personal spa treatment room, while the Rosewood Corniche offers a personal luxury limousine service to guests for Umrah journeys to and from the Holy City of Makkah and Al Masjid Al Haram. 

“The top international rating for the personalised service delivered at both Rosewood Corniche and Al Faisaliah Hotel, A Rosewood Hotel is an excellent achievement for both properties, and adds to the significant number of other international awards for excellence already received.  This recognition inspires the teams to offer guests the best personal service at all times without exception,” said Ron Cusiter, Vice President, Sales & Marketing Operations, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts.

                                       

About Rosewood Hotels & Resorts:

Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts® manages one-of-a-kind luxury properties in the world’s most desired destinations. Rosewood properties embrace the company’s A Sense of Place® philosophy, reflecting the history, architecture, scale and sensibilities of the destination. With 19 properties in eight countries, the Rosewood collection includes some of the most legendary hotels and resorts in the world, including Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek® in Dallas, The Carlyle in New York, Rosewood Little Dix Bay on Virgin Gorda, as well as contemporary classics such as Rosewood Sand Hill® in California, Rosewood San Miguel de Allende® in Mexico, and, now, Rosewood Tucker’s Point in Bermuda. Rosewood also offers Sense® spa – featuring treatments reflective of the location’s culture and natural environment - available exclusively at select properties.

About Al Faisaliah Hotel, A Rosewood Hotel:

Riyadh’s most luxurious property opened at Al Faisaliah Hotel in May 2000. In a city that gracefully melds tradition with sophisticated style, Al Faisaliah Hotel defines the ultimate in modern elegance and prestigious location. The stunning hotel boasts the largest column-free banquet and meeting facilities in the Kingdom. With the introduction of dedicated 24-hour butler service, the 330-room and suites property, has elevated the art of personal service to new levels. Perfectly suited to the discerning business traveler, Al Faisaliah offers spacious accommodations, technologically advanced in-room communications systems, five culinary venues, with “La Cucina” being the sixth addition, a state-of-the-art health club and easy access to world-class shopping.

Nexus Appoints Second Director in General Insurance

Ian Walton Joins Rumi M. Sanjana in Heading up Nexus’ General Insurance
Division to Drive Business in this Sector

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Nexus, one of the region’s largest independent insurance brokers, has appointed Ian
Walton as its Sales Director General Insurance as part of its 2011 plan to drive growth in
the general insurance division of the business, the company announced today.

Walton joins Rumi M Sanjana, who was appointed Director of General Insurance in
January last year, in heading up Nexus’ general insurance division which saw general
insurance increase by 42 percent last year – a trend the company expects to continue in
2011.

Prior to joining Nexus, Ian was Advisor on Business Development at Oman Insurance
Company and prior to this role was Managing Director of Colemont Middle East, which
he established in 2005. Overall, he has over 20 years of experience in the region dealing
with entities such as Dubai Holding Drydocks and Dubai Civil Aviation.

“The Nexus group is strategically placed in the region with offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi,
Qatar and Bahrain with new offices in Lebanon and Kuwait immanent, to capitalise on
last year’s successful growth in general insurance and further develop this side of the
business in 2011,” said Walton.

“We aim to use our existing client base, group connections and our strong relationships
with insurance providers to drive up general insurance sales this year; a strategy that will
be supported by in-house training for our dedicated on-the-ground sales force,” he added.

“I am excited to be welcoming Ian into the Nexus family, and I am confident that his
strong industry track record and leadership skills will ensure the division will grow to
greater heights in the coming years. Ian’s experience means our consultants will enjoy
even stronger support which will in turn enable them to provide the best possible advice
and service to their individual clients,” said Mahmoud Nodjoumi, founder and CEO of

the Nexus Group.

“Nexus has seen general life insurance business grow substantially in the past year
and we expect this to continue in 2011 as more and more people in the region begin to
understand and recognise the importance of personal financial planning in their day to
day lives,” he added.

Gulf countries, in general, still have low overall insurance penetration sitting at around
one percent on average, compared with seven percent globally, according to the most
recent Arab Insurance Market Review.

“Lack of awareness of general insurance products is still a major barrier in the region,
even simple policies, such as cover for household contents, are very low on people’s
agenda. This is something myself and the team will be working towards changing,”
concluded Walton.

Nexus, which has offices in the UAE, Doha and Bahrain, with two new offices opening
in early 2011, now offers its clients the choice of over 20 insurance and investment
products, many from some of the best Fortune 500 Insurers.


About Nexus Group of Companies:
Nexus is an exciting force in professional financial services. Our unique approach will
help you and your family to accumulate and protect your wealth today and tomorrow.

At Nexus, our expertise and independence mean we are perfectly positioned to deliver
the first-class service you deserve. As qualified professionals in wealth accumulation and
protection, we are a company you can trust to understand your unique financial situation.

www.nexusadvice.com

433 street vendors, beggars, illegal car washers nabbed

Dubai Municipality inspectors, in cooperation with Dubai Police and the Dubai Naturalization and
Residency Department, nabbed last month 433 persons including street vendors, beggars and
illegal car washers. The sweep against the law-breakers had also resulted in the seizure of several
low-quality goods and pirated CDs.
Civic inspectors conduct daily spot checks in streets and public places to prevent street vending,
begging and car washing in public places by individuals in violation of a ruling by the Ministry of
Labour in this regard. Inspectors at the Control Unit of the Markets Administration Section in the
Assets Management Department carry out regular checks to book the violators.
In April 2011, they caught a total of 433 people including 346 street vendors, 41 beggars, 39 car
washers and 7 illegal butchers and fish cleaners.
A total of 2,249 counterfeit products including ready-made garments, perfumes, and phones that
were fake international brands were confiscated. Also, some 6,058 DVDs with pirated films, 23
pornographic movies, 88 foodstuff items including boxes of fruits and vegetables, in addition to 12
palm trees were seized last month.
The law-breakers, who belong to various nationalities, would be handed over to the Dubai
Naturalization and Residency Department for deportation in coordination with Dubai Police. The
seized goods would be destroyed and disposed off safely after legal actions were taken against the
violators.
The public is urged to call the Municipality on the toll-free number 800900 round-the-clock to
report such illegal activities.

DM opens month-long International Workers' Day Festival at labour camp

About 6,000 labourers working in Dubai Municipality will have a month of enjoyment and entertainment as the civic body inaugurated the month-long Workers' Festival on Sunday as part of the International Workers' Day, which falls on May 1 every year.

Eng. Mohammed AbdulKarim Julfar, Assistant Director General of Dubai Municipality for Corporate Support Services Sector officially opened the event at the Municipality Labour accommodation in Muhaisina – 2 in the presence of Khalid Ali Bin Zayed, Director of Human Resources Department, Eng. Juma Khalifa Al Fuqae, Director of General Maintenance Department, Eng. Hassan Makki, Director of Sewage Network Department and many other senior officials of the Municipality. This is the third year the event is being held.

The month-long festival, which will last until 30^th May, includes various cultural activities and entertainment programmes such as music band, folklore dance performances, free medical check up and lectures on different subjects.

A total of Dh500,000 is being given away to 561 Municipality workers chosen for their excellence in work.

More than half of the Municipality work force comprises of a huge number of labourers employed in various departments such as Waste Management, Public Parks and Horticulture, Sewage Treatment Plant and Sewage Network.

During the month senior officials of the Municipality will visit worksites and distribute gifts to the labourers.

The event, conducted by the Human Resources Department, also includes daily lectures from 5:30 pm until 6:30 pm; educational awareness programs, religious competitions, sports tournaments, cultural, social, religious and recreational activities, as well as a program to teach Tajweed every weekend.

Khalid Ali Bin Zayed, Director of Human Resources Department said that the Municipality is keen to organize a festival on the occasion of the International Workers' Day to support workers, giving them attention and care, and to highlight the significant role played by various government departments in the promotion and application of social, cultural, scientific, and religious methodologies and policies.

The topics of lectures include "HIV" presented by Dubai Police, "Human Resources Services", "Summer Diseases/Vaccines", "Food Safety" and "Hygiene Monitoring in Labour Accommodation" and a number of religious lectures, including "Sincere Work", "Tidiness and Prayer", "charity" and "Blessed Life."