A recent roundtable discussion hosted by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) was attended by officers and managers from a variety of local and international financial institutions. The purpose of the gathering was to take a closer look at gender-related policies that affect women's roles and their advancement in the banking and finance industries. Rasheed Al Maraj was the moderator. Read More »

Hilal Computers and American technology firm Oracle hosted seminar Bahrain Technology Day Monday. At the event, more than 50 IT professionals learned about Oracle's newest products and advances, including Oracle Database 12c. This new, cloud-based technology allows customers to more efficiently use their IT resources. It also includes in-memory data-processing capabilities. Read More »

Oman Air recently upgraded its Frankfurt service for its winter 2015-16 as well as adding service to Dhaka. Oman Air will offer service between Muscat and Frankfurt on its brand new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The first Frankfurt flight occurred on Oct. 25. Demand for Frankfurt service has steadily increased since it was first offered by the airline in 2009. Read More »

Emirates opened up a fourth route to Italy Tuesday with daily flights available from the airline’s hub in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Bologna. The new route was celebrated with a traditional firehose shower as the first Emirates flight landed in Bologna, whose standing as a provincial capital is one of the world’s best-preserved medieval centers makes it a popular destination. Read More »

Service provider GBI has joined DE-CIX in Frankfurt, Germany, and UAE-IX in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, which are both global Internet exchanges of DE-CIX. GBI is a multi-layer carrier neutral network that provides connectivity to the Middle East. GBI has also joined the DE-CIX Partner Program, making the company an official DE-CIX reseller. Amr Eid also agreed with Summa's remarks. Read More »

Hilton Worldwide opened its first DoubleTree hotel Thursday in Old Town Doha, Qatar, amid the capital city’s booming business district. The DoubleTree by Hilton - Old Town is one of Hilton’s mid-market full-service hotel brands. The DoubleTree is designed to offer stylish accommodation without breaking the bank. The new Doha DoubleTree by Hilton has 187 suites and rooms. Read More »

MasterCard is shaking up its management team in the Middle East and Africa, starting with the appointment of Raghu Malhotra as MENA regional president. From January, Malhotra will be stepping into the shoes of Michael Miebach, who will take up the position of chief product officer. Malhotra will take charge of delivering high-quality customer service and evolving financial technology. Read More »

The Saudi Basic Industries Corporation highlighted the company’s CO2 purification plant at the recent Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum from Nov. 1 to Nov. 5 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The forum brought together major players, including Saudi Aramco and the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, to discuss the latest methods to shave off carbon emissions. Read More »

The global financial software company Misys held its inaugural launch of its Misys Connect Forum in Dubai this week. The company has held Connect Forums for financial industry leaders and professionals in various cities around the world for years; however, this is the first time they have held a forum in Dubai, recognizing the Emirate’s growing importance as a global financial hub. Read More »

Qatar Airways recently reached an agreement with Royal Air Maroc to provide more flights between Qatar and Morocco to increase travel and business. The agreement has been well-received, with flights between Qatar and Morocco increasing from seven to 10 times weekly. The increase in air traffic also means an increase in business travel and tourism to both destinations. Read More »

Imdaad recently presented its budget for 2016 at its Budget Day. The session also saw the company's officials discuss new strategies for 2016. Highlights for 2015 for Imdaad were the company's new strategic partnership with WMS Metal Industries of the United Arab Emirates and a three-year comprehensive maintenance and repair contract for Emirates Transport’s vehicles and equipment. Read More »

Fast Rent A Car recently opened the doors to a new location at the Abu Dhabi International Airport, marking this the fourth new store to open in the Emirates this year. The company’s CEO, Ahmed Abood Al Boasy, was on hand to celebrate the grand opening, which represents the 22nd Fast Rent A Car store in the UAE. Ten of those 22 are in the Abu Dhabi region of the country. Read More »

This first-of-its-kind technology is a virtual service that provides an array of network management solutions as well as proxies and other necessities for network policy control. Customers can choose to add such services as social networking traffic management, real-time entertainment traffic management, gaming traffic management and peer-to-peer traffic management. Read More »

Oman Sail employees recently graduated from the Institute of Leadership and Management’s Fast Track Leadership Program. Oman Sail is a non-profit organization established in 2008 to develop and modernize Oman’s historic sailing culture. The organization offers sailing courses and training programs and organizes and promotes major international sailing events in the Sultanate. Read More »

Joe’s Crab Shack, one of the most recognized restaurant brands in the United States, opened its very first location outside of the United States in Dubai. The new casual seafood restaurant brings American beach lifestyle to the second floor of the Dubai Mall. Appropriately, it’s located near the mall’s large aquarium. The restaurant is franchised Saleh Bin Lahej Group. Read More »

The Kuwait Financial Centre, better known under the branding of Markaz, has won two major financial industry awards from Global Investor Magazine. Markaz has the honor of being named this year’s “Best Equities Manager in Kuwait.” The financial institution also took home the title of “Best Asset Manager in Kuwait,” giving Markaz a record of winning that award five years in a row. Read More »

Dubai Industrial City joined UAE citizens in raising the UAE flag in honor the country’s national Flag Day. Dubai Industrial City was founded in 2004 to help grow the UAE’s economy and expand the nation’s industrial sector. It has developed into a regional manufacturing and logistics hub. That important place in Emirati culture gave the Flag Day ceremony a special meaning. Read More »

Reservations app known Eat expanded out of Bahrain and into other GCC markets with the opening of a new office in Dubai.The Eat app has gathered Bahrain’s restaurants into an easy dining management tool. Now the company is eager to acquire a market share in other Gulf nations. The focus of that effort has first fallen on the dining market in the United Arab Emirates. Read More »

If you’re looking for an easy move and don’t want to bother with new furniture, you’re in luck. Better Homes has listed a fully furnished one-bedroom apartment with a sea view at Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah. The 918-square-foot apartment features one bedroom and two ensuite bathrooms, a fully outfitted kitchen, and built-in wardrobes that offer plenty of storage space. Read More »

A furnished apartment is available in Marina Heights, in the Marina Square area of Al Reem Island. Listed by Property Shop Investments, the studio apartment has a bathroom, laundry and fully outfitted kitchen. Marina Heights has just six apartments on each floor and offers concierge service. There is a shared pool, spa and gym. Pets are allowed in this apartment complex. Read More »