3

From the dot Desk

The year we grew stronger!

Another year has passed, a year that saw Ali Bin Ali Group grow stronger not just as a businesshouse but also as a proud Qatari entity. Besides being associated with a wide range of events andactivities and continuing to make significant contributions across key sectors, the Group got theopportunity to be part of the efforts undertaken to make Qatar’s economy stronger and moreresilient in view of the siege imposed on the country back on June 5, 2017.

Inspired by ‘Tamim Al Majd’, the Group celebrated its unity in the midst of the blockade againstQatar, showing solidarity with the country, its wise leadership and people.

The dot would like to congratulate every member of the ABA Group family for their achievementslast year and for making 2017 a vibrant, successful and remarkable year.

Now that 2018 is here, we have a lot to look forward to and scale new heights.

The dot team is always trying to innovate and in our latest effort, we have introduced theQr video codes as a part of The dot experience. You can now scan the codes and watch videoson our YouTube channel – Ali Bin Ali Group. So, get scanning and watch the ABA stories unfold infront of your eyes.

The dot is your voice, so please feel free to air opinions and discuss matters that concern youand the company.

Send emails about your activities and achievements to corpcomm@alibinali.com or atthe.dot@alibinali.com and let us all share your pride.

Happy reading and have a great 2018!!!

imad HashimCorporate Communications Manager

Publisher & ProducerCorporate Communications Dept.

ContributorsChairman’s office

Rahma NabliHead office-Hr

Trinidad C. CarataoSarah Lopez

Head office-Fin.Jamsina Abdul Kareem

Head office-legalMeriem Mersni

MedicalDiala Ghazzaoui

ABA & PNisreen Abdul WahabPremium services

Ritchie SantosQQP

Ana Marie Sigarino Gogo iA/PCP

Sunaina ShihabJemma Cruz

logisticsIrene O. Formento

HospitalityZarina Pattugalan

Printing PressLara Love Arago

BeveragesEmily Magno

digitekLaarni Francisco

iCT  Marwa El Fatayerji

ABATs  Priyanka Nair

luxury Ann Guevarra

Travel & CargoAhmed YoosufContracting Gisele Saade

Al dhanah Trading & ContractingFatima KibbiTechnogym

Renata Vasileskadohatna

Lilibeth SamilinThe Market Hall/Monoprix

Jane Moriente OsanoFlory May Reyes

Platinum sands - KsAMarwan Mneimneh

PriNTiNgAli Bin Ali Printing Press

THANK yoU NoTe“the dot” wishes to thank all

members of the Ali Bin Ali familyfor contributing to this publication.We highly value your contributions

and look forward to yourcontinued input

ABA Tower, Airport RoadP.O.Box: 75, Doha - Qatar

T +974 4 4469878F +974 4 4433778

Ali Bin Ali Group is an environmentally conscious company and “the dot” magazine will now be printed on eco-friendly papers.

CONTENTIt happenedPg 4

IT TipsInternet of Things

Pg 10

OpinionWho would you want to swap

places with for a day, and why?

Pg 18

Management TipsTips for stress management at work

Pg 32

Dot NetMobile apps to make life easier!

Pg 25

Green DotHealthy car for a healthy environment

Pg 22

Health Tips to survive sitting in an office all day

Pg 28

Dot PeopleInterview with Mohammad Imran

Pg 33Digi Dot

The tech wonders of 2017

Pg 34

MabrookPg 37 Dot Trotter

Best ski resorts in Europe

Pg 38

ABA’s got TalentInterview with Nideesh AmbadiPg 36

All Rights reserved. No part of thispublication may be reproduced

without the written permission ofAli Bin Ali Group.

The Ali Bin Ali groupNewsletter

E the.dot@alibinali.com

the.dot@alibinali.comCorporate Communications Department

Ms. Debalina Sen: 44469692Debalina.Sen@alibinali.com

Here is your chance to be in Spotlight!!!

If you have a talent or know about a creative

talent of your shy colleague …then go ahead!

& send in your contact info along with the

details of your creative pursuit to us.

We will get in touch with you soon & will

feature you in the next issue of “The Dot”.

NO ONE IS TOO OLDOR TOO YOUNG

HUNTTalent

to show his talent

54

Happenedit

The first week of July 2017witnessed the completion of140 days of successfulimplementation of theForWArd e-Hr Partnersystem. The journey hadstarted with the e-Hr Partnergoing live in February 2017.On the occasion of reaching amilestone and in order toemphasize the enormity of theproject, the ForWArd teamshared some vital statistics onthe transactions performed bythe e-Hr Partner.

THe ForWArd e-Hr Partnerhas significantly altered ABA’sdaily HR and Admin operations.The self-service Hr facility isthe most ‘visible’ component ofthe system, which handles andprocesses requests from allABA staff members. The

usefulness, ease of useand reliability of thesystem has becomemore evident with timeand through users’

interactions.Integral to the ForWArdsystem’s fullimplementation at ABAwas the establishment ofa support mechanism forthe system. Accordingly,

as part of the ForWArd systemsupport, the ForWArd Helpdesk was launchedsimultaneously with the e-HrPartner ‘go live’. The ForWArd Help desk is runby the ABA iT department andlocated within the department.Till July 2017, the ForWArdHelp desk had received 1,954requests, closing 1,840requests – which accounted foraround 95% of all requests.

On behalf of all ABA staff, wewould like to thank allmembers of the ForWArdteam for their relentless effortto make the system successfuland help the ForWArd e-HrPartner achieve the objectivesfor which it was implemented.

Number of transactions performedby e-Hr Partner ‘go live’:12545

Company Letters Request 2138

Documents of Record 69

Education and Qualification 37

Other Professional Qualifications 72

Medical Insurance Request 57

Personal Information 952

Ticket Information Request 1323

Exit Permit Request 279

Change Bank Account Request 123

self service generic

Approval Process 4312

Training Request 179

system statistics(as of July 2017)

ForWArdcelebrates

completion of140 days sincee-HR Partner

‘Go Live’

Ali Bin Ali group once againsupported and joined Frenchexpatriates in Qatar as theycelebrated French Nationalday on July 14, 2017. ABAgroup’s Monoprix was a goldsponsor at the prestigiousevent.

In light of the historic occasion,the French Embassy in Qatarhosted an anniversaryreception at The Ritz-CarltonHotel under the patronage ofthe Ambassador of France, HEEric Chevallier.

Apart from the GeneralManagers from differentdivisions of ABA Group, theevent was attended by HE theMinister of Justice Dr. HassanLahdan Saqr al-Mohannadi, HEthe Minister of Municipality andEnvironment Mohammed binAbdullah al-Rumaihi, Ministryof Foreign Affairs’ Chief ofProtocol Ibrahim YousifAbdullah Fakhro and otherdignitaries.

Commonly known as ‘Bastilleday’ or ‘la Fete Nationale’,July 14 holds great patriotic

significance for the French. It isthe commemoration of theFrench revolution with thestorming of the Bastille, andthe unity of the French peopleat the Fete de la Federation.

ABA group’s Monoprix supportsFrench National Day celebrations

14th July - 2017

2nd July - 2017

How Qr codes work?

You can nowscan the Qr

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Go to the playstoreon your mobile phone

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2 Download the‘Qr code scanner’application

3 Open the app on yourphone and hold it in frontof the Qr code to scan it

4 Watch the videoon youtube: Ali Bin Ali groupChannel

1

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In a show of solidarity with thestate of Qatar and its people, AliBin Ali Group has unveiled asignature canvas bearing theiconic ‘Tamim Al Majd’ (Tamim theGlorious) mural at its Head Office.The initiative is a humble gestureby the Group to express itssupport for the country and itswise leadership in the light of theongoing blockade imposed onQatar.The signing ceremony, which tookplace on 25 July 2017, was led byABA group’s Chairman and

President, Mr. Adel Ali Bin Ali, andVice-Chairman & EVP, Mr. Nabeel AliBin Ali. Also present on theoccasion was contemporary Qatariartist Ahmed bin Majed al-

Maadheed, who created the now-famous portrait of HH the emir.Apart from the top managementand staff of Ali Bin Ali group, whohail from diverse nationalities,members of the local media joinedthe event to sign on the board andpen messages expressing theirsupport for the nation.Speaking at the event, Mr. Adel AliBin Ali said: “The signaturecampaign marks a very proudmoment for all members of the AliBin Ali group as we celebrate ourunity in the midst of thisunprecedented blockade againstQatar. Ali Bin Ali group has beenin Qatar since 1945 and is proud ofits Qatari heritage. The least wecan do is support and show

solidarity with our country and itsgovernment.”Elaborating on the idea of thesignature board, Mr. Nabeel Ali BinAli said: “We thought of putting ourspecial touch to the campaign and

set up the banner, with the muraland signatures, for permanentdisplay in our office. It is morethan just a signature canvas. It is asouvenir for the futuregenerations, a remembrance ofthe great unity that Qatar and itspeople have displayed in suchhostile times.”A unique aspect of the signaturecampaign was the use of ‘glow inthe dark’ paints to make handprints on the canvas. The ‘glow inthe dark’ paints will make sure thatthe hand prints are visible all dayand night, signifying support inevery condition, at any time.

76

Happenedit

Scan to watch

VIDEO

Scan to watch

VIDEO

Ali Bin Ali group unveils permanent‘Tamim Al Majd’ mural in the Head Office

The least we can dois support and show

solidarity with our countryand its government.

Mr. Adel Ali Bin Ali

...It is more than just asignature canvas. It is asouvenir for the future

generations, a remembranceof the great unity that Qatarand its people have displayed

in such hostile times.Mr. Nabeel Ali Bin Ali

25th July - 2017

‘‘

In its quest to provide the bestmedical support to the people ofQatar, Ali Bin Ali Medical venturedinto a new, promising area of service– Medical Tourism. In August 2017,ABA Medical signed a partnershipagreement with lead internationalCompany – a global name in medicaltourism.

When healthcare solutions are notaffordable or available locally inQatar, the new service will allow AliBin Ali Medical to connect patientswith its network of world leaders inmedicine from europe and Asia. Thisincludes Czech Republic, Germany,Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Turkeyand Thailand.

Ali Bin Ali Medical will make allnecessary arrangements for patientsto avail of world-class medicalservices. It will arrange for initialconsultations between patients andforeign doctors, schedule proceduresand make travel arrangements.

Speaking about this new business,ABA Medical General Manager Mr.Zuhdi Z Al-Jaouni said: “ABA Medical

will now help patients receive high-quality care from excellent globalhealthcare providers. ABA Medical’snetwork is an elite collection ofhealthcare professionals who haveadvanced in the field of treatmentwith the best and most recenthospitals, which own the mostmodern technologies.”

ABA Medical’s services will includethe following: help procure a medicalvisa, book travel to the country wherethe services will be provided, airportpick-up and drop-off, consultationwith appropriate specialists, pre-operation accommodation, book intothe hospital for the operation,accommodation for post-operativerecuperation, arrangements for post-operative care in the foreign country,book travel home from the countrywhere the services have beenprovided, arrange for emergencyinsurance coverage for anyunexpected serious adverse eventsarising from the surgery that meansprolonged hospitalization and/or amedical flight back home, andarrange for travel insurance.

Ali Bin Ali group’s galeries lafayette andFashion division held a special gathering -‘diversity day’ - for their entire staff. Theinitiative was organized in celebration of themultinational and diverse workforce thatmake up the team.The event took place on August 3, 2017 atthe galeries lafayette office in KataraPlaza. All members of the Galeries Lafayetteteam and Fashions Division, including theDivision's General Manager Mr. David Miller,were present at the gathering.The Galeries Lafayette team and FashionDivision are made of people from 15

nationalities - English, Irish, Scottish,French, South African, Filipino, Sri Lankan,Indian, Bangladeshi, Zimbabwean, Kenyan,Yemeni, American, Syrian and Nepali.All employees were requested to bring atraditional dish from their respectivecountry to be shared with the team whilelistening to a mix of songs from differentcultures. The 'diversity day' event gave the

staff members a chance to celebrate andlearn about each other’s culture and food.Speaking about the event, Mr. Miller said: “Itis really wonderful to have people from allover the globe in your team. It benefits aworkplace. People with differentbackgrounds bring different things to thetable. It can help foster creativity and offera range of perspectives and ideas.”

galeries lafayette and Fashion divisioncelebrate 'Diversity Day’

3rd Aug - 2017

ABA Medical launches Medical Tourism Services

Ali Bin Ali group is proud toannounce that it hassuccessfully upgraded theinfor sCe WarehouseManagement solution(WMs) at ABA warehousesto the latest version.

With the help of SNS, aleading provider ofconsultancies and solutionsfor supply chain, the ABAlogistics warehouses systemhas been elevated to thelatest version.

Sales and distribution ofhigh-quality consumer goodsare at the core of Ali BinAli’s activities. The ABAlogistics warehouse system,

which is in use since 2005, isused to maintain the stockfor all ABA FMCg divisions,Monoprix, Technogym andNestle.

With the majority of FMCGproducts in Qatar passingthrough ABA warehouses,the WMs solution is core tothe distribution business.After an initial go-live in2005, ABA took the decisionto further invest in their WMSapplication.

Having assessed the latestversion of Infor SCE, itscapabilities, technologyplatform and its ability tocater for all the group’s

needs, ABA group decidedto upgrade the system withthe objective to go-live in2017.

Lots of new features wereintroduced and the systemwas configured according tothe needs of ABA group’sbusinesses. It was a hugeleap for the company andinvolved the effort anddedication of the Logisticsand IT teams.

Speaking about the newapplication, ABA GeneralManager of IT YoussefMoussa said, “Consideringthe nature of our business,this is a very crucial upgrade.The iT team, along with sNs,worked relentlessly to ensurethe transition has minimalimpact on the logisticsoperations. We are very gladthat we could facilitate thisprocess smoothly.”

The solution allows the userto automatically determinethe number of pickingsupports needed to completethe orders preparation. Itprovides a system-drivenguidance to the pickers tothe various outbound staginglocations. The system notonly automates theprocedures, but it also makesit more accurate.

“We are excited about thisnew upgrade. I am sure thiswill help us in businessgrowth as well as our day-to-day operations,” said Mr. JonMayson, General Manager ofABA Logistics. “The versionupgrade has added a lot ofvalue to our warehousefunctions, focusing heavily onthe outbound process, whichis most critical for adistribution warehouse”, headded.

Say it loud !Let your voice be heard!

Share your opinions, suggestions and comments!

the.dot@alibinali.comCorporate Communications Department

Contact Ms. Debalina Sen - 44469692 - Debalina.Sen@alibinali.com

98

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Ali Bin Ali Group upgradesto latest warehouse system

The ioT allows objects to berecognized or controlled remotelyacross existing networkinfrastructure, formingopportunities for more directintegration of the physical worldinto computer-based systems, andresulting in improvedcompetence, accuracy andeconomic benefit in addition toreduced human intervention.When the ioT is improved withsensors and actuators, thetechnology becomes an instance ofthe more general class of cyber-physical systems, which alsoencompasses technologies such assmart grids, virtual power plants,smart homes, intelligenttransportation and smart cities.Each ‘thing’ is uniquely identifiablethrough its embedded computingsystem but is able to interoperatewithin the existing Internetinfrastructure.

Gartner Inc. had forecast that 8.4billion ‘connected things’ will be inuse worldwide in 2017, up 31%from 2016, and will reach 20.4billion by 2020.

The devices we are using every day (for example, refrigerators, cars,fans, lights) and operationaltechnologies such as those found on

the factory floor are becoming ‘connected entities’ across theglobe. This world of interconnectedthings - where humans areinteracting with machines andmachines are talking with othermachines (M2M) — is here and it ishere to stay.The focus and scope of this article issolely on the security aspects of theinternet of Things.

The evolving ioT is believed to be thenext generation of the Internet andwill become an attractive target forhackers. Each physical object in theioT is able to interact without humanintervention. A variety of applicationswith different infrastructures havebeen developed, such as logistics,manufacturing, healthcare, industrialsurveillance, etc.

A number of cutting-edgetechniques (such as intelligentsensors, wirelesscommunication, networks, dataanalysis technologies, cloudcomputing, etc.) have beendeveloped to realize the potentialof the ioT with different intelligentsystems. However, technologies

for the ioT are still in their infantstages and a lot of technicaldifficulties associated with the ioTneed to be overcome. One of themost significant obstacles in the ioTis security, which involves thesensing infrastructure security,communication network security,application security and generalsystem security. To address thesecurity challenges in the ioT,security problems are analyzedbased on a four-layer architecture.

M2M can be viewed as a subset ofthe ioT. The ioT is a more aboutphenomenon, which includesMachine-to-Humancommunication (M2H), radioFrequency identification (rFid),location-Based services (lBs),lab-on-a-Chip (loC) sensors,Augmented reality (Ar), roboticsand vehicle telematics. Many ofthese technologies are the result ofdevelopments in industrial supplychain applications; their commonfeature is to combine embeddedsensory objects with communicationintelligence, running data over a mixof wired and wireless networks. In abroader context, the architectureencompasses the internet of Thingsplus business engineering insightscaptured from the informationtransmitted by these so-called‘smart objects’.

As the applications ofthe ioT/M2M affect ourdaily lives, whether it isin industrial control,transportation,SmartGrid orhealthcare, it becomesimperative to ensure asecure ioT/M2Msystem. With continuedadoption of IPnetworks, ioT/M2Mapplications havealready become atarget for attacks thatwill continue to grow inboth magnitude andsophistication. The scaleand context of theioT/M2M make it acompelling target forthose who would doharm to companies,organizations, nationsand, more importantly,

people. The targets areabundant and covermany industrysegments. The potentialimpact could span fromminor irritant to graveand significant damageto the infrastructureand loss of life.

Although the threats inthe ioT environmentmight be similar tothose in the traditionalIT environments, theoverall impact could besignificantly different.That is why there areseveral efforts in thecommunity to focus onthreat analysis andrisk assessments toscale the impact if asecurity incident or abreach occurs.

One of the fundamentalelements in securingan ioT infrastructure isaround device identityand the mechanisms toauthenticate it. ManyioT devices may nothave the requiredcompute power,memory or storage tosupport the current

authenticationprotocols. While theprotocols are robust,they require a highcompute platform - aresource that may notexist in all ioT-attacheddevices. Consequently,authentication andauthorization willrequire appropriate re-engineering toaccommodate our newioT-connected world.

Also, theseauthentication andauthorization protocolsrequire a degree of userintervention in terms ofconfiguration andprovisioning. However,many ioT devices willhave limited access,thus requiring initialconfiguration to beprotected fromtampering, theft andother forms ofcompromise throughoutits usable life, which inmany cases could beyears.

11

iT informationsecurity AwarenessCampaign- What’sit all about?The information you collect,store, manage and transfer isan organizational asset. It canbe printed or written on paper,held electronically, transmittedby post or using electronicmeans, shown in films, orspoken in conversation.

Information security is required toensure business continuity andreduce business damage bypreventing and minimizing theimpact of security incidents.

An organization such as ourscannot protect the confidentiality,integrity(accuracy) and availabilityof information without ensuringthat all people involved in usingand managing Information:

1 - Understand their roles andresponsibilities related to theorganizational mission.2 - Understand theorganization’s iT security policy,procedures, and best practices ingeneral.3 - Have adequate knowledge ofthe various management,operational, and technicalcontrols required and availableto protect the informationresources for which they areresponsible.

“People Factor” – is the key toprovide an adequate andappropriate level of security. Arobust and enterprise-wideawareness and training program isparamount to ensuring that peopleunderstand their Informationsecurity responsibilities,organizational policies, and how toproperly use and also to protectthe IT resources entrusted to them.

ABA IT has taken thisinitiative of making ABAstaff aware of the currentsecurity practices. Toachieve this, ABA IT hasinitiated an InformationSecurity AwarenessCampaign. So do go aheadand read, learn and put thisinformation to good use!

10

IT The capability of embedded and distributedintelligence in the network is a core architecturalcomponent of the ioT for three main reasons:

data Collection: Centralized data collection andsmart object management do not provide thescalability required by the Internet. For example,managing several million sensors and actuatorsin a Smart Grid network cannot efficiently bedone using a centralized approach.Network resource Preservation: Becausenetwork bandwidth may be scarce andcollecting environmental data from a centralpoint in the network unavoidably leads to usinga large amount of the network capacity.Closed loop Functioning: For some use cases,the ioT requires reduced reaction times. Forinstance, sending an alarm via multiple hopsfrom a sensor to a centralized system (whichruns analytics) before sending an order to anactuator would e ntail unacceptable delays.

Taking ioT to a new level, a series of smallsingle-board computers has been developed byvendors like Raspberry. With the proliferation ofthe internet of Things (ioT), Raspbery Pi andsimilar single board computers have developedproject kits focused on IoT applications.

Android Things is an Android-based embeddedoperating system platform developed byGoogle. It is aimed to be used with low-powerand memory constrained internet of Things(ioT) devices, which are usually built fromdifferent Microcontroller (MCU) platforms.

Security in Internet of Things(IoT)/Machine to Machine (M2M)

• Application of geographic locationand privacy levels to data

• strong identities

• strengthening of other network-centric methods such as the DomainName System (DNS) with DNSSEC andthe DHCP to prevent attacks

• Adoption of other protocols thatare more tolerant to delay or transientconnectivity (such as Delay TolerantNetworks).

• Many of the security reflectionsfor ioT protocols rely on encryption.As new workflows emerge for sensorsand elements connected to theInternet, a difference in time horizonscreates an additional gap: devicesmight outlive the encryptioneffectiveness. For example, anelectricity meter in a home may last50 years, whereas the encryptionprotocol might survive half of thattime before it is compromised.• The communication and data

transport channels should besecured to allow devices to send andcollect data to and from the agentsand the data collection systems. Whilenot all IoT endpoints may have bi-directional communications,leveraging SMS (automatically or via anetwork administrator) allows securecommunication with the device whenaction needs to be taken.

Other elements in ioT securitythat could be consideredinclude the following:

The Internetof Things (IoT),whichone often hears about

nowadays, is the network ofphysical devices, vehicles andother items embedded withelectronics, software, sensorsand network connectivity,which enable these objectsto gather and exchange

data.

Neuhaus, the renowned Belgianchocolatier, and Monoprix, thefamous French supermarket chain,were invited to showcase some ofthe highlights of their offerings at afood & beverages campaignorganized by doha Festival City.As part of the campaign, a ‘Mysterydinner’ was held on September 25,2017 at the Doha Festival City Mall.The initiative was a press event

aimed at showcasing andpromoting some of the exclusivefood & beverages venues at themall.Journalists were invited toparticipate in the ‘Mystery dinner’,where each course was served at adifferent outlet - 800 DegreesNeapolitan Pizzeria, Aimee’s Café,

Five Guys, Monoprixcheese display andNeuhaus.Highlighting its ownFrench heritage,Monoprix presented adelectable cheesecourse from “la Caveà Fromage”, which isstocked with a wide

selection of the finest internationalcheeses. The course includedcheeseboards withfruit, nuts andcrackers.Adding a sweet touchto the special event,Neuhaus - thecreators of exquisitechocolates withoutstandingingredients - offeredcoffee and its finest collection ofchocolates to the guests.

ABA Hospitality’sNeuhaus andMonoprix shine at‘Mystery Dinner’event at DFC

ABA Hospitality’s Neuhaus highlighted at eventin Belgian Ambassador’s residence

Highlighting its significance in the Qatari market,Ali Bin Ali group’s Pepsi division was invited tobe a part of the first edition of MedFood 2017exhibition.

Qatar Chamber organized the exhibition for thefood and pharmaceutical industries in co-operation with the Ministry of Energy andIndustry from September 24 to 26, 2017.

Hosted at the Sheraton Doha, the event was oneof the most successful food exhibitions to beheld in the country. The expo represented animportant opportunity to showcase Qatariproducts, such as Pepsi Qatar, and enhance theslogan “Made in Qatar”.

The expo was attended by HE the Minister ofMunicipality and Environment Mohammed binAbdullah al-Rumaihi and other Ministry officials.Apart from local and international businessmen,students from different schools and members ofthe general public also visited the exhibition.

The event aimed to offer a platform for food andmedicine companies to display their productsand exchange expertise. It was also a chance tosee private sector initiatives aimed at achievingmedicine and food security.

Speaking about the event, Marc Karam – GeneralManager of ABA Beverages, said: “The exporeflects Qatar’s eagerness to support andstrengthen national food products. Pepsi, whichis produced, bottled and marketed in Qatar, wasproud to be a part of the 'Made in Qatar'initiative. This will help us take a step forwardand achieve economic independence.”

Congratulations to the ABA Beverages Team

Ali Bin Ali group’s Pepsiexhibitor at first editionof MedFood 2017

20th Sept - 2017

25th Sept - 2017

In a proud moment forNeuhaus - the luxury Belgianchocolate brand Ali Bin AliHospitality hosts in Qatar -was highlighted and presentedto a select group of ViPs at aspecial event in Doha. The event took place on theevening of September 20,2017 at the residence of HisExcellency Bart de Groof, theBelgian Ambassador toQatar. The gathering wasattended by VIPs, members ofthe Belgian Business Club andmedia representatives. Neuhaus used the opportunityto highlight the exclusiveprocesses the brand uses tocraft its chocolates andproduce its sought-after

delicacies. Speaking about the event,ABA Hospitality GeneralManager Mr. Philippe Tardieusaid: “This speciallyconvened gathering ofmembers of the BelgianBusiness Club of Qatarprovided a perfect backdropto draw attention to andhighlight Neuhaus. We arehonoured to be able toshowcase our brand at thisexclusive event."We are committed tobringing the world’s bestbrands to the local marketand we believe that thequality, flavors anddistinctiveness of Neuhauswill win it many fans from

among Qatar’s chocolatelovers.”As one of Belgium’s finestchocolatiers, Neuhausmanufactures and sells luxurychocolates, biscuits and icecream. The company was founded in1857 by Jean Neuhaus, aSwiss immigrant, who openedthe first store in the GaleriesRoyales Saint-Hubert in centralBrussels. In 1912, hisgrandson, Jean Neuhaus II,invented the chocolatebonbon or praline, which hassince been adopted by manyother brands. However, fans ofthe brand say that the flavoursof Neuhaus remain in a classof their own.

24 to 26th Sept - 2017

Highlighting Ali Bin Ali group’seconomic significance in the regionalbusiness environment, oxfordBusiness group interviewed Mr.Adel Ali Bin Ali, Chairman of ABAgroup, to learn about his views onthe economy of Qatar.Oxford Business Group is a leadingglobal publishing, research andconsultancy firm.The article, headlined ‘on potentialhigh-yield sectors and makingprivate-public partnershipattractive and efficient’, waspublished on September 11, 2017.Some parts of the interview werealso included in the retail section of amagazine published by OxfordBusiness Group, titled ‘The report:Qatar 2017’.In the interview, Mr. Adel Ali Bin Aliwas asked a wide range of questionsabout the promising economic sectorsin the region and the opportunitiesthey are offering.Qatar has multiple sectors that show

potential for healthy growth, theGroup Chairman said in the interview.“To list a few, i would placetourism and hospitality, healthcareand medical research, sports andlifestyle, education, technologyand light industries high on thelist,” he added. Mr. Adel Ali Bin Ali also spoke aboutQatar’s accelerated growth record andstressed the importance of theadoption of technology to improveprocesses. He expressed confidence that theretail market will rise again once thesituation in the region improves and,“as a positive outlook returns andstability takes root, these scenariosand retail sales will improve intandem”.

Read the full interview athttp://www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com/views/adel-ali-bin-ali-chairman-president-ali-bin-ali-group

The Ali Bin Ali group’s ERP project,ForWArd, is moving ahead withconfident steps and has just reached anew milestone. Following a successful'go live' of the e-HR partner in February2017, the ForWArd team went live withPilot Phase 1 on September 13, 2017This 'go live' is the Phase 1implementation at the pilot sites of thefinance & supply chain ERP system, whichincludes the Finance, Supply Chain and

Manufacturing divisions of the ABAgroup. It involves the Printing Press divisionand the Head office organization in theFinance, iT, Central Procurement anderP units and divisions. With this bigmove, the ABA ForWArd erP systemhas gone live with the integration andautomation in manufacturing processesand basic back-office operations. ForWArd has already created a successstory and we are experiencing thebenefits of the erP with the successfulimplementation of the e-HR Partnersystem. Ali Bin Ali group and all its staff arecommitted to the ForWArd project,which manages and integrates theimportant parts of business areas such asplanning, purchasing, inventory, sales,marketing, finance and human resources.

Congratulations to the ForWArd teamfor yet another achievement and wishyou success for the rest of the erPjourney.

1312

Happenedit

Oxford Business Group interviews ABA Group Chairman about the

economy of Qatar11th Sept - 2017

ABA FORWARDproject reachesa new milestone

13th Sept - 2017

The ABA group cut across all boundariesand stood together as one family, to honorOctober as Breast Cancer AwarenessMonth. As a Group, we organized aweeklong awareness campaign fromOctober 23, 2017 under the title ‘let’s doMore than Wearing a ribbon!’

As part of the weeklong activities weorganized a headlining event at the HeadOffice, in co-operation with Qatar Cancer

society (QCS). The session was attended bywomen employees from differentdepartments located in the Head Office aswell as ABA family members fromDohatna, ABA Medical, ABA & Partners andLogistics. QCs gave a detailed and informativepresentation about breast cancer anddiscussed the truth and the myths aboutthe illness. The insightful session wasfollowed by a testimonialby a breast cancer survivor.The inspirational 37-year-old,who was diagnosed withcancer two years ago, sharedher emotional journey andvictory over cancer. Ending the gathering on apositive note, Ali Bin AliMedical shared a new

technological device with all the attendeesand explained how it enables people to dobreast cancer screening at home - thereby

making prevention easier. In order to engage our entire group andgive everyone equal opportunity toparticipate, we - along with ABA Medical -took the breast cancer awareness campaignto different divisions, including Travel, AlDanah, International Agencies & PrimeConsumer Products, Luxury, ABATS and allABA offices in Katara Plaza (Monoprix,Hospitality, Fashion, Desert Eye & Sports

Gate) through the rest of the week.The attendees lauded the initiative andsaid it gave them valuable insight into thecritical health issue and would help themtake appropriate decisions in future. It isimportant to remember this is an ongoingcampaign. As members of the ABA family,let’s remind ourselves that NoW is thetime to take action. Let’s do regular self-examinations and contact our doctors if wenotice anything unusual.

We would like to thank everyone for theirwholehearted participation and extend ourgratitude to ABA Medical, Casa Flora,Fauchon and ABA Beverages for lendingtheir precious support and making thecampaign so successful.

Ali Bin Ali Groupstands together in

honoring October asBreast Cancer

Awareness Month

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IA & PCP

ABATS

Luxury

Al Danah

Katara Plaza

Travel

23rd Oct - 2017

Scan to watch

VIDEO

Scan to watch

VIDEO

The countdown has begun to the opening ofAli Bin Ali group’s big project – the galerieslafayette outlet in Doha. The renowned,upscale French department store chain isscheduled to open its doors at Katara Plazain 2018. To celebrate the occasion,representatives from the Head Office ofgaleries lafayette and the Ali Bin Aligroup Fashion division gathered for aspecial event on October 5, 2017.The event was held at W Doha Hotel &Residences, where the team shared theprogress made till date on the project andplans for the coming months. Everyone presentexchanged notes about his/her role in theproject and discussed what had been achievedso far and what was still to be done.The aim of the gathering was to have thesame level of knowledge across all the main areas of the project and, as a team, tofeel totally focused and motivated for the finalleg of the journey and during the countdown tothe opening.

All members of the galeries lafayette teamand the Fashion division, including seniormanagement from the Head Office, werepresent at the event.Speaking at the gathering, GL and the ABAFashion division General Manager Mr. DavidMiller said: “it has been a long journey andwe have finally reached the last leg. We areboth proud and excited to introduce in Qatarthe iconic Parisian fashion leader. i am surethat the fashion conscious people of Qatarwill love and embrace the experience.”galeries lafayette is the undisputed leader in

department store retailing in France and acrossthe globe, covering products such as cosmetics,perfumes, fashion, gastronomy and homeinteriors.The galeries lafayette showroom at KataraPlaza has been designed by renownedarchitect Bruno Moinard. The venue, which willoccupy three levels, is luxuriously andmeticulous ly designed to take customersthrough an impressive journey throughcontemporary style and architecturalrepresentation of modernity.

Countdown begins to Galeries Lafayette

opening at Katara Plaza

In a very proud moment for the Ali BinAli group, we were named a finalist atthe 2017 linkedin MeNA TalentAwards (Qatar). Mr. Mohammed Elazabfrom ABA group’s Human resources

department was a finalist in the ‘Topsocial recruiter’ category. Thiscategory measured a corporaterecruiter’s usage of LinkedIn Recruiter.

The exclusive event to celebrate thesuccess of companies in the talentacquisition and employer brandingspace was held on october 25, 2017 atThe st. regis doha. The top 5 recruitersin Qatar were competing for the Topsocial recruiter Award, mainly fromQatar Airways, UCT and ABA Group.

linkedln's Insights team analyzed theperformance, results and impact of

more than 1,000 companies andorganizations in Qatar utilizing linkedinsolutions optimally to attract, hire andretain top talent. So, being a finalistwas indeed a big achievement!

Congratulations Mr.Elazab!

The ceremonywitnessed theattendance of morethan 50 executivesfrom Qatar, includingMr. Aldrine Fernandez -ABA group GeneralManager, HR, and Mr.Elazab. The event alsoincluded exchange ofthoughts and

experiments on the latest trends in theindustry.

Speaking about this achievement, Mr.Fernandez said, “We are honored tobe bestowed with such recognition. itis the hard work and dedication ofour employees that help us do betterand it feels really good when thattalent is recognized even externally.”

In the year 2017, Mohammed went onto make 29 new hires for Ali Bin Aligroup via LinkedIn. He was placed inthe top 25% of recruiters by LinkedIn.

With a new General Managerat the helm, Ali Bin Aligroup's Human resourcesdepartment organized a team-building outing on October 5,2017. Held at the Al GhariyaResort, the event wasattended by members of thecore Hr team along with Hr-erP personnel.The session commenced with inspiringspeeches by HR General Manager Mr.Aldrine Austine Fernandez and SeniorManager – HR Services & Expertise Mr.Ajay Daniel John. This was followed bybrief talks by various team members whoshared their experience, key strengthsand the learning process in ABA.Various team-building activities wereheld on the occasion, including gamessuch as bottle connection, paper tower,

trivia and puddle jumper. Theseactivities energized the participantsand gave everybody an opportunityto showcase their individual andcollaborative skills. The activities brought out the best interms of the participants' physical,tactical and cognitive abilities. In theend, the Blue team aced it and wasdeclared the winner of the event, whichconcluded with a scrumptious dinner.

"It's great to be working with

such a team. such initiatives helpdevelop team spirit andcamaraderie, which, in turn, will playa key role in the contributions wemake to the Group," Mr. Aldrine saidabout the event.

These activities exemplified the ABA HRTeam’s evolution and its continuoussupport for the Group’s vision of beingthe “Partner of Choice”.

Ali Bin Ali group has alwaysbeen inclined to support thegrowth of culture and givetalented individuals a platformfor creativity. Keeping this visionin mind, ABA group’s PrintingPress and dohatna cameforward to sponsor theinaugural Qatar National MusicCompetition (QNMC).Graced by more than 500

participants from38 countries, theevent witnessed anoverwhelmingshowcase of Qatar’smusical prowess atthe expansive venueof Katara DramaTheatre, fromOctober 15 to 19,2017. 70 awards

were handed over on theoccasion.As part of its Corporate socialresponsibility (Csr), ABAgroup supported this uniqueand significant artistic eventwhich helped reveal the best ofthe country's musical talent. Itwas also ABA group’s humbleeffort at serving the community

and encouraging the youngtalents of Qatar with theperfect platform.Organized by Moving youngArtists (MyA), the event was aneclectic celebration of music,culture, education and unity. Thecompetition was sub-dividedaccording to the participants’age and instrument of choice –solo piano, solo winds, solostrings, solo vocal,percussion/harp/guitar, andcomposition.Apart from the grand scale andthe sweeping inclusivity of theevent, what also set it apartwas the keen involvement ofseveral embassies that haddevised their unique specialprizes.

The diplomatic missions thatsupported the QNMC were theembassies of south Korea,Belgium, sweden, the UK,Austria, india, Netherlands,switzerland, germany, spain,Hungary, France, russia andsingapore, and initiatives suchas the Spanish Business Council,Hungary’s V4 Connects, andInstitut Francais Qatar. A total of18 special awards werepresented by theambassadors of the variousembassies; there were also 10special jury awards to boot. Ali Bin Ali group is proud to bea part of the Qatar NationalMusic Competition, which willundoubtedly grow to becomeone of the most importantglobal music competitions -attracting impressive talentlocally and from around theworld.

ABA group supports QatarNational Music Competition

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Ali Bin Ali Group’sHR team-buildingouting 2017

5th Oct - 2017

25th Oct - 2017

15th to 19th Oct - 2017

Ali Bin Ali group has always been a patron of athleticsand sports and, taking this passion to the internationallevel, Ali Bin Ali Watches & Jewelry supported afootball match in Spain, between Atlético Madrid andFC Barcelona.Held on 14 October 2017, the match was a part of thefamous la liga, the top-level annual football league inSpain. The Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, bearingthe ABA Watches & Jewelry branding and fixture, gotsome 18,964 excited spectators on the occasion.The game between the two famous sides ended 1-1 onan entertaining Saturday night in the Spanish capital

ABA Watches & Jewelry supportsinternational football match

Ali Bin Ali group shines at LinkedIn MENA Talent Awards – Qatar 2017

5th Oct - 2017

14th Oct - 2017

Mary Cris BarredaSystems AdministratorHO-IT

“I will choose to

experience th

e life of

Angelina Jolie

- an actress,

a humanitari

an,

a wife (now separa

ted)

and a mother t

o her

children, rolle

d into one.”

elmer l. samparada TechnicianTechnogym

“It would be very interest

ing to

trade places with my siblings.

I want them to see and experien

ce

the life we have as overseas

Filipino workers and vice-versa

.

Actually, the way of living

and

working abroad is tota

lly different

from life in our country.”

“Right now? No one.I enjoy my life. Wouldlove to fly like an eagle

but I am terribly scared ofheights. So, I would rather

remain me.”

grifin galvezExecutive AssistantHO-Marketing Department

“I would like to be a pilotfor a day. It would be

great to be in the cockpitand steer over the

world.”

Anna garcia Telephone OperatorPepsi

Hiba el BaytamouniDepartment Head - ICareAli Bin Ali Medical

“I will choose to be

the same person I am

today, a wife, a

mother, a hardworking

person trying to

achieve the best in all

aspects of life.”

Wentzel de Wet Operations ManagerHospitality

“I would trade places with

my 4-year-old son Jake, to

live a day as a carefree child

full of infinite possibility and

unburdened by everyday

worries and obligations.”

rachna MathewTraining CoordinatorHO-HR

“I would love to swap places with a

monk. I could retire and take time to

meditate, focus, think and even

develop my mind on the path to

liberation and enlightenment. I could

have all three - Joy, Peace andHappiness - at once, too.”

Bobby Thomas Facilities OfficerLogistics

“I guess I should swap

places with my wife

who keeps telling me

‘one day you should be

in my place to

understand.”Tanusha FerdinandDivision CoordinatorGaleries Lafayette

Awad Khan Assistant Producer Digitek

Haroon Naseem Division Manager - RetailiSpot

“I would like to live a da

y in Tim

Cook’s (CEO of Apple

) shoes. With

Apple at the forefro

nt of technology

pioneering, wouldn’t it

be great to get

a glimpse, first-hand, of th

e new

technology and prod

ucts that are

going to change our

lives in the

future? ”

dorothy ronquillo Secretary, Platinumsands

KSA

“I would want to switch placeswith the President of the

Philippines for a day so that I canapply and implement the valuesand good ethics that my company

taught me."

Ahmed shahrieir Finance ManagerABA Printing Press

“Would like to swap myplace with any of our salesteam members - to meetnew people on a regular

basis and invent new waysto deal with them.”

‘’For one day, I would like toswap places with someone

living on the streets. It wouldmake me appreciate my

regular life and I’m sure, afterthat experience, I would be a

million times morekindhearted.”

for a day and why?

to swap

“I would love to swap places with HerHighness Sheikha Moza. Because for

me, she is one of the mostinspirational ladies in the world.”

Mohammed shafi Fleet CoordinatorABA and Partners Who would you want

1918

Opinion

”I would swap my place

with the famous Dutc

h DJ,

Martin Garrix. It would be

a great feeling to b

e able

to control the crow

d.”

places with

13th Nov - 2017

Adding yet another feather in the cap of thesuper-efficient ForWArd initiative, thesupply Chain Management of Ali Bin AliMedical went live with ERP application onMonday, November 13, 2017. The ForWArdteam and ABA Medical’s staff gathered atthe Head Office to flag off the journey.

The meeting mainly aimed at addressing theDivision’s go live preparation, Go Live andpost-Go Live activities. The Medical teamwas also briefed on the magnitude of theproject and the effect it would have onbusiness processes.

The Medical division was chosen to be oneof the four pilot sites for this challengingproject because it is a unique business modelin ABA with a diligent and dedicated

workforce that is up to the challenge.

Introduction of the system is a majortransformation for the Medical division andit will automate procedures - thereby makingoperations more efficient. It was amonumental challenge to implement thesystem.

General Manager of ABA Medical Mr. ZuhdiAl-Jaouni played a key role in the initiativeand left no stone unturned to facilitate theprocess and properly channel the efforts ofthe team to ensure success. He was aptlysupported by Assistant General Manger Mr.Mamdouh A Al-Yazouri.

Speaking about the new application, Mr.Jaouni said, “The erP system will benefit

ABA Medical in more ways than one. Theinitial days may not be very smooth butonce we all get used to it, there will be nolooking back. erP will change the way weoperate our business.”

As with previous divisions, a supportstructure has been set up to make thetransition process smooth. Subject matterexperts, super users and consultants areworking with the intrasoft team to makesure that the system is working smoothly andall business transactions are running correctlyand efficiently.

Congratulations to the ForWArd team foryet another achievement and wish yousuccess for rest of the erP journey.

FORWARD moves a step ahead,goes live at ABA Medical

Ali Bin Ali group has always beensupportive of all Qatari initiatives,including sporting events. In keepingwith this, ABA group’s Monoprix andPhilipp Plein stepped forward assponsors of the 'Qatar Clasico' footballmatch between Al sadd and Alrayyan. The highly-anticipated match - part ofthe season's Qatar Stars League (QSL) -took place on October 27, 2017 atDoha's Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad

Stadium, where the LED signagepromoted the two renowned brands- Monoprix and Philip Plein.Played in front of a crowd of around8,525 roaring supporters, the matchpitted two of Qatar’s best teamsagainst each other in terms ofreputation, strength and fansupport. In the end, Al Rayyanemerged victorious as they beattheir famed rivals Al Sadd 2-1 in ahighly entertaining match. Being part of theevent is a matter ofgreat pride for ABAgroup as the 'QatarClasico' is a uniqueand significantoccasion that grabsthe attention of theentire footballfraternity in Qatar,making it acomplete festival offootball.

Continuing its internal initiative forBreast Cancer Awareness and as part ofits Corporate social responsibility(CSR), Ali Bin Ali group came forward tolend its support to Aspire ZoneFoundation's ‘Pink Walk’ Breast Cancer

Awareness event. The third edition of the event took placeat Aspire Park on October 28, 2017, andwas attended by almost 500 people. ABA group joined the cause with theaim of encouraging participants toembrace a healthier lifestyle and becomefamiliar with both the causes of breastcancer and effective identificationmethods.The event, which was open to women ofall age groups, included a breast cancerawareness seminar presented by QatarCancer society, a photo opportunity inwhich the attendees formed a ‘Humanribbon’, and a 1-kilometer walk aroundAspire Park.

More than 400 people gathered atAspire Park to form the biggest 'Humanribbon', as a reminder of the importanceof breast cancer awareness. All thewomen were gifted pink caps and T-shirts as they came together to focus onhealth and fitness.

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Ali Bin Ali Group sponsorof Aspire Zone ‘Pink Walk’

Ali Bin Ali Group’sMonoprix andPhilipp Plein

sponsor 'QatarClasico' match

In pursuit of expanding the pharmabusiness, Ali Bin Ali group'sMedical division team held aseries of business-to-business(B2B) talks with a Bangladeshipharmaceuticals tradedelegation to explore newavenues of cooperation in the fieldof medicine.The delegation, which included theCEOs of some of Dhaka's leadingpharmaceutical companies, visitedDoha in early October.ABA's Chief Financial Officer, Mr.Iftekhar Ahmad said such meetingswould help diversify ABA’sresources by adding new tradingpartners. "The siege imposed on Qatar hasopened the doors for ABA todiversify its resources. We arenegotiating with manyBangladeshi companies,including some in thisdelegation, to find outpossibilities of setting upproduction units in doha byforming joint ventures”, Mr.Ahmad added.

ABA Medical looksto expand itspharmaceuticalsbusiness

28th Oct - 2017

27th Oct - 2017

Qatar and germany have beenpartners across multipledimensions and, in celebration ofthis long-standing bond, Ali Bin Aligroup recently came forward asone of the sponsors of the 2017german National daycelebrations.Hosted by the Ambassador of theFederal Republic of Germany toQatar, H.E. Mr.Hans-Udo Muzel, theevent was held on November 28,2017 at The St Regis Doha.Apart from the Ambassador, theevent was attended by officialsfrom the German Embassy,government representatives andVIP guests.HE the Minister of Economy andCommerce Sheikh Ahmed bin

Jassim bin Mohammed al-Thani andHE the Minister of State for ForeignAffairs Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhijoined the German Ambassador inthe cake-cutting ceremony. Also present at the event wereMinistry of Foreign Affairs’ Chief ofProtocol Ibrahim Yousif AbdullahFakhro and prominent Qatarientrepreneur Sheikha HanadiNasser bint Khaled al-Thani.The Ali Bin Ali group, which hasalways supported and worked inco-operation with theinternational community inQatar, was glad and honored to bepart of the gathering for the officialcelebration of german Nationalday.

Ali Bin Ali group supports 2017 GermanNational Day celebrations in Qatar

28th Nov - 2017

our cars are an integral part of our lives.In fact, it will not be much of anexaggeration to say that many of us aretotally dependent on them. However,have we ever thought about theimpact of this

2322

MAiNTeNANCe• Keep your tires properlyinflated. When was the last timeyou checked your tire pressure?Tires should be inflated to thepressure recommended for your

vehicle. For every 3 poundsbelow the

recommended pressure, fueleconomy goes down by about 1per cent. Check the air pressureregularly and always before goingon a long trip or carrying heavyloads. There are plenty of servicestations that can take care of thisfor you (Teyseer, Woqod, Q-Tyre)• Check your fuel economy everyfew weeks. If you notice itslipping, it could mean you have aminor problem with the engine or

your brakes. Using this advancewarning, you can fix problemsbefore you have a breakdown onthe road.• get a tune-up. Whether you doit yourself or go to a mechanic, a

tune-up can increase your fueleconomy. Be sure to checkfor worn spark plugs,dragging brakes andlow transmissionfluid; have yourwheels alignedand tires rotated;and replace theair filter ifneeded. • Change the oil.In addition tomaking your car or

truck last longer,replacing the oil and

oil filter regularly will alsohelp improve fuel economy.

• regularly check andreplace dirty air filters. An airfilter that is clogged with dirt, dustand bugs chokes off the air andcreates a “rich” mixture thatcauses the engine to lose power.Replacing a clogged air filter willimprove your car’s performanceand acceleration, but not miles pergallon. The air filter should beinspected at each oil change, andreplaced annually or whenrestricted, torn, or water- or oil-soaked.

• Have your vehicle's emissioncontrol system checkedperiodically. Take it in for serviceif an instrument panel warninglight comes on.

driving• Avoid "jack rabbit" starts andaggressive driving. Yes, we know

that the traffic condition in Qatarcan be frustrating but flooring thegas pedal not only wastes gas, butalso leads to drastically higherpollution rates. One second ofhigh-powered driving can producenearly the same volume of carbonmonoxide emissions as half an

hour of normal driving.• Follow the speed limit. Drivingat 75 mph instead of 65 mph willlower your fuel efficiency by about10 per cent, and can dramaticallyincrease tailpipe pollution in manyvehicles.• Combine trips. Warmed-upengines and catalysts generatemuch less air pollution, so

combining several short trips intoone can make a big difference.• Take a load off. The more yourcar weighs, the more fuel it uses –it's as simple as that. Carryingaround an extra 100 poundsreduces fuel economy by about 1percent. Take a few moments tounload your cargo area.• Use the air conditioner wisely.While turning on the AC isn't greatfor the planet, in places with veryhigh temperatures - like Qatar, it isalmost unavoidable. However, wecan use it wisely and make sure itis switched off when notnecessary. Especially when weleave the car. Also, make sure thatthe system pressure andrefrigerants are at the correctlevels.

FUeliNg• Use regular gasoline unlessyour owner's manual saysotherwise. Unless your carrequires premium, high-octane

fuels improve neither fueleconomy nor performance andyou will just waste your money.• don't overfill the gas tank ortry to top it off beyond wherethe automatic nozzle clicks off.The way you put fuel in your caractually makes a difference.Topping off your tank forces liquidfuel into the canister, reducing itseffectiveness. Too much overfillingcould make it completely useless.Spilled gasoline evaporates toaggravate smog formation andcan leak into groundwater.

Buying green is just thefirst step in reducing theenvironmental impact of

automobile use. Yourchoice of vehicle is mostimportant, but how youdrive and how well youmaintain your car will

also make a difference.So, take care of your carso that it takes care of

our environment.

‘convenience’, which we can’t imagine our lifewithout, on our environment? Transportationaccounts for the majority of daily carbonemissions in the city, so it makes sense totarget that for reductions. This is why we need to follow a fewsimple preventive maintenance stepsand help protect the environment byimproving gas mileage, which in turnsaves money at the pump. It doesn’t matterif the car you’re driving is new or old, big orsmall. There are preventive maintenance stepsevery vehicle owner can take to make sure theircar is as “green” or environment-friendly as possible.

Healthy carfor a healthyenvironment

Greend t

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Adding another feather in Ali Bin Ali group’s cap,Monoprix doha Festival City – hosted in Qatar by theABA group - has seen the best results on itsMystery shopper report so far.

This was after Ali Bin Ali group took the initiative totrain more than 150 Monoprix staff members fromDFC and Palm Tower to improve customersatisfaction.

The training initiative started in August last year andran in stages till November 2017. It was donethrough a series of activities, including training, on-the-job coaching and different role-plays.

Further to this, an employee awareness campaign wasinitiated at DFC to promote excellent customer service.

The Ali Bin Ali group Humanresources (Hr) team has beendoing an incredible job inrecruiting the best heads for alldivisions of the group. Not onlyare they getting the best talentsonboard but also doing itefficiently in a crunch situation,amid time constraints.

In September 2017, Ali Bin AliPartners wanted to hire staff forone of its most popular brands –Americana. With a notice of just 2days, ABA Hr made sure to use allplatforms for advertising andreaching out to maximum jobhunters.

Approximately 1,460 peopleapplied for the jobs, of whom Hrinterviewed 500. After a long andrigorous interview session, 200applicants were shortlisted. Thedivision was extremely happy withHR’s assistance in making the

selection and all the positions werefilled soon.Speaking about the achievement,ABA group Talent AcquisitionManager Ms. Ranime Moufarrejsaid: “It was surely not an easytask and we could not haveachieved the target withoutsupport from the division andthe ABA CorporateCommunications team. We triedour best to reach out to themaximum number of people andthen scan for the best talent, fitfor the job. I would also like tothank Mr. Moataz and the groupAdministration team insupporting us with the visa andtransfer process upon completionof the recruitment drive. Last butnot least, a sincere thanks to myteam for their effort andcommitment to guarantee thesuccess of the drive.”

However, this was not the first

time that ABA Hr had deliveredsuch a task. The ABA Hr team leftno stone unturned to recruit thebest talents for Monoprix dohaFestival City, which opened itsdoors in April 2017.

The team managed to recruit 250employees from differentbackgrounds and nationalities andmade sure that the Monoprix

Festival City store opened on thepromised date.The Regional General Manager ofMonoprix, Mr. Sébastien Farhat,was all praise for the HR team andsaid: “I would like to express my

sincere thanks for theprofessionalism you have shown inyour efforts and your involvementin the successful recruitment ofthe Monoprix Festival City team. Iam grateful for the manner inwhich you have mastered therecruitment, to adapt to theconstraints encountered andtogether face the difficulties inorder to succeed.

“your responsiveness, youradaptability, your teamworkwith the Administrative teamsare assets that I greatly appreciateand were the key to the success ofthe recruitment.”

ABA group Hr attains new high inrecruiting fresh talent

Monoprix DFC hits 'recordhigh' customer satisfaction

November- 2017

25

lastPass Password ManagerLastPass is one of thosemust-have apps. It's apassword manager that

lets you save your login credentials in a safe,secure way. On top of that, it can helpgenerate nearly impossible passwords foryou to use on your accounts. It's allcontrolled with a master password. It hascross-platform support so you can use it oncomputers, mobile devices, tablets orwhatever. The premium version is cheap. Youcan also grab the LastPass Authenticator togo along with it for added security..

netd t

grammarly Grammarly is a type ofgrammar correction toolthat indicates any wrongsentence, word or phraseand also provides

information about thealternative term(s). It also helps check forplagiarism and wrong suggestions as well asexamples that help understand quickly. It isavailable on Android as well as iPhone andiPad devices...

CamCardCamCard, a free app foriPhone and Androiddevices, automates thebusiness card-scanningprocess as much as

possible. Just line up thecard’s edges with the guidelines shown onscreen and when it hits the optimumposition, the shot will fire automatically. Theapp is really fast when it comes to scanning.This app also lets you exchange electronicbusiness cards securely when meeting newpeople. Go paperless now!

Abbyy Finescanner FineScanner turns yourmobile device into apowerful all-purposemobile scanner to quicklycapture docs and books,

creating electronic copies inPDF and JPEG, and apply online OCR torecognize texts from scans for further editingand sharing. Scan any printed or hand-written papers, create perfect digital copiesand save them to JPEG or PDF documents.

yousicianYousician is your personalmusic tutor for the digitalage. Learn at your ownpace, whenever andwherever you want.

Yousician currently supportsguitar, piano, ukulele and bass. The applistens to you play and gives instantfeedback on your accuracy and timing. Step-by-step video tutorials guide you througheach lesson. Fun and addictive gameplaytracks your progress and keeps youmotivated to practice and learn.

Kitchen storiesKitchen Stories brings theworld of cooking to yourpocket. With user-friendlyrecipes and a platform toshare them on, Kitchen

Stories gives users the perfect culinarycompanion for everyday use. Ranging fromquick and easy dishes to multi-coursemenus, the cooking app offers hundreds ofcreations in simple, searchable categories.With carefully selected music, the videosprovide cooking inspiration and instructions.Features like the auto-generated shoppinglist, quantity calculator and an integratedtimer are designed to keep the mind on themeal and not on the logistics.

VivaVideoVivaVideo comes with avideocam that lets youshoot normal orwidescreen, as well as infast or slow-motion mode.

Add some filters and specialeffects and this is a great companion app toupload fantastic short videos to Instagram. Ifvideo is not your thing, you can create photoslideshows using the photo movie maker.

drivvoA great app for keepingtrack of mileage, fuel andcar maintenance. The appprovides full fuelmanagement and helps

you save cash and time bykeeping track of your gas mileage, fueleconomy, the right fuel stations, car servicecosts, car service reminders and otherrelevant expenses.

There are countless mobile applications - or apps -available for your smartphone, whether you own aniOS or Android handset. It is really easy to lose yourway in this digital jungle not knowing what wouldbe of real use. While some apps are hugely popularand can be found on nearly every smartphone user’shome screen, there are quite a few that are not sopopular but are extremely useful and containfeatures that make your life a lot easier. Here is a list of apps that The Dot recommends for you.

Mobile appsthat make life easier!

Ali Bin Ali group’s ForWArd projectis moving ahead with confidentstrides. After completing the intensetransformation period, when allbusiness operations in QQP were shutdown, the application successfullywent live at the QQP division onDecember 4, 2017.

The journey started on November 29,2017 when the Qatar Quality Product(QQP) division staff membersembarked on a vital journey with thetransition to the erP ForWArdsystem. In view of the mammothtransformation the division isundergoing, the QQP ForWArd

implementation process comes withthe slogan ‘Transform The FutureToday!’

A gathering was organized at the headoffice to flag off the journey and theoccasion was graced by the presenceof the Vice-Chairman & EVP of Ali BinAli Group, Mr. Nabeel Ali Bin Ali.

Also present at the event was the topmanagement of Ali Bin Ali group,including Chief Operating Officer –FMCG Mr. Nabil Mourad, ExecutiveSponsor for the ForWArd Project andChief Operating Officer - ICT Mr.Mohamad A. Ebrik, and GeneralManager of QQP Mr. Dany Aoun.

Expressing his support for the ERPproject, Mr. Nabeel said: “We haveembarked on a very critical andintense journey and oncecompleted, ForWArd willtransform the group forever. Wehave to continue the trend ofsuccessful erP implementation ineach and every division. There is nolooking back. i am proud of ourachievements so far and amconfident about successfullyimplementing the erP system forthe entire Ali Bin Ali group”.

In the coming days, proper planningcomplemented by team spirit anddedication enabled the QQP staff totake total control of the transitionwarzone. All staff members of QQP,led by General Manger Mr. Dany Aoun,showed unquestionable resolve andworked for extra hours - and even onthe weekend. This enables the teamto cut down the operational downtime to 3 days from the initiallyplanned 5 days and QQP went live onDecember 4.

This was indeed a great achievementfor Team QQP, as finishing two days

before schedule allowed the divisionto save a lot of value in the market.Well done, Team QQP!

On 4 December 2017, in the presenceof Project Executive Sponsor/ COO ICTMr. Ebrik, QQP staff - including Mr.Dany - and the ForWArd teamgathered to celebrate the momentousoccasion. The Go Live poster wasrevealed and Mr. Dany made the firstever transaction on the ForWArdsystem.

Speaking about the Go Live, Mr. Danysaid: “This was achieved onlybecause of the dedication of theentire team. The QQP staff providedaccurate data for entry, which madethe process smooth. i had completefaith in my team and knew wewould succeed, and i am reallyproud that we could finish it before

schedule on december 4 instead ofdecember 6.”

While all the team members had putin their best efforts to make thetransition successful, two heroes stoodout. Accounts & Commercial Managerof QQP N.C. shekar and Senior SystemAnalyst osama Abdul rahmanHamad were awarded a token ofappreciation for their outstandingperformance throughout QQP’sjourney to transform the future.

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Scan to watch

VIDEO

Scan to watch

VIDEO

Another milestoneachieved, QQPGoes Live withFORWARD ERP

application

29th Nov - 4th Dec - 2017

However, there are plentyof little tricks you can useto improve your posturegradually. Here are sometips that will get youstarted on the right footwhen it comes to yourposture in the office.Correcting your poorposture habits isn’tsomething that’s going tochange overnight, but youcan make an impact bymaking an effort everyday.

Adjust your office chairNo matter the kind of chair yousit on, how you sit in it makes ahuge difference. You need tomake sure you’re sitting upstraight and that your body is

level with the floor. Use thechair back to support your lowerback, which can help you toavoid low back pain. If youneed to roll up a towel or shirtto place between your back andthe chair, then do it for addedsupport.

Take short breaks tomove around

Remember that sitting forprolonged periods of time, evenwith the perfect posture, willtake its toll on your body. Takea few minutes at least onceevery hour to move around,stand up, and stretch. Try toincorporate mini-walks intoyour daily schedule. Integratingconstant motion into your workroutine also has an addedbenefit: it improves yourefficiency and concentration.

Keep your feet firmlyon the floorMany people will naturally crosstheir ankles or tuck their legsunder them while they’resitting. Any way you’re sittingthat doesn’t place your feet

Growing up, ourparents woulddemand that wesit up and stopslouching, butmodern life posesmany challengeswhen it comes tomaintaining properposture. We tendto slouch whiletyping oncomputers andoften assumeunhealthy positionswhen usingsmartphones.Because many ofus remain"connected" frommorning to night,posture challengescan plague us formost of our wakinghours.

2928

Health

Tips tosurvive

Thebenefits

of a goodposture

all day

sitting inan office

firmly on the ground is wrongand can lead straight to backproblems. If you find this is aproblem for you, try a stool or astanding desk.

Modify your computerscreenIf your computer screen isanywhere except at eye leveldirectly in front of you, thenyou need to correct its position!It should be at arm’s length,with the top of the screen atthe level of your eyes. If thescreen is too high or low, then

you’ll eventually strain yourneck by looking up or down forlong periods of time every day.

Keep your ears in linewith your shouldersWhile you are sitting at yourdesk, if you're leaning too farforward or backward, yourposture is off-kilter. Use thistrick whenever you're sitting atyour desk.

Try using a lumbarsupport pillowA lumbar support pillow doessome of the work for you bysupporting your spine. You'll be

forced into the correct positionevery time you sit down. For aquicker fix, use a folded orrolled-up towel.

Keep things handyAnything that you constantlyuse (think your phone, mouse,or water bottle) can be a

stressor on your body if you’realways reaching out to grab it.Instead of forcing your body tooverwork (and be in anuncomfortable position), keepthese must-use items within afoot.

do not cradle yourphone between yourear and neckMany people want to multitaskand one bad habit is cradlingthe phone on your shoulder sothat you can keep your handsfree to write or type. However,

this practice can strain musclesand other soft tissues in yourneck, shoulders and upperback. To break this habit, use aheadset if you are on thephone a lot throughout the dayor get into the habit of holdingyour phone in your hand.

Ask for helpAsk a trusted colleague to tellme if they see me slouch. It is

better to ask for a favorthan injure yourself.

It won’t feel awesome at first—the ideal posture is rarely themost comfortable. Try slowlyincorporating these changes toget your body adjusted to ahealthier posture, and overtime, sitting properly won’t feelawkward at all. In the long run,your body will thank you.

Assess your postureWear something form-fittingand take two full-bodyphotos—one from the front,one from the side. Relax yourmuscles and stand as tall asyou can, feet hip-width apart.

1 - look at your ear. If it's infront of the midpoint of yourshoulder, your head is too farforward.2 - Can you see your shoulderblade? if yes, it means yourback is too rounded.3 - if your hips tilt forwardand you have a belly pooch(even if you don't have anounce of fat on your body) andyour lower spine is archedsignificantly, this means youhave an anterior pelvic tilt.4 - look at your shoulders.One shouldn't appear higherthan the other.5 - Check out your kneecaps.Do they point inward, causingyour knees to touch when yourlegs are straightened?6 - see if you're duck-footed.Your toes will point outwardmore than 10 degrees.

increases concentrationand thinking ability

relieves backand neck pain

improvesdigestive health

Facilitatesbreathing

reduces stress andimproves mood

Preventsarthritis

increasesenergy

increasesproductivity

Makes you look goodand feel confident

Scan to watch

VIDEO

Scan to watch

VIDEO

Ali Bin Ali luxury united Qatar’s legendary lovefor football with the passion of its watchcollectors as richard Mille – hosted by ABAluxury in Qatar - officially launch the rM 030Psg limited edition at the Richard MilleBoutique, located at The Pearl, Qatar.

The limited edition watch was launched byParis saint-germain Captain Thiago silva andplayers dani Alves and Adrien rabiot onDecember 21, 2017.

The launch was attended by Peter Harrison, CEORichard Mille Europe, Middle East and Africa,Fahad Al Sulaiti, CEO of the Education Above AllFoundation, Mutaz Barshim, Qatari high jumpworld champion, Wayde van Niekerk, SouthAfrican 400 meter Olympic gold medalist, worldchampion and world record holder, along withVIP guests, watch connoisseurs and members ofthe press.

The RM 030 PSG watch was created to honor thepartnership between richard Mille and Parissaint-germain. The piece has a case made ofTZP-B Blue Ceramic with a Red TPT Quartz caseband and is a limited edition release of only 100pieces sold exclusively through richard Milleboutiques in Paris and Doha.

Through the sales of the RM 030 PSG LimitedEditions, richard Mille will support everychild’s fundamental right to a quality primaryeducation. At the center of the launchcelebration was a meeting between Paris saint-germain stars Silva, Alves and Rabiot and agroup of children representing Education AboveAll Foundation.

Ali Bin Ali luxury is not only proud to associateitself with the exclusive creation of richard Millebut also honored to be related to the noble causeof providing quality primary education to schoolchildren globally.

Paris Saint-Germain football players launch RichardMille’s exclusive PSG Limited Edition’

As part of our Corporate SocialResponsibility (CSR), Ali Bin Aligroup came forward to support acharity dinner organized byLebanese School of Qatar.

The event was held on December7, 2017 at the Al Wajba Ballroom,in La Cigale Hotel, Doha. Theannual gala dinner, hosted by theBoard of Trustees of the LebaneseSchool, raised money to supportthe less privileged students inthe school.

The event attracted a big audiencefrom the Lebanese community andalso present at the event was thehead of the Board Of Directors ofthe Lebanese School, H.E. Mr.Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah.

Speaking about the event, H.E. Mr.Al Attiyah said: “it is veryimportant that we come forwardto support the underprivileged.With a little help from our side,we can make a huge differencein someone’s life. i am proud andglad to be a part of this eventand thank everyone who cameforward in our support.”

21st Dec - 2017

Best ClerkHom Bahadur

Celebrating the hard work of itsemployees, the Ali Bin Alilogistics Division organized thestaff Performance evaluation &rewards Ceremony for non-FMCg business on December 7,2017. The gathering, which took placeon the ABA logistics premises,was attended by all non-FMCGstaff members in the LogisticsDivision as well as Group LogisticsGeneral Manager Jon Mayson,Division Manager Saba Imam andHR and Admin members.Speaking about the event, Mr. Jonsaid: “it is our staff who makeus what we are and it is veryimportant to recognize theircontribution. i am happy andproud to be part of such adedicated team. i congratulateall the winners and thank themfor their continuous effort.” Based upon staff contributionstowards the achievement ofoperational objectives for theyear 2017, the best staffmembers were selected andrewarded in their respective

areas.The key attributes on which theawards were based includeddaily attendance & punctuality,working ethics, efficiency &effectiveness of duty, integrityat work, willingness to learnnew things & shoulder moreresponsibility, quick & gooddecision-making capabilities,time management and positivethinking with innovative ideas.Out of 78 staff members in thenon -FMCG sector, five ABAemployees were awarded in therespective categories.

employee of the yearPradeep TandoBest Team leaderAkhtar RahamanBest ClerkHom BahadurBest Quality CheckerMohamed ShifanBest Warehouse specialistSunil Rey

Congratulations to all winners!

3130

Happenedit

staff Performance evaluation &rewards Ceremony at ABA Logistics

Best Team leaderAkhtar Rahaman

Best Quality CheckerMohamed Shifan

Best Warehouse specialistSunil Rey

employee of the yearPradeep Tando

7th Dec - 2017

ABA Group’s CSRinitiative supportscharity event atLebanese school

In a major accomplishment for the Ali Bin Ali group,three of our Head Office Human Resources (HR) teammembers earned certification from the HrCertification institute (HRCI), USA.

This was part of the company’s efforts to ensure thattop-level professional services are offered to theGroup and the employees.

This certificate (PHri) guarantees the professionalknowledge and competencies of the certificationholders, and requires regular recertification, toguarantee that the HR competencies are up-to-dateand in sync with the world’s best practices.

Heartiest congratulations to Mr. Ajay daniel John,Ms. eleni Ntoulaveri and Mr. Nikolay stoichkov.

Ali Bin Ali group Human resourcesstaff members get certified

The dot caught up withMr. Mohammad Imranto learn about hisjourney with Ali Bin AliGroup.

What is the first thing youdo when you wake up inthe morning and whatdrives you to come to workevery day for the past 22years?The first thing I do is check myphone for new messages,especially on WhatsAppnowadays. Then, after breakfast,I head towards taking a showerand that’s where my thinkingprocess starts. Self-motivation is very important for me and it has kept me going for thelast 22 years. I start my day with a lot of positive energy and try tomaintain it throughout the day.if not into the FMCg business, what would have been yourarea of work?I would have loved to be in the Human Resources Department because Ireally care for people. I believe, happy, positive and committed peoplemake a successful company. How would you describe your relationship with the companyand what is it that you aspire to achieve in ABA group?ABA was technically my second job. I joined ABA as a van salesman and Iaspired to go up by exceeding the expectations set by my superiors. ABA has offered me more than what I deserved. Every time I was offereda more challenging role. Over the last 20 years, I have worked in 12different jobs and six different functions within the Group. I had theaspiration to grow and the company gave me every opportunity for it.Who is your idol? describe his/her most admirablecharacteristics.My father has always been my idol. He is a fighter, a sportsperson andeveryone says I have adopted it. His most admirable characteristics are:he is highly motivated, very committed to what he does and is a lovableperson.How do you encourage your staff to take control andresponsibility?I give them the role and let them perform with very little supervision tocheck if they are capable, then I give them full control of their job.

one quote that inspires you…Success never comes to you, you have to go to achieve your success.

How do we know if Mr. imran is having a good day or a badday?That’s a difficult one (laughs). People say they know from my bodylanguage. Generally, they compliment me for always smiling and beingfull of energy but at times of course, like everyone else, I have baddays. Then, you will not see the same energy level on my face. I nevershout or never take out my negativity. It is just that people close to meknow from my expression that I had a bad day at work.

What do you do in your free time? What are your hobbies?I like to do a lot of sports like cycling, play badminton, or go out to thepool. Otherwise, I play Xbox, especially Kinect, because it has somephysical activities and allows me to engage with my kids. As for myhobbies, I listen to a lot of Indian classical music or any melodious music.Whenever we find any mention of a sports activity involvingABA group, we see your name. What is the reason behind this?All this started in the year 1998 when I visited one of our key customersand he had to introduce me to an ABA colleague. I felt embarrassedbecause we belonged to the same group but did not know each other.Thus, with the idea of bringing everybody together we started to hostsmall sporting events. The first Olympic Day was organized in 1998 andthe employee participation was 50%.Although sometimes it becomes very difficult, I try finding time because Ibelieve these events bring everybody at Ali Bin Ali together.Tell us about your family and your children?I have been married for 15 years and have two sons. Most of myachievement would have not been possible without the support from mywife: Sameena. She is not just my partner or companion, she is myinspiration. My elder son, Ayham, is 13 years old while the younger,Sahraan, is 10. Ayham dreams of becoming a computer engineer, mostlydo graphics and join the movie industry. Sahraan wants to become acardiologist because, he believes, by doing that he can save lives andearn a lot of money as well.Message to all the staff – “Whatever you have got to do in life, becommitted and do this for yourself. At times we see a lot of negativityaround us, we need to pick out the positive within the negativity and tryto perform and achieve great results.”

3332

ManagementTips People

d tAli Bin Ali Group is a big family and although we may be knowing each other by name or official position, little do we know aboutthe other person or his/her experience with the Group. In an effort to bridge this gap, The Dot has introduced a new section wherewe interview the people behind the operation of this great organization, to find out more about them and their ABA journey.

Year of joining: 1995

Mohammad imranGeneral Manager

Dohatna

iNTerVieWwith

Try out these methods and see if they help you reduce the stress quotient in your everyday job.Write to us at The.dot@alibinali.com and let us know if the tips helped.

Create a balanced schedule. All work and no play is arecipe for burnout. Try to find a balance between work and familylife, social activities and solitary pursuits, daily responsibilities anddowntime.

start your day early. Even 10-15 minutes can make thedifference between frantically rushing and having time to easeinto your day. Don’t add to your stress levels by running late.

Clean up your act. Arrange your workplace and put thingsin order. If your desk is a mess, file and throw away the clutter;just knowing where everything saves time and cuts stress.

Prioritize tasks. Tackle high-priority tasks first. If you havesomething particularly unpleasant to do, get it over with early.The rest of your day will be more pleasant as a result.

Flip your negative thinking. If you focus on thedownside of every situation and interaction, you'll find yourselfdrained of energy and motivation. Try to think positively about yourwork, avoid negative-thinking co-workers, and pat yourself on theback about small accomplishments, even if no one else does.

Be willing to adjust. Sometimes, if you can bend a littleat work, you’ll be able to find a happy middle ground that

reduces stress levels for everyone.

develop healthy responses. Instead of attempting to fight stress withfast food or some addiction, do your best to make healthychoices when you feel the tension rise.

exercise is a great stress-buster. Yoga can be anexcellent choice, but any form of physical activity is beneficial.When you’re overly focused on work, it’s easy to neglect yourphysical health. But when you’re supporting your health withgood nutrition and exercise, you’re stronger and moreresilient to stress.

learn how to relax. Techniques such as meditation,deep breathing exercises and mindfulness can help meltaway stress.

Turn to co-workers for support. Having a solidsupport system at work can help buffer you from thenegative effects of job stress. Just remember to listen to themand offer support when they are in need as well.

The practice of journaling has healthbenefits. Journaling is the act of writing downyour thoughts and feelings to understand them moreclearly. It reduces stress by removing the worries andthoughts racing over and over in your mind. You movethese worries, concerns, hopes or dreams out of yourbody onto the paper.

Is there a way to maintain steady focus throughout the day? Is itpossible to do everything that needs to get done and still haveenergy left over after work? How do you keep cool under so manydemands? Here are some tips on handling pressure and managingwork stress efficiently.

AT WORKMANAGEMENTSTRESSTIPS FOR

esight 3A complete breakthrough for the legally blind, eSight is aversatile, wearable, hands-free solution that provides sight,without the need for any surgery. eSight houses a high-speed,high-definition camera that captures everything the user islooking at. eSight’s algorithms enhance the video feed anddisplay it on two, OLED screens in front of the user's eyes, andis seen by a visually impaired user with unprecedented visualclarity and virtually no lag.

WAir anti-pollution scarfCyclists, bikers and pedestrians, WAIR hasfinally arrived. It is an anti-pollution scarf

that filters harmful substances in the air and,through an app, indicates less polluted

routes. The mask, entirely made from foamand covered in vegetable leather, is suitable

and comfortable for every face shape. Byactivating the geolocalisation mechanismwith a smartphone the Sup’airman app by

WAIR, which is connected to the scarf,communicates information on air quality.

The app also suggests less polluted routes tofollow, warns the user in case the scarfshould be worn or the filter should be

replaced and provides excellent health tips.

You may have heard of ‘choice paralysis’ -it's the sensation you experience when

you want something but are so spoilt forchoice that you end up not buying one atall. The tech world is full of it. There is a

gadget and gizmo for almost everything inlife and the options are becoming more

fascinating with each passing day.

3534

The

of

tech

2017wonders

snapchat spectaclesThe Snapchat Spectacles went on sale in late-2016 butcould only be purchased using a Snapchat Snapbotvending machine, or from the dedicated pop-up storein New York. It was only in 2017 that the product was

available for sale online.The spectacles, availablein black, coral or teal, canrecord video snippetsthat automatically saveto your SnapchatMemories, a feature inSnapchat that stores allyour saved snaps, storiesand locked content.

Here oneHere One is the first truly wireless 3-in-1 earbud that combines Premium Audio, SmartNoise Cancellation and Speech Enhancement. It is a set of totally wireless earphoneswith active noise-cancelling and good sound. They fit fairly comfortably and securely inyour ears and have various pass-through noise filters that allow you to hear the outsideworld and even augment people's voices.

Kuri the robot nannyKuri is the perfect home robot with a lovablepersonality. It is your assistant, companion,photographer, eyes and ears when you're not homeand much more. With Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a 1080p camand sturdy wheels designed to traverse any interiorflooring, Kuri has some serious technology behind it.Every inch of Kuri looks to be designed with the goalof making this robot helper adorable. Its wordlesschirps and nods were clearly designed to please theyounger members of the family while it helps patrolthe halls and keep an eye on your home. Kuri can alsorecognize faces and context and adapt its responsesaccordingly. Though Kuri doesn't talk, it can playpodcast, music and tell stories.

Toyota Concept-i carToyota unveiled its latest concept car in January 2017—and it's designed to be your pal. The concept car comeswith an artificial intelligence assistant named Yui thatcan learn more about you over time. It seats fourpeople, but that's about the only thing the Concept-ihas in common with today's cars. Its doors are made

almost entirely of glass to give passengers a betterview of the road beneath them. The rear wheels arebuilt into the car's sleek white frame. Designed fromthe inside out, Toyota Concept-i is an exciting glimpseinto a future mobility that is warm, friendly andrevolves around you.

Hello eggEssentially weird-looking, HelloEgg is the ultimate kitchensolution. The assistant plans yourweekly meals according to yourdietary preferences and adjusts tounpredicted events, like aspontaneous at-home dinner withyour vegetarian friend. Hello Eggsupervizes your pantry, organizesyour shopping list and even ordersyour grocery delivery. It providesyou with easy-to-follow, step-by-step voice-navigated video recipesand answers any cooking-relatedquestions with the help of artificialintelligence and a support team ofcooking experts.dring smart Cane

The smart cane has movement sensors andan alert system that connects directly to theGSM network. In case of a fall oremergency, the cane can be used to sendan alert to a caregiver, who can respondwith a signal so the cane user knows helpis on the way. An accompanying app usesalgorithms to learn the user's habits andmovements based on data collected fromthe cane. It then uses that information todeduce low activity, tiredness and otherchanges in walking patterns that couldsignal the user's deteriorating condition

Honda self-balancingmotorcycle

In 2017, Honda unveiledthe Honda Riding Assist motorcycle, which

leverages robotics technology to create a self-balancing motorcycle. This technology greatly

reduces the possibility of failing over while themotorcycle is at rest. Honda Riding Assist basically

uses technology that allows the motorcycle tobalance itself in slow speeds without the use of

gyroscopes. This is achieved essentially by rakingout the motorcycle's front forks and then moving

the front wheel back and forth - just like cyclists doto balance themselves at extremely slow speeds.

sleep Number 360smart Bed

Sleep Number unveiled its revamped smart bedline in early-2017 - the new 360 bed. The bed

does a lot: it automatically adjusts to your sleepposition to make you comfortable; it detectssnoring and elevates your head to stop your

snoring; it figures out how well you slept basedon your heart rate, breathing, and your tossingand turning; and it’s also got foot warmers. Thefoot warmers, according to one's professional

sleeper opinion, are the bed’s true star.

HP sprout g2 3dScanning PC - It's niche, but theSprout G2, with its integrated 3Dand 2D scanners, is perfect forproduct designers, CGI creatorsand other folks who can benefitfrom incorporating 3D models intotheir workflow. It's also got astylus-enabled touch mat that actsas a second screen. The computeris like an all-in-one stop foranyone in the 3D-printing field --minus the printer, of course.

While some technology is outthere to make our everyday

lives simpler, there are othersthat add style, fun and

creativity to life. Whatever maybe the category, 2017 saw theunveiling of some interesting

gadgets and tech concepts.

let's take a lookat some of them:

digid t

AlienordoB: October 27, 2017Mother: Marine De Lignac(Galeries Lafayette)

lakshadoB: June 4, 2017Mother: Marudula Venugopal(Galeries Lafayette)

youssef Ben gayesdoB: June 1, 2017Father: Hamza ben Gayes(Fashion Division)

Zoe Amaris P. ComiadoB: July 1, 2017Parents: Adrian Comia &Merlyn Pablo (Al Danah)

Adrian de guzman sta. AnadoB: September 25, 2017Parents: Mark Reenor Sta. Ana& Angie De Guzman (PSD)

Manha HasandoB: July 7, 2017Parents: Mehedi Hasan & Mahfuza Akter Munni (HO - Admin)

Ahmed TanzeemdoB: August 25, 2017Parents: Mohammad JashimUddin & Ummay Tanjina (Pepsi)

CoNgrATUlATioNs

Mabrook

groom: Ralph Rebucan NepomucenoBride: Jane Dominique Sanguyo OcampoWedding date: September 04, 2017division: Al Danah

groom: Mamun RashidBride: Nilufar Nahar Sadia Wedding date: September 07, 2017division: Al Danah

groom: Mohamed NafaisBride: Maslaha Wedding date: October 06, 2017division: ABATS

37

The dot: Welcome to The dot,Nideesh! Please tell us a littleabout yourselfNidheesh: I am a 3D visualizer. Icame to Doha almost four yearsago and joined Ali Bin Ali Group inSeptember 2016..

The dot: We hear that you are agreat artist. Tell us about thistalent of yours. When and howdid it all start?Nidheesh: It all started at a veryyoung age in the form of claymodelling. Later, when I joinedschool, my teachers encouragedme to take up drawing. I loved todraw, especially caricatures andcartoons. Then I started creatingrealistic drawings, I draw what Ifeel..

The dot: do you still do claymodelling?Nidheesh: Yes, absolutely. I mainlydo characters and animals.

The dot: Who encouraged orinspired you to take up sketchingand develop your talent?Nidheesh: In recent years, a friendin Doha - who is an artist here -

turned the way I did myart. Until then, I used todraw just what I felt,without any proportion.

The dot: What is art foryou?Nidheesh: Art is a verypersonal thing, a feeling.What is art to me maynot be for someone else.For me, when I think ofart, I think of shapingsomething, drawingsomething.

The dot: do you thinkthere is a commontheme that you likeworking on, nature,portraits etc.?

Nidheesh: Yes. It is usually acaricature, an expression or aportrait. Most of them are ofnormal human beings with uniquefacial features, like a very old manor a tribal lady.

The dot: What are the tools youuse for your art?Nidheesh: For clay modelling, it isonly recently that I bought somewooden and metal tools but beforethat I always used my hand tocreate the figures. For sketching, Ilike to draw with black ink pen andcharcoal pencils.

The dot: is it just a hobby? Whynot a full-time profession?Nidheesh: It is not that I have notthought about it. But to take it upas a profession, I need to get intothe industry and for now at least, itwill be a difficult thing.But this has always been mydream. I want to study in StanWinston School of Character Arts in

the US and learn how to makerealistic-size sculptures foranimation and science fictionmovies.

The dot: you are a 3d designer.Was your choice of professioninspired by your talent?Nidheesh: Yes. After completingschool I went on to studyanimation and worked in that fieldfor some time. Then I turned to 3Dvisualizing. My love for sculptingand sketching of course played arole in this choice.

The dot: Have you ever enteredor thought of entering an artcompetition?Nidheesh: I entered some when Iwas in school but nothing afterthat. Actually, I have my ownconcepts and do not like creatinganything for dictated concepts. Thatis why competitions are not for me.

The dot: Which, so far, is your

best artwork or an artwork youare proud of?Nidheesh: There is a smallsculpture of an old man sitting. It ismy favorite because I was able tocreate exactly what I wanted to. Ihad a concept in mind and I couldmanifest it perfectly in the artwork

The dot: Has your artwork beenpublished anywhere – print oronline?Nidheesh: It has been publishedon a couple of websites calledBehance and Coroflot. My 3D workswere included on their mostpopular list.

The dot: do you have a socialmedia page?

Nidheesh: I had one but have nowclosed it. In future, I plan to start apage to publish the work that Ilike. It will include 3D visuals,sculptures and sketches.

The dot: is there anything youare currently working on?Nidheesh: It is a concept that I amworking on. I would like to call itthe 'forbidden fruits'. The idearevolves around babies who arenot able to see the light of theworld. It may sound a bit morbidbut I would like to develop it in myown way..

The dot: What is your dream artproject?Nidheesh: I want to createsculptures for films.

The dot: Who is your favoriteartist?Nidheesh: My artist friend whoinspired me is one of my favorites.I like the work of many artists but Ihave my own style. If I really haveto choose someone it will beMichelangelo. His sculptures arealmost like real.

Talent

36

Nideesh AmbadiGraphic Designer, Digitek

Every edition of “The Dot” will showcase an interview with one talented staff from thecompany. Through this section, we aim to bring out the creative side of the employees.

ABA’s got

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Social

38

st. Anton, AustriaHome to the world’s first skischool, St. Anton is widelyconsidered the birthplace ofmodern skiing. A charming slope-side town steeped in alpinetradition, St. Anton offers almost200 miles of runs, roughly 440miles of back- and side-countryterrain, and a raging après scene.

Bansko, BulgariaThe ski resort Bansko is locatedin the Blagoevgrad Province ofBulgaria with the longest ski runsand the richest cultural history.The town of Bansko is situated atthe foot of the Pirin Mountain insouthwestern Bulgaria, 160kmfrom Sofia. The resort offersexcellent ski and snowboardconditions and infrastructure.Bansko is now a World HeritageSite, thanks to its rich culture andtraditions, which have succeededin fighting off the commercialfeel that comes with so manymodern ski resorts.

Cortina, italyThere is no place quite likeCortina. It is known as the Queenof the Dolomites and is located inthe heart of the eastern part ofthese spectacular mountains, inthe Belluno province of Venetoregion. It is also Italy’s mostfashionable resort, and manyvisitors take their lunching and

early-evening parading/shoppingmore seriously than their skiing.Excellent snow-making facilitiesmeans that the ski season isguaranteed from the end ofNovember until late-April.

Zermatt, switzerlandZermatt, the jewel inSwitzerland’s crown, is one of the

world’s best ski resorts andhas a lot going for it besidesthe Matterhorn, theprominent iconic asset with

which the resort has earnedworldwide recognition. Whatmakes it really unique,however, is its ban on cars,meaning you can escape thetraffic and pollution andreally appreciate the freshalpine air and quietness.During the winter months,Zermatt provides 220 miles ofslopes.

Chamonix, FranceSome of the world's bestexpert skiing can be found onChamonix’s jagged peaks andglaciers that rise 12,50ftabove the valley. A provingground for alpinists,mountaineers and skiers from

all over the world, Chamonix, or“Cham” as the locals and coreskiers call it, has more of anauthentic alpine flair than resortglitz and glamour. Tuckedbeneath the shadow of the15,767ft Mont Blanc—France’streasure—the power and beautyof this area are unmatched.

Trotterd t

Crisp mountain air, openingthe curtains to a snowy,picture postcard scene, andskiing, snowball fights ortobogganing – ski holidayshave all the elements thatcreate experiences that last alifetime. Skiing in Europe isan experience unlike anyother in the world. The greatadvantage of skiing in Europeis the diversity and ease ofaccess to a large number ofsuperb ski resorts in arelatively small area.

Whether you’re a first-timeskier or a professional goingwith family or a group offriends looking for an ‘après-ski’ party, we’ve got five ofthe most highlyrecommended skidestinations in Europe for youto choose from

EUROPESKI RESORTS in

BEST