Yearly Archives: 2024

Crash on Business 71 near Savannah leaves one driver with injuries

Click the + Icon To See Additional Sharing OptionsA two-vehicle crash occurred at 1:15 p.m. on December 19, 2024, three miles south of Savannah on Business 71 in Andrew County, Missouri, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
A northbound 2008 Chevrolet Impala, driven by a 34-year-old man from St. Joseph, Missouri, stalled on the roadway and was struck from behind by a northbound 2004 Ford F-150, driven by a 62-year-old man from Savannah, Missouri. The collision caused the Ford F-150 to travel off the east side of the road and come to rest in a field facing north. The Chevrolet Impala remained on the roadway following the crash.
The driver of the Chevrolet Impala sustained minor injuries and was transported to Mosaic Life Care by Andrew County Ambulance. The driver of the Ford F-150 was not injured. Both drivers were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.
The Chevrolet Impala was totaled, while the Ford F-150 sustained moderate damage. Both vehicles were towed from the scene by Blue Knight Towing.
The Andrew County Sheriff’s Department assisted at the scene.

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Azerbaijan, Colombia discuss bolstering business and investment relations

Baku, December 21, AZERTAC
“We are interested in enhancing bilateral business relations and establishing direct commercial and economic ties with Azerbaijani entrepreneurs,” said John Martinez, Chairman of the Tunja Chamber of Commerce in Colombia, during a meeting with Mammad Talibov, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Colombia, who is based in Mexico City.The meeting focused on the quality and export potential of products from both countries and the prospects for expanding trade.Ambassador Mammad Talibov highlighted the significant potential for developing trade, economic relations, and investment partnerships between Azerbaijan and Colombia. He also emphasized Azerbaijan’s favorable business and investment environment, along with its strategic transit and transport-logistics capabilities within industrial zones.The discussions concluded with a productive exchange of ideas on strengthening economic and trade cooperation and deepening business and investment ties between the two nations.

PHMA, PRGMEA for reducing business cost for export-oriented industry

LAHORE: The value-added export-oriented textile industry should be given the top priority of the government, providing them maximum facilitation to meet their exports requirements. The government needs to establish long-term and sustainable policies in consultation with the real stakeholders to enhance exports, increasing foreign exchange earnings for the country. Presently, the high cost of doing business has proved to be dangerous for the export-oriented apparel industry, as the ever-increasing energy, gas and power tariffs are the real threat to the economy amidst high markup rate and continuous fluctuations exchange rate.

These views were expressed in an interactive session jointly organized by Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA) and the Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) here at a local hotel to review the challenges faced by the exporters.

The meeting was attended by PHMA North Zone Chairman Abdul Hameed, Dr. Khurram Anwar Khawaja, Shahzad Saleem Asghar, Ashar Khurram, Shahid Butt, Dr. Khurram Tariq from PHMA and Ijaz Khokhar, Sohail Sheikh, Dr Ayyazuddin, Sajid Saleem Minhas and Mubashar Naseer Butt from PRGMEA, besides the apparel industry’s representatives from Lahore, Faisalabad and Sialkot.

The participants of the meeting asked the government to take prompt measures to bring down the production costs for the export industry to enable them to compete in the international market.

PHMA North Zone Chairman Abdul Hameed said that the export industry is currently having difficulty to compete the global market because of rapid increase in production costs. He said that the high cost of production is not good for our exports. He said that high energy tariffs, growing rates of taxes and lack of skilled labor are the main reasons behind the increase in the cost of production. Manufacturing and production industries have the potential to significantly impact economic growth by reducing unemployment in the country.

“We are the biggest employment generators and largest exporters, contributing two-third of textile exports and one-third of country’s total exports. The apparel sector has an immense potential to create jobs with comparatively low investment and less energy needs, as it generates four times the employment at one-fourth of the energy consumption compared to other textile sectors.”

The chairman said that Pakistan’s industry is struggling in the international market due to challenges such as high inflation, political instability, increased power tariff, rising fuel costs, energy shortages, and lack of R&D.

An effective strategy is needed to improve the performance of the industrial sector. The government should facilitate exporters by providing a level playing field to them in terms of business costs, particularly in utility pricing, he suggested. He said Pakistan’s economy, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), is struggling to cope with the current economic crunch, and needs support. Rather than providing subsidies or waivers, the industries are being burdened through rising production cost. The burden of surging oil prices in the international market is immediately transferred to consumers by the government, but the process of reducing prices is always very slow, he noted. He asked the government to work on a fast track plan to address expansive energy issue and priority should be given to the value-added textile industry in this regard.

The chairman urged for increasing ease of doing business, lowering cost of production, paying early refunds to solve liquidity crunch, relaxing import policy for industrial raw material, and equalizing the energy tariff across the country. He said various provincial departments, including EOBI, Social Security, Women Welfare, Environment Department etc. were playing a negative role and treating the manufacturers and exporters like criminals.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024

Tradies not showing up for jobs – it baffles this award-winning plumbing business

Rydeau Plumbing uses a job management system to buck a peculiar trend in the trades industry. Photo: Ben Calvert.Ever found yourself waiting on a tradie who never showed up?
According to Rydeau Plumbing business manager Lynley Stapleton, you’re far from alone – and she finds it a real head-scratcher.
“I’ve lost count of the number of times we’ve arrived for a quote or a job and the customer has been genuinely surprised that we’ve turned up,” she says.
“Sometimes when they call, they have come to us after making multiple bookings with multiple plumbers and none have turned up. I had one customer for whom it had been a six-month process to get the pressure on her outdoor tap fixed – a simple job we did on the spot in 15 minutes.
“It’s at the point now where turning up as promised and on time is the exception to the rule. It baffles me – why is this happening?”

Lynley, a former teacher, helps run Rydeau Plumbing alongside her husband, the company founder and a plumber with more than 25 years of experience, Ben Stapleton.
In charge of administration for a local family-owned and operated plumbing company, Lynley says the importance of customer care can’t be overstated.
She also can’t think of a legitimate reason late arrivals and no-shows should become “the norm” in the trades industry.
“Things can get busy and it might make sense to prioritise work over communication. But there are a lot of Canberra companies that do what we do – use one of the many available job management systems to help allocate bookings and keep customers informed,” she says.
“After all, customers often arrange their days around the expected arrival of tradespeople.”
Rydeau Plumbing is run by Ben Stapleton, a plumber of more than 25 years’ experience, and his wife Lynley who says the importance of customer service cannot be overstated. Photo: Ben Calvert.
To ensure they buck the trend, Ben and Lynley opt for a blend of automation and old-school service approaches. Customers receive a confirmation email with a two-hour window, a reminder text the day before the booking and finally, a text when their tradie is en route to the job, complete with tracking for a more accurate ETA.
“If there’s an emergency job that we have to prioritise, we’ll always call and let people know,” Lynley says.
“When customers call, they can count on speaking to me or for plumbing-related questions I can’t answer, I can transfer them directly to Ben, so they’re not waiting for callbacks.
“We’re parents and homeowners as well. We have been on the receiving end ourselves of poor customer servicecand we know how frustrating it is to be left waiting for someone who just doesn’t show up. That’s why Rydeau exists – we saw a need in the maintenance industry for a reliable, skilled plumbing services provider that offered end-to-end communication and excellent customer service.”

Rydeau’s commitment to customer care has not only earned the business stellar online ratings, but hasn’t gone unnoticed within the industry.
The business took out the first ever “Outstanding Service Award” at this year’s Master Plumbers ACT Awards.
“To be the inaugural winner of that award was really meaningful for us – especially in that category because exceptional service is something we strive for,” Lynley says.
“To be recognised by a body like Master Plumbers ACT was a testament to our commitment, and we couldn’t be prouder.”
For more information, or to make a booking that sticks, contact Rydeau Plumbing.
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TONY HETHERINGTON: Back in business… gold firm boss with a VERY shady past

Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday’s ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below. WE’RE WATCHING YOUWhat could possibly be worse than discovering that the trusted top salesman at a multi-million pound gold investment company is using an alias and has a dodgy past? Well, how about the fact that the owner of the same firm also uses an alias and has a dodgy past!Two weeks ago, I revealed that salesman Clive Lindsay, of Solomon Global Limited, is really Clive Mongelard, whose record as an investment scammer dates back over a decade. He is banned by the Financial Conduct Authority from working for any firm it regulates.Two days after The Mail on Sunday’s report appeared, Solomon Global’s managing director Paul Williams wrote: ‘Thank you for bringing the issues surrounding Clive Lindsay to our attention through your article.’We take these matters seriously, and as a result we have terminated Clive’s employment.’ So far, so good. But a closer look into Solomon Global, which sells gold coins as investments and had a turnover last year of almost £14 million, found surprisingly little at first about the background of its shadowy owner, Scott Wilson.Company records show that last January he acquired a more than 50 per cent stake in the business, and Solomon Global told Companies House that while he was not a director himself, he had the power to appoint or dismiss directors to run the business for him. Since then, Wilson has boosted his stake to 75 per cent or more. All that glitters: Solomon Global boss Scott Wilson is actually Scott AssemakisHe describes himself as a ‘business consultant specialising in marketing and sales’, but his LinkedIn page does not include a photograph and mentions only a spell as a self-employed salesman at an art gallery.From 2014 to 2022 he claims vaguely to have worked in financial services, but does not name a single employer, let alone any directorships or controlling shareholdings.And this is not surprising, since I can now reveal that Scott Wilson is actually Scott Assemakis.Under his real name, he recently had an 11-year ban on acting as a director of any company lifted.The restriction came in 2013, after he played a leading role in what the Insolvency Service described as a ‘£7million land-banking scam’.Using a variety of business names including Ultraclass, Burnhill Land Investments, and The Property Partnership, Assemakis and his crew sold plots of vastly overpriced land with false claims about its development potential.One investor paid £10,000 for a strip of land near Towcester in Northamptonshire, only to find that the council had already banned building even a fence on it, and its real value was about £75.Investigators from the Insolvency Service found Assemakis had pocketed over £1.3 million from the scam, while millions more vanished without trace.When the ban began in 2013, Assemakis had to stand down as a director of another of his investment companies, European Fine Wines Limited.It marketed wines at well above the prices charged by legitimate wine merchants and went into liquidation soon after he quit. Creditors claimed £3.4 million.They received just 1.4p for every pound they were owed.Another one-time director at European Fine Wines was Emrah Ceyhan. And until last January, when he handed over to Scott Assemakis, he was the behind-the-scenes boss of Solomon Global.  Both Williams and Assemakis were invited to comment, but neither did so.However, with the owner of Solomon Global and its leading salesman both feeling the need to use aliases because of past offences – which have left investors nursing big losses – it is not surprising that the Advertising Standards Authority banned the company’s recent promotion for making misleading claims.It would perhaps be foolish to expect anything less.Bailiffs after me for an error that wasn’t mine C.S. writes: I am being pursued by Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd for alleged unpaid parking charges imposed by Britannia Parking, but this is entirely due to an error made by the parking firm itself.Tony Hetherington replies: You told me that you and your wife paid for parking at Flamborough Head on the Yorkshire coast, in a car park controlled by the local authority. However, the cafe there was full, so you drove to the nearby car park at North Landing, wrongly believing it was also run by the local council. Later that day, you left the car park, but drove back to let your disabled wife use the public toilets there before returning home. You realised your error when Britannia Parking, the company behind the North Landing car park, contacted you. But to your shock, you received two Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), not one. Each was for £100, reduced to £60 if you paid quickly and without appealing. You paid the first £60 PCN but appealed against the second.This is where things went badly wrong, because Britannia attached your appeal to the first PCN, which you had paid. Confusingly, it cut the second penalty to £20, which you also paid. Even worse, it passed the first PCN to debt collectors and the sum rocketed to £170.I contacted both Britannia and its debt collectors. The latter quickly told me that Britannia had asked them to cease further action. Britannia itself admitted it had made an ‘administrative error’ with your appeal. It explained that it counted each separate entry into the car park as a new visit, with a new fee – even though the original charge covered you for both.Britannia has withdrawn all demands against you, but refuses to offer any comment or explanation, saying it ‘cannot comment on individual cases’, despite the fact that it held your signed authority to discuss its mistakes with me.If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY or email [email protected]. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned. 
This is Money podcast

ABN Amro to close Dubai office amid thin business for Dutch lender

The Dutch bank ABN Amro is winding down its operations in Dubai and will transfer some of its existing clients in international commodities business to Amsterdam.“The activities in Dubai will be wound down or transferred to other locations because of the limited scale,” according to a brief statement in the bank’s first quarter report published on Monday.A spokesman for the bank told The National that the lender was planning to close down their Dubai office over the course of this year, pending regulatory approval. The amount of business for the bank in Dubai did not justify the overheads of having a branch in the emirate, he added.While the bank has not generated enough volume of business in Dubai unlike some of the other international lenders, it has done well elsewhere. The bank’s first-quarter net income of €595 million (Dh2.6bn) beat estimates for profit of about €575m in a Bloomberg survey of six analysts.______________Read More:ABN Amro sells Asian private banking to LGTABN Amro fined Dh2.3m by Dubai regulator over money laundering systems______________This is not the bank’s first retrenchment in the region. In 2017, ABN Amro sold its private banking operations in Asia and the Middle East to LGT, a Liechtenstein private bank and asset manager for an undisclosed sum.The operation that was sold managed $20 billion in assets for clients, representing about 10 per cent of the bank’s global assets under management, at that time. ABN Amro cited intense competition in these markets as a reason for exit as it shifted focus on private banking in north-west Europe.In 2015, ABN Amro was fined $640,000 for perceived deficiencies in its anti-money laundering systems in the UAE, receiving penalties from both Dubai and Dutch regulators.The Dubai Financial Services Authority imposed the fine on the Dutch bank’s branch in the DIFC after its private banking division contravened rules “requiring it to implement appropriate safeguards to prevent opportunities for money laundering”.The regulator launched the investigation in 2015 in conjunction with the Dutch central bank De Nederlandsche Bank, following the resignation of six Dubai-based ABN Amro private banking employees for failing to comply with the bank’s internal guidelines.COMPANY PROFILE Name: HyperSpace

Started: 2020

Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Entertainment 

Number of staff: 210 

Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture PartnersTO A LAND UNKNOWNDirector: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5Killing of Qassem SuleimaniCompany%20Profile%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hoopla%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jacqueline%20Perrottet%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2010%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20required%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0AThe Sand Castle Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5You might also likeVarious Artists Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)​​​​​​​
Sheer grandeurThe Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
Company%20Profile%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0AA timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
2018: Formal work begins
November 2021: First 17 volumes launched 
November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
Killing of Qassem SuleimaniMore coverage from the Future ForumCompany%20profile%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Letswork%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOmar%20Almheiri%2C%20Hamza%20Khan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20co-working%20spaces%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%242.1%20million%20in%20a%20seed%20round%20with%20investors%20including%20500%20Global%2C%20The%20Space%2C%20DTEC%20Ventures%20and%20other%20angel%20investors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20about%2020%3C%2Fp%3E%0AThe%20specs%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPowertrain%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20electric%20motor%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E201hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E310Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E53kWh%20lithium-ion%20battery%20pack%20(GS%20base%20model)%3B%2070kWh%20battery%20pack%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E350km%20(GS)%3B%20480km%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C900%20(GS)%3B%20Dh149%2C000%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0ACompany%20Profile%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Raha%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Kuwait%2FSaudi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tech%20Logistics%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2414%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Soor%20Capital%2C%20eWTP%20Arabia%20Capital%2C%20Aujan%20Enterprises%2C%20Nox%20Management%2C%20Cedar%20Mundi%20Ventures%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20166%3C%2Fp%3E%0AFour tips to secure IoT networksMohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:

– Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version

– Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number

– Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently

– Always create a different guest network for visitors
What is double taxation?
Americans living abroad file taxes with the Internal Revenue Service, which can cost hundreds of dollars to complete even though about 60 per cent do not owe taxes, according to the Taxpayer Advocate Service
Those obligations apply to millions of Americans residing overseas – estimates range from 3.9 million to 5.5 million – including so-called “accidental Americans” who are unaware they hold dual citizenship
The double taxation policy has been a contentious issue for decades, with many overseas Americans feeling that it punishes them for pursuing opportunities abroad
Unlike most countries, the US follows a citizenship-based taxation system, meaning that Americans must file taxes annually, even if they do not earn any income in the US.
%E2%80%98FSO%20Safer%E2%80%99%20-%20a%20ticking%20bomb%3Cp%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20has%20been%20moored%20off%20the%20Yemeni%20coast%20of%20Ras%20Issa%20since%201988.%3Cbr%3EThe%20Houthis%20have%20been%20blockading%20UN%20efforts%20to%20inspect%20and%20maintain%20the%20vessel%20since%202015%2C%20when%20the%20war%20between%20the%20group%20and%20the%20Yemen%20government%2C%20backed%20by%20the%20Saudi-led%20coalition%20began.%3Cbr%3ESince%20then%2C%20a%20handful%20of%20people%20acting%20as%20a%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.ae%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26esrc%3Ds%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D%26ved%3D2ahUKEwiw2OfUuKr4AhVBuKQKHTTzB7cQFnoECB4QAQ%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.thenationalnews.com%252Fworld%252Fmena%252Fyemen-s-floating-bomb-tanker-millions-kept-safe-by-skeleton-crew-1.1104713%26usg%3DAOvVaw0t9FPiRsx7zK7aEYgc65Ad%22%20target%3D%22_self%22%3Eskeleton%20crew%3C%2Fa%3E%2C%20have%20performed%20rudimentary%20maintenance%20work%20to%20keep%20the%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20intact.%3Cbr%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20is%20connected%20to%20a%20pipeline%20from%20the%20oil-rich%20city%20of%20Marib%2C%20and%20was%20once%20a%20hub%20for%20the%20storage%20and%20export%20of%20crude%20oil.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%E2%80%99s%20environmental%20and%20humanitarian%20impact%20may%20extend%20well%20beyond%20Yemen%2C%20experts%20believe%2C%20into%20the%20surrounding%20waters%20of%20Saudi%20Arabia%2C%20Djibouti%20and%20Eritrea%2C%20impacting%20marine-life%20and%20vital%20infrastructure%20like%20desalination%20plans%20and%20fishing%20ports.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Corporate leaders honoured at Business Today CXO Awards 2024

Muscat – A glittering celebration of corporate leadership took place on Wednesday at the Sheraton Oman Hotel in Muscat, where the inaugural Business Today CXO Awards 2024 honoured thirty-one of Oman’s top-performing C-level executives. The prestigious gala ceremony, attended by over 200 corporate leaders from Oman’s key sectors, was an evening of celebration, inspiration, and recognition of exceptional leadership.

The ceremony was graced by H E Sayyid Dr Munther al Busaidi, Vice-Chairman of the Oman Vision 2040 Implementation Follow-Up Unit, as the Chief Guest. H E Sayyid Dr Busaidi and Saleh Zakwani, Executive Chairman of Apex Media, presented the awards to the deserving winners.

In his welcome speech, Saleh Zakwani said, “Apex Media has always been at the forefront of recognising and celebrating the corporate leaders who have been driving business success and contributing to the broader economic development of our country. The CXO Awards aim not only to recognise individual excellence but also to underscore Oman’s broader commitment to fostering a culture of innovation, leadership and sustainable growth in alignment with Vision 2040.”

Organised by Interactive Apex and Muscat Daily, the Business Today CXO Awards is a premier corporate recognition event honouring top-performing executives across industries. The awards celebrate not only individual excellence but also the transformative impact of visionary leaders who drive progress within their organisations and industries. The awards serve as a tribute to those who have demonstrated exemplary leadership, innovation, and commitment to shaping the future of business.

The winners were selected from C-level executives responsible for overseeing key functions within their organisations across various sectors. Recipients were evaluated on both qualitative and quantitative factors, including leadership excellence, demonstrated by their ability to lead teams and drive organisational success. They were also judged on their contributions to setting and achieving strategic objectives, initiatives that have significantly impacted their businesses or industries, exceptional financial performance, and significant achievements in industry growth, thought leadership and community development.

The CXO Awards recognised excellence across various C-suite roles, including Chief Executive Officers, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Human Resources Officer, Chief Risk Officer, Chief Investment Officer, Chief Sustainability Officer, Chief Information Security Officer, Chief Legal Officer, and Chief Commercial Officer, among others.

Delivering the opening address at the event, H E Sayyid Dr Busaidi emphasised the critical importance of leadership at every level of society, from families and sports teams to businesses and national governance.

“Leadership is what glues everything together,” he said. “We might have the right people and the right systems, but we need that one person who makes it all work and connects the dots.”

Speaking about the essence of leadership, H E Sayyid Dr Busaidi provided a perspective on what it takes to be a true leader. “There are three main pillars,” he explained. “First, a leader must set the direction and tell us where to go. Second, they must guide us on how to get there, focusing on the best paths to success. And third, they must bring out the best in us – fostering talent and making people the best versions of themselves.”

As part of his speech, H E Sayyid Dr Busaidi spoke directly to the business leaders in attendance, commending them for their achievements. “The leaders who have been awarded today, I am confident, have earned and deserved this recognition,” he said. “I hope you continue this journey because leadership is not a destination; it’s a continuous journey.”

He also emphasised the importance of alignment with Vision 2040 as a key to future success. “For Vision 2040 to succeed, both the government and private sectors must align with its objectives,” he explained. “And there must be a common platform where knowledge and experiences are shared, so we can learn from one another.”

Another highlight of the evening was the keynote speech by Khalid Ansari, Founder and CEO of KMA & Partners, renowned for his innovative insights and thought leadership in the industry. Ansari emphasised the critical role of innovation and ethics in ensuring business sustainability and success. He delivered a powerful message about the fundamental importance of a company’s value system, particularly in terms of integrity.

“Innovation remains the crucial driver of success in the business landscape,” Ansari began, adding that “innovation comes with responsibility—and that responsibility is ethics.” He argued that while cutting-edge technology and efficient processes are important, without a strong ethical foundation, businesses cannot achieve lasting success.

He stressed that integrity is the cornerstone of any thriving business. “You may have the best systems and processes, but without integrity, a company cannot be sustainable. For executives at the C-level, integrity is non-negotiable. It is something you cannot learn anywhere else or buy from outside – it must come from within and from the core values of the organisation.”

Infiniti, represented in Oman by Al Hashar Automotive, was the event’s official Luxury Auto Partner. The event also included an electrifying performance by the sensational music band ‘Los Amigos’.