EMIRATES VOTED WORLD'S BEST LONG-HAUL BUSINESS AIRLINE
Emirates has been voted the World's Best Long-Haul Business
Airline, by readers of the prestigious travel magazine, Conde Nast Traveller.
In its citation, the Readers' Travel Awards 2000 noted:
"Emirates deserves pole position for its punctuality/efficiency, pre- and
post-flight facilities, catering and the best in-flight entertainment."
The international airline of the United Arab Emirates was
joined on the podium by Virgin Atlantic and Singapore Airlines, who came second
and third, respectively.
Emirates was also placed ninth in the "Best of the
Best" Top 100, based on the overall percentage of readers' satisfaction
with facilities of service companies such as hotels, car rental, cruise liners,
airlines, etc. Emirates was the only airline in the top 30.
Readers' replies were collated and analysed by an independent
market research company.
The awards ceremony was held at London's Victoria and Albert
Museum, compered Manchester by top British Comedian Griff Rhys Jones. Vic
Sheppard, Emirates Sales Manager UK and Ireland, who received the top award from
Sarah Miller, Editor of Conde Nast Traveller, said: "We are delighted to be
recognised in this way, by the customers endorsing our efforts to continually
redefine the quality of experience that they enjoy."
Emirates currently operates five services a day from the UK
to Dubai, three daily from Heathrow and one each day from Gatwick and Manchester
it will add a sixth daily connection to Dubai, from Birmingham, on December 18.
Emirates has won over 190 awards in its short, 15-year
existence and earlier this year was named Airline of the Year by the Official
Airline Guide (OAG) and by Air Cargo News.
Karachi Sheraton Hotel & Towers, as a part of ArtFest
2000 presents Alchemy by Amin Gulgee in the Darbar Hall on September 26. This
show is all about the elasticity of metal and the forms it can be displayed in,
with sculpture and jewelry on the catwalk. Top models of the industry, adorned
in Sonia Batla's exquisite designs, will show on the runway the work that will
be statements about the power of Amin Gulgee's imagination and dreams translated
into forms and shapes of metal, produced by Pomme Shahbaz.
The evening will be divided into three parts, beginning with
the Bronze Age. In this section, focus will be on sculpture. Model will carry
and interact with bronze. The second section will be the age of silver. Silver
will adorn the model not only as jewelry but also as armor, and finally the show
will close on gold. This will be the culmination of the alchemic process and a
celebration of a metal that is a profound part of the psyche of the
subcontinent.
MCB's new offer
Muslim Commercial Bank has decided to offer concessional rate
of marke-up for Running Finance loans against Defence Saving
Certificates/Special Saving Certificates or other government securities under
its 'Instant Finance Scheme'.
The Bank had introduced the 'Instant Finance Scheme' little
over two years back which has gained immense popularity with its customers. At
that time the mark-up of running finance facility was fixed at 18% per annum,
but within a short span of two years, MCB has lowered its mark-up rate
significantly for its account-holders.
As account-holder of MCB can obtain credit upto 75% of the
encashment value of Defence Saving Certificates/Special Saving Certificates on
the date of sanction of the facility, in the shortest possible time now, under
the scheme. This facility is available to both old and new customers of the
Bank.
In order to ensure the disbursement of this running finance
facility expeditiously, sanctioning authorities to various MCB Bank officers
have been specially specified for the prompt operation of the scheme. The Branch
Manager can instantly sanction Running Finance loans upto Rupees one million, a
Chief Manager upto Rupees two million, a Regional Manager upto Rupees three
million and the General Manager upto Rupees five million.
Muslim Commercial Bank is a leading private bank of Pakistan
and has over 1200 branches and 4.5 million account-holders spread all over the
country. For the year 1999 MCB earned a Pre-Tax profit of Rs. 1.21 billion and
gave 10% Bonus Shares and 15% cash Dividend to its share-holders.
Haroon Basheer — new VP at Citibank
Citibank N.A. Pakistan is pleased to announce the appointment
of Haroon Basheer as Vice President & Country Business Manager, Global
Consumer Banking.
Haroon brings with him over 30 years multifaceted experience
in General Management, Banking and Marketing having worked in leading FMCG
companies and Financial Services Institutions. He has spent over 12 years in
American Express, where he was Vice President/Country General Manager for
Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. During the last three years he was working
for Muslim Commercial Bank where he joined as Executive Director and Country
Head of Consumer Banking and was currently looking after Consumer Banking,
Overseas Operations, Information Technology and Training.
Haroon is an active member of the Corporate community and has
held the position of President, Management Association for Pakistan for two
years, has been elected President, Marketing Association of Pakistan for three
terms and is an Honorary Life Member of the MAP. He is a Rotarian and has served
the Special Olympics Pakistan Chapter as Honorary Treasurer.
Haroon replaces Nadeem Hussain, who after successfully
spearheading the Global Consumer Business in Pakistan for five years has
relocated to the US and will be working for Primerica a Citigroup subsidiary.
Inbox Business Technologies
Inbox Business Technologies, a newly incorporated solution
provider has achieved the coveted status of being the first Intel® Premier
Provider in Pakistan. Inbox Business Technologies will soon be launching its
brand of personal computers along with a wide range of networking products.
The Intel® Premier Provider program represents the best of
the best in Intel's sales and influencer channels. This program is designed to
promote an enhanced relationship between Intel and solution providers who belong
to Intel e-business Network, including service providers, system builders, and
network integrators. An Intel® Premier Provider must have at least two Intel
Certified Engineers ("ICE") and in the case of Inbox Business
Technologies, it has four ICE savvy in Platform Integration and Solution
Consultancy, which includes desktops and servers.
"Being an Intel® Premier Provider, we have an edge over
competition in terms of providing industry-leading enterprise computing
solutions, fault tolerant business critical solutions and communication
products, commercial desktops, mobile and consumer PC's", said Ghias Khan,
Chief Executive, Inbox Business Technologies. "Technology solutions and
after sales service that we offer will be par excellence as our engineers are
qualified and certified to integrate and support infrastructure based on Intel
Architecture", he further added.
"Intel believes in facilitating a network which provides
exceptional customer services and the latest technology. We appreciate Inbox
Business Technologies initiative to establish itself as the first Intel®
Premier Provider in the country", said Sophia Chew, Director, Sales &
Marketing, Channel & Distribution, Intel Asia Pacific.
Inbox Business Technologies is a newly established solution
provider and the only company in the country with an Intel Premier Provider
status. The Company offers a wide range of locally assembled products along the
lines of international standards at competitive rates.
Rupee Traveler Cheque
MCB — RTC sale crossed 100 billion Mark — tele-verification:
A new facility
The sale of Rupee Traveler Cheques by Muslim Commercial Bank
through its over 1200 branches located all over the country during the current
calendar year cross Rs. 100 billion mark.
This was disclosed by Mr. Aftab Manzoor, President of MCB,
while inaugurating the 'Televerification System' of Rupees Traveler Cheques in
Lahore on Friday morning. In the corresponding period during 1999, at this time
of the year, the sale of RTCs was Rs. 61.8 billion. As such the sale during the
current calendar year has gone up by a handsome 63%. Mr. Fida Ali Sabz Ali, EVP
and Divisional Head RTC Marketing informed the President that the bank has now
fixed a target of sale of RTCs for the year 2000 to unprecedented Rs. 140
billion and he expressed his confidence of achieving it with the grace of God.
Mr. Aftab Manzoor, President, congratulated the staff of various branches for
their untiring efforts in the sale of RTCs.
MCB RTCs have been undisputed market leaders for past seven
years in Pakistan. These have proved to be the safest and the most convenient
substitute for cash for all kinds of purchases, business operations, property
and trade transactions. These were available in denominations of Rs. 100,000/-,
Rs. 50,000/-, Rs. 25,000/- Rs. 10,000/-, and Rs. 1000/-. A foreign bank ABN Amro
and three private banks i.e. Gulf Commercial Bank, Al-Faysal Bank Limited and
Bank Al-Habib are now using MCB Rupee Traveler Cheques in their operations.
Televerification Facility: MCB the largest private bank in
Pakistan, has now pioneered the installation of 'Televerification System' of
RTCs, had started this service in Karachi and now introduced it to Lahore to be
followed by 10 other major cities of Pakistan, in order to safe-guard the
interest of its customers. The newly introduced computerized system is one of
the most modern in the country and gives the latest information about the lost
or stolen Rupee Traveler Cheques on a 24-hour basis via telephone or fax.
MCB is the first and only Bank in Pakistan to provide their
Tele-verification facility to its RTC customers. It enables the customer to
check the validity of each and every cheque received during the transaction thus
eliminating chances of any fraud and ensuring its security.
Mr. Aftab Manzoor, President MCB, inaugurated the
Tele-verification facility operation center which is located in the Nila Gumbad
branch Lahore of MCB. Among those present on the occasion included Mr. Imdad
Hussain Butt, Head of Commercial Banking (North), Syed Iktedar, Head of
Corporate Banking, Mr. Fida Ali Sabz Ali, Head of the MCB RTC Markeing services
and other senior officials.
Indus motor company Ltd.
A review meeting of the Board of Directors of Indus Motor
Company Limited was held at their office at Port Qasim. The company declared a
cash dividend of 15%, based on a pre-tax profit of Rs 280 million and after tax
profit of Rs. 172 million while Government revenues during the same period in
the form of sales tax, income tax, custom and other duties amounted to approx.
Rs. 2.8 billion.
The Board noted with satisfaction that the Daihatsu Cuore —
a quality compact car, launched in April, this year has been well received by
the customers for its high quality and overall performance. Moreover, the
Company's market leadership in the Corolla and Hilux vehicle range was
maintained.
Country wide dealership network expanded from 17 to 27
outlets thus offering a wider coverage to our customers and improved after sales
care to both Daihatsu and Toyota clientele.
The meeting was attended by Mr. T. Uranishi - Director Toyota
Motor Corporation and Mr. M. Kato - Senior Managing Director Toyota Tsusho
Corporation and other members of the Board. The Board of Directors thanked the
Government for the support extended to the industry and consistent policies
which helped the company to achieve its deletion targets. A challenging target
of 44% deletion was achieved in the Daihatsu Cuore.
The company's commitment to social welfare projects was
reviewed and future plans to maintain company's support to deserving projects
was finalized.
