Indian President presents Padma Shri Award to Sunny Varkey, Founder & Chairman of GEMS Education

New Delhi, March 31, 2009: The Honourable President of India, Smt. Pratibha Patil, has awarded Mr. Sunny Varkey, Founder & Chairman of GEMS Education, with one of the country’s highest honours, the Padma Shri award, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Education and Social service. The ceremony was held in the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Mr. Varkey joins a select list of Global Indians to be honoured with the Padma Shri award for his exemplary services in the field of education across the world, and particularly the UAE. With a network of 100 schools world-wide, of which 26 are in the UAE, Mr. Varkey manages one of the largest networks of private schools globally. GEMS Education has contributed significantly to the socio-economic progress of the various countries it operates in.

“I am overwhelmed by this recognition from the Government of India. Receiving this from the Honourable President is a great honour. Education and social services are extremely close to my heart. I share this honour with the entire team of GEMS Education, who through their consistent hard work and dedication, has improved the lives of people across the world. Awards like this motivate us to continue the work we do in the field of education and to focus on initiatives that help provide education to the underprivileged, “Mr. Varkey said.

Mr. Varkey received the Rajiv Gandhi Award for Eminent Educationist last year, and has also earlier received the CEO Middle East Award for Corporate Social Responsibility, the Global Indian Business Award and the Most Outstanding Businessman of the Year by Asian Businessman Awards, Middle East – all for his achievements in education and healthcare

Emirates SkyCargo Welcomes New-Generation Freighter into Fleet

Dubai, UAE, 31st March 2009 – Emirates SkyCargo’s first Boeing 777 Freighter has arrived in Dubai after completing its inaugural commercial flight from Hong Kong.

The carrier took delivery of the new-generation freighter at Boeing’s Everett, Washington facility on the weekend. From there it went directly to Hong Kong, still one of the carrier’s most robust routes, where it was loaded with cargo bound for Dubai and beyond.

The Boeing 777F, with its range and environmental advantages over other freighters in the market, will play an integral role in Emirates’ freighter fleet. It boasts the longest range capability of all twin engine jets, able to fly non-stop between Dubai and major cargo centres such as Frankfurt and Hong Kong with a full 103-tonne payload.

Renowned for its fuel efficiency – the Boeing 777F uses less fuel per tonne of cargo than other freighters available, significantly reducing the fuel bill – it is also the quietest freighter flying today (QC2 compliant).

The new aircraft will complement Emirates existing fleet of Boeing 777 passenger aircraft. This year, the airline will become the largest Boeing 777 operator in the world, already operating more than 70. Sixty five per cent of all Emirates SkyCargo traffic travels in the belly of its wide-bodied passenger aircraft.

Ram Menen, Divisional Senior Vice President Cargo, said, “This freighter is part of our long-term investment for Emirates SkyCargo.”

He acknowledged that while the air cargo industry was currently experiencing its toughest period since the beginning of the jet age, world air cargo traffic was still forecast to triple over the next 20 years, and said that Emirates needed to be prepared for when these predicted growth levels returned.

“In the last 15 years a tremendous amount of work has gone into developing the science of supply chain management. Inventory and logistics management are two of the most critical elements of the supply chain and with globalisation of manufacturing and of the marketplace, reliability of transport plays a very important role. Just-in-time and vendor managed inventory is what creates a very cost efficient supply chain with time becoming a crucial factor.

“Emirates has opted for these brand new, super-efficient aircraft to ensure we are best placed to serve the industry’s requirements in the long term. Freighters have a greater role in today’s supply chain – transporting cargo directly from production to consumption.”

Emirates SkyCargo will take delivery of another Boeing 777F later this year, with a further two on order

Emirates Supports Uae Nationals At Careers Fair

DUBAI, U.A.E, 28th March 2009 - The Emirates Group is once again supporting the country’s Emiratisation drive, by taking an active part in the Annual Career Fair to be held in Dubai World Trade Centre from 29th to 31st March 2009.

A strong supporter of Emiratistaion since commencing operations in 1985, Emirates has worked hard to recruit and retain UAE nationals, providing them with the exciting opportunity to give UAE nationals a chance to learn about, and develop meaningful careers in aviation.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group said: “The Annual Careers Fair is an ideal platform to raise awareness of the opportunities available within the Emirates Group for UAE nationals. Emirates has always been committed to recruiting Emiratis and helping them cultivate their careers and we will continue to support them now and into the future. We understand this year will be a very challenging year for almost all employers, however we will continue supporting national recruitment and taking it on priority.”

“We will thoroughly review each application and provide opportunities for the candidates to be assessed in order to determine the best available vacancy that matches their profile.”

At the 2008 Annual Careers Fair, the Emirates Group stand received over 3900 applications for employment. This year, Emirates Group expects a record number of job seekers to pass by its stand E4- 1 in Hall 3, which has been enhanced with new and exciting facilities to cater to the expected increase in demand.

The new stand will span two levels and will be installed with 10 internet stations to encourage paper free applications. An initial medical pre-screening for UAE nationals who have expressed interest in the cadet pilot program will also be undertaken on the stand by specialized Nurses.

Staff and management of Emirates’ National Recruitment & Development department will be at the company’s stand to discuss career development opportunities with visitors throughout the exhibition. In addition, UAE national pilots, cabin crew and engineers will be available to share their experiences of training and working in the Emirates Group and to answer visitors’ queries.

Key programmes offered by the Emirates Group include;

National High School programme, covering a range of diverse areas such as; Sky Cargo, Dnata Airport Services, IT, Sales, Group Security and facilities
Apprentice Mechanic (Dnata Technical) programme
English language trainee programme
Cadet pilot and cabin crew programmes
Diploma Graduate training programme
Aircraft Mechanics (Emirates Engineering) programme
Graduate training programme (National Higher Diploma / Bachelor) for HR, Corporate Communications, Performance Development, Industry travel, D&LM, Commercial Operations, Airport Services, IT , Finance, Dnata Travel Services, Hotel & Resort, CASA, YM and Flight Operations
For more information on careers within the Emirates Group visit www.emiratesgroupcareers.com

DM gets more ISO certificates

Eng. Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality said the Municipality is one of the leading departments in Dubai Government, which has always sought to achieve the best results and highest standards in all fields as it pursues a policy of taking well studied steps and work as a team to reach the best practices.

He was speaking when the Municipality and six of its organizational units were receiving certificates for quality systems in accordance with the requirements of ISO 9001:2008 international standard.

The certificates were distributed in the presence of Mr. Trogger, Regional Director, Middle East of the Norway-based Det Norske Veritas (DNV), the international ISO certification body.

The certificates were received by Khaled Bin Zayed, Director of Municipality Centres Department, Abdullah Abdul Rahman, Director of Human Resources Department, Ahmed Abdul Karim, Director of Public Parks and Horticulture Department, Eng. Mohamed AbdulAziz Nujm, Director of Sewage Water Treatment Plant Department, Mohammed Al Zaffin, Director of GIS Department, Maryam Al Hammadi, Director of Corporate Excellence Department. Members of the working groups of all departments were also present on the occasion.

Lootah thanked the departments for their efforts and called them strive to obtain such certificates, which enhance the quality of services provided, and emphasize the systems corresponding to international standards for these certificates.

Lootah congratulated all employees on this achievement and encouraged them to continue the efforts towards more achievements in work, which contributes to the realization of the Municipality's vision creating an excellent city that provides the essence of success and comfort of living.

The Municipality's winning of these certificates comes on the basis of a clear plan of action by the Corporate Excellence Department for getting certificates of quality and excellence awards for all departments of the Municipality.

The Municipality is considered one of the pioneering Dubai government departments that keep pace with meeting the requirements of the new versions of ISO 9001:2008 certificates.
This is the second time Dubai Municipality is getting these awards. During the month of November 2008 seven departments obtained ISO 9001-2000 certificates in the presence of Henrik Madsen, CEO of DNV. They were the departments of Legal Affairs, Internal Audit, General Projects, Transportation, Planning, Corporate Marketing and Relations and Children's City.

EMIRATES INCREASES FLIGHTS TO THREE KEY MIDDLE EASTERN HUBS

DUBAI, U.A.E, 29th March 2009: Reinforcing and strengthening the airline’s commitment to the Middle East, Emirates has today announced increased services to three of its key regional gateways including; Dammam, Beirut and Tehran.

Starting from the 1st May, Emirates will introduce two additional weekly flights to Dammam, three additional weekly flights to Beirut and an extra two weekly flights to Tehran, further reinforcing the airline’s extensive operations across the Middle East.

“The Middle East is one of the most active aviation markets in the world and an integral part of Emirates operations,” said Ahmed Khoory, Emirates' Senior Vice President Commercial Operations - Gulf Middle East & Iran. “The addition of these flights has been implemented in recognition of the increased demand for services across the Middle East and will provide much needed capacity on these perpetually busy routes.”

“The enhanced capacity will also offer excellent connections to Emirates extensive global network as well as provide extra flights for the thousands of expatriate residents who live and work in Dubai but whose family is still based in their home country.”

Recent statistics released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) show that demand for services across the Middle East grew 3.1 per cent in January 2009 despite the global economic downturn, with Emirates well placed to capitalize on this growth.

The additional flights to Beirut, Dammam and Tehran marks the second significant increase in flights across the Middle East for Emirates - in February Emirates added capacity to Amman, Riyadh and Jeddah - bringing its weekly operation to: seven flights to Dammam, 17 flights to Beirut and 21 flights to Tehran.

The airline has an extensive Middle East network covering 14 cities with 180 flights per week. With the additional flights to Dammam, Beirut and Tehran starting May 2009, Emirates will serve the region with 187 flights per week.

GE showcases diverse businesses at Careers UAE

Dubai, UAE; March 30, 2009: General Electric (GE) is showcasing the company’s diverse portfolio of businesses in the region, including aviation, healthcare, media, finance, oil & gas, energy and security, at Careers UAE, the premier career exhibition for UAE nationals, being held at the Dubai International Convention Centre.

With a current workforce of more than 1,500 employees, GE’s growth strategy for the region is powered by concerted localization initiatives and reflects its operational ethos of working hand-in-hand with local governments for socio-economic development. GE is at the forefront of working with universities to develop industry-based curricula that empowers graduates to perform efficiently at the workplace in the UAE.

Annually, GE spends some US$1 billion (AED 3.67 billion) on training and education programs for its employees worldwide. Most recently, GE launched the ‘Come Join GE’ micro-site (www.comejoinge.com) to strengthen local recruitment and enhance employee participation to achieve the company’s growth goals.

“GE is regarded as an Employer of Choice globally and offers a strong platform for the personal and professional growth of its employees. GE’s participation in this year’s Careers UAE is a reiteration of the importance of the UAE market to our operations,” said Nabil Habayeb, GE’s President and CEO for the Middle East and Africa region.

Careers UAE 2009 is organized by the Dubai World Trade Centre, in conjunction with TANMIA, Emirates Nationals Development Programme (ENDP), Higher Colleges of Technology, Zayed University and UAE University.

DM Accreditation Dept holds Open Forum with customers

The Customer Relations Department of Dubai Municipality organized an open forum between the Accreditation Department of the Municipality and its customers, who included the laboratories, accredited to the Municipality and registered private laboratories.

The forum was attended by more than 100 people representing laboratory managers, technical staff and some members of the technical committee for the accreditation of laboratories, in addition to David J Stanger, member of the Governing Board of International Union of Independent Laboratories (UILI). The customers' forum was organized by the department in order to achieve customer satisfaction on the services it provides.

Khalid AbdulRahim Abdullah, Director of Customer Relations Department said the Customers' Forum is a project that allows the concerned departments to understand the needs of major clients of these departments and to satisfy their needs and listening to the grievances to reach out to increase customer satisfaction and improve the development and diversification of services and clients.

The Department chose the most important customers from among the company owners who deal with the concerned departments (in terms of number of transactions). Dubai Municipality invited them to attend an open forum with the Director of Department and Heads of Sections and concerned officials from other departments. An overview of the services of the Department was presented in the forum, in addition to conducting a panel discussion for the exchange of ideas and suggestions and to identify the needs of the customers.

He pointed out that the project aims to interact with the public to achieve their satisfaction, give them the opportunity to put forth their enquiries and suggestions, to identify their needs, develop new services to meet the needs and expectations of customers, improve and develop existing services, and develop human resources.

The customers of the Accreditation Department among the companies and establishments, who attended the forum, expressed their comments and passed on their impressions about the level of satisfaction with the services provided by the Department, the most prominent of them were presented in the forum. In addition to that discussions were held about some of the services that need to be developed as per the nature of the work that are linked with the Municipality.

Amina Ahmad, Director of Accreditation Department gave a brief presentation on the nature of the work of the Department and its activities such as the accreditation of laboratories working in the field of building materials, environmental testing, and medical laboratory accreditation. She also touched upon the accreditation of the inspection bodies working in the areas of safety, such as cranes, escalators and elevators and accreditation of certification bodies, especially those working in the fields of food testing and HACCP certification.

She also pointed out the training activities undertaken by the Department for the customers in order to improve their performance consistent with international specifications and standards and best practices in the world, in addition to the future plans and expansion in the areas of work of the Department.

Ahmed emphasized the need to hold such forums that contribute to the improvement of services and the transfer of customer feedback on the level of services and how to achieve the desired goals.

Dr. Mohammed Saad talked about the latest international specifications and requirements and the importance of accreditation in the improvement and development of the work of accredited laboratories. He also introduced a method of continuing education the Department plans to present on its website in order to measure and develop the performance of technicians working in the laboratories.

Dr. Yasser Saleh presented the registration requirements of laboratories and inspection bodies as per the Local Order No. 52 of 1990. He stressed that the process of registration with Dubai Municipality include more than 86 testing laboratories and inspection bodies. It also deals with skill test programme, organized by the Department among the accredited and registered laboratories to measure and track their performance and to ensure the credibility of the results produced by them. He also pointed out that the Department has organized more than 174 programmes.

It is worth mention that these forums were involved by the departments that have a large segment of customers such as Food Control Department, Dubai Central Laboratory Department, Building Department, Finance Department, and Waste Management Department.