< Previous20 C EO M I D D L E E A S T JA N UA RY 2 0 2 1 BUSINESS | UAE – ISRAEL TRADE ATIENCE WILL BE KEY TO BUILDING a long-standing relationship between the UAE and Israel, according to the president and CEO of Dubai Chamber, Hamad Buamim. Since the historic Abraham Ac- cords agreement was signed in August, normalising relations between the two countries, both the UAE and Israel have penned treaties on direct flights and visa-free travel, along with deals on investment protection, science and technology. Early estimates indicate that the move could soon see bilateral trade in excess of $6bn. However, in an exclusive media round table event, Buamim urges cau- P By GAVIN GIBBON PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE tion. He says: “I believe it’s a learning curve. First of all, we welcome every- body to come to Dubai. I think the current (Covid-19) restrictions that maybe limited people from travelling to the rest of the world, Dubai is more open than other places. They are welcome, this is their second home and we are more than eager for that. CEO OF DUBAI CHAMBER, HAMAD BUAMIM, URGES CAUTION AS THE UAE AND ISRAEL FOSTER LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPSJA N UA RY 2 0 2 1 CEO MIDDLE E A ST 21 “But we encourage them to be patient. To come, learn, use our institutions and agencies to verify things, but not to rush into jumping into agreements and deals. I believe it’s better to look into long-term than a very short-term gain because what we are trying to achieve over here can be of great value, if we plan it right.” According to a joint study from Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce, export opportunities from Dubai to Israel surround aluminium, ceramics, cement, rapeseed oil and raw beet sugar. While import opportunities include, electrical machines and apparatus, optical instruments, computer tomography apparatus, bromides and orange juice. Industry leader Dr Ron Tomer, president of the Manufacturers Association of Israel “WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE OVER HERE CAN BE OF GREAT VALUE, IF WE PLAN IT RIGHT” Dr. Ron Tomer, president of the Manufacturers Association of Israel, says there had also been interest from the UAE around technology and com- munications, food tech, agri tech and pharmaceutical health. “From our side we have the innovation side, we have this nature where sometimes we are too pushy and we agree we need to relax it a bit and to build a sustaining partnership we need to make it step by step, a knowledgeable and educated one, not just rushing out,” he says. The signing of the Accords saw the UAE become the first Gulf nation to normalise its relations with Israel and only the third Arab nation to do so, alongside Egypt (1979) and Jordan (1994). The UAE was followed by Bahrain in a similar deal which was bro- kered by US President Donald Trump. As a result of the initial diplomat- ic breakthrough and at the request of President Trump, with the support of the UAE, Israel agreed to suspend declaring sovereignty over areas outlined in the President’s Vision for Peace – the UAE said back in August that Israel agreed to ‘stop further annexation’ of Palestinian land – and focus its efforts now on expanding ties with other countries in the Arab and Muslim world. Buamim admits the deal had not been welcomed by everyone, but remained confident that fostering economic prosperity between the two nations would go a long way to easing tensions. “We are genuinely looking at this agreement as something not exclu- sive, but inclusive, trying to benefit especially economically both sides, including the Palestinians and also including many other nations around us. We hope and we believe that, as long as others are inclusive, this will hopefully bridge the gap that politics has established for many years,” he says. $6BN The potential bilateral trade between the UAE and Israel22 C EO M I D D L E E A S T JA N UA RY 2 0 2 1 AS AL KHAIMAH’S BID TO HOST THE 2023 WORLD ATHLETICS HALF MARATHON CHAMPIONSHIP HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED AND IT WILL BE A GAME-CHANGER TO WIN IT. HOW DOES THE BID TIE IN WITH RAK’S TOURISM STRATEGY? The 2023 World Athletics Road Run- ning Championships is a new global event that will bring together thousands of runners from around the world. Win- ning the bid and hosting such a prestig- ious global event will put the emirate on the map and further assert its position as a top destination for sports tourism, while showcasing everything that it has to offer, from adventure, culture and to sustainable and nature-based travel. Over the past few years, the emir- ate has been increasing its focus on the sports and adventure event segment with the introduction of a range of outdoor events that take advantage of the diverse natural landscape. Such events include; Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, the grand final of the European Golf Challenge, Spartan, Desert Warrior, Terry Fox and Tough Mudder – all of which play a signifi- cant role in boosting sporting tourism in the emirate. The events are also seeing multiple editions hosted by Ras Al Khaimah, which emphasises the significance of the emirate on the regional sporting stage. The RAK Half Marathon and other sporting events such as trail runs etc, are a big part of the UAE’s outdoor calendar. How important are these in driving tourism to RAK? Sports and adventure tourism is key to Ras Al Khaimah’s tourism development strategy, and hosting such a prestig- ious event like the 2023 World Athlet- ics Road Running Championships will be an important addition to the authority’s events calendar showcas- ing its growing tourism and hospitality industry and boosting the number of international travellers to the emirate. R THE EXCITEMENT EMIRATE RAKI PHILLIPS, CEO OF THE RAS AL KHAIMAH TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, MEETS CEO MIDDLE EAST ABOUT TELLING THE WORLD WHY THE EMIRATE OFFERS ADVENTURE, ADRENALINE AND ESCAPE IN ABUNDANCE By JOLA CHUDY BUSINESS | RAK TOURISMJA N UA RY 2 0 2 1 CEO MIDDLE E A ST 23 How did you secure the Bear Grylls Academy to choose RAK for its latest venture, and why was it chosen? We decided to launch the world’s first Bear Grylls Explorer Camp in Ras Al Khaimah owing to the emirate’s identity as a fast-emerging adventure hub in the Middle East. With its diverse land- scape and majestic mountains, Ras Al Khaimah offers a thrilling blend of adrenaline-packed activities. The Bear Grylls Explorer Camp’s unique place- ment on Jebel Jais – the UAE’s highest peak– has proven to be an ideal location in which to challenge adventurers with its stunning mountainous terrain. In addition to this, the nature of the courses varies greatly from the camp’s UK counterparts which operate in wet, cold conditions, whereas the Bear Grylls Explorer Camp set within the Wadi, offers an arid environment coupled with a dramatic wilderness setting, offering limited wild food options. The chal- lenges faced also differ, with dehydration and heat stroke forming the main focus in this region. These differences set aside the Bear Grylls Explorers Camp from UK-based entities, creating a com- pletely unique experience to be enjoyed . The courses offered at the Bear Grylls Explorer Camp are also complementary to its UK counterparts offering varied climatic challenges to guests who have explored the UK-based camp. When world records are set in RAK, it’s definitely invaluable in terms of media coverage and attention – how do you attract the world’s elite athletes to keep returning? Officially known as the world’s fastest marathon, the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon has established a strong reputation amongst regional and inter- national athletes over the years. The marathon is not only a world-renowned sporting event but next year more so than ever it will represent a genuine step towards recovery for the tourism industry. In addition to the attractive monetary prizes, the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon’s fast and picturesque course, as well as the prospect of world records are amongst the many factors that attract world athletes to take part it in every year. There are structured and officially recognised attractions in RAK such as the hotels, zip line etc, and also the natural landscape which people camp in, explore etc. Are there plans to make this more developed in terms of guides, or entrance fees, or park permits or anything like that, as is done in other countries? We are constantly working towards the diversification and enhancement of the emirate’s tourism offering to maximise our visitors’ experience. And while we are still in the early stages of recovery, we have a very positive outlook which is demonstrated through our recently an- nounced long-term investment strategy aimed to boost the growth and diversifi- cation of Jebel Jais. Our new phased investment strategy will focus primarily on developing Jebel Jais as a standalone destination by fur- ther diversifying its offering through sev- eral new nature-based projects including a pop-up hotel concept, scheduled to open in the second half of 2021, which will introduce unique cliff side accom- modation with unrivalled picturesque mountain views. In addition, a Moun- Thrilling The Jebel Jais Zipline Tour features seven ziplines flying over the grand cliffs of Jebel Jais Nature RAK’s natural landscape is ideal for a relaxing getaway from the city24 C EO M I D D L E E A S T JA N UA RY 2 0 2 1 BUSINESS | RAK TOURISM tain Lodge, located adjacent to the emirate’s renowned hiking trails will provide luxury accommodation when it opens in 2022. Tourists will also get to experience the mountain from a com- pletely different perspective by winding through gorgeous scenery with the Jais Coaster, a summer toboggan/bobsled concept inspired by the Alps, which will open in Q2 2021. Adding yet another first to its diverse offering, Jebel Jais will also be the home to Sky High Meetings, the first-of-its-kind highest meeting room in the UAE ideal for business meetings and gatherings against the backdrop of the Hajar Mountains, slated to open later this year. With the intro- duction of our new investment strategy, we aim to enrich visitor experiences and accommodate the increasing demand for travel experiences set in expansive, open and natural environments. RAK’s tourism positioning is really focussing on its outdoor and adventure pursuits, from the recently opened Bear Grylls Academy to the Zip Line, and its lovely trail, wadi and hiking areas – how is sustainable development part of the strategy, and what are the plans moving forward? According to the World Economic Forum COVID Action Platform, travel prefer- ences and patterns have changed, lead- ing to renewed interest in less crowded destinations and increased interest in sustainable tourism. Within this context, a key trend that has emerged is Nature Tourism, since it offers travellers a com- bination of social distancing, discovery and connection with nature, all of which aligns seamlessly with the Jebel Jais experience. Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority has recognised this shift in traveller mindset and has been making conscious efforts to further promote the development and diversifi- cation of its nature-based and sustain- able attractions, particularly on Jebel Jais, to meet the local and international visitors’ new needs and expectations. From a broader destination perspective, Ras Al Khaimah’s diversity in landscape and offering makes it ideal for visi- tors looking for comfort and security in expansive settings and where social distancing is easier to practice in serene surroundings on the mountains, on the coast or in the desert. In terms of upcoming plans, our focus now is on implementing our new invest- ment strategy which is set to further develop the emirate’s outdoor nature- based offering on Jebel Jais with sustain- able tourism experiences. The upcoming projects on UAE’s highest mountain will join the existing attractions including Jais Adventure Peak, which serves a gateway to the various attractions on the iconic mountain, including the world’s longest zipline and 1484 by Puro – the highest restaurant in the UAE. Moreover, the world’s first Bear Grylls Explorers Camp was recently announced, bringing the mountain experience to life. In 2020, how did you see your tourism figures shift – presumably there was a lot more from the UAE itself; who are your main markets and who are you targeting for growth moving forwards? Over the past few years, Ras Al Khaim- ah has grown from strength to strength, seeing increased visitation from top contributing source markets including Russia, India, Germany, United King- dom and Kazakhstan. Like all tourism destinations around the world, Ras Al Khaimah has seen the significant impact of the pandemic on its tourism numbers. Tourism dropped by almost 30 percent but when compared to other destina- tions that dipped down even further, and in some cases, twice as much, we have been very fortunate. However, mitigating the effects of this crisis did not happen in isolation. From as far back as April, we became one of the first destinations to embark on a sustained recovery strat- egy ranging from a financial stimulus package for our hospitality partners to becoming the first safe city in the world, as certified by both Bureau Veritas and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). While 2020 has been an unprec- edented and challenging year, the Running for glory Kenyan runner Kibiwott Kandie crosses the finish line during the 2020 RAK Half MarathonJA N UA RY 2 0 2 1 CEO MIDDLE E A ST 25 Emirate’s tourism industry continues to demonstrate impressive growth in RevPAR year-to-date, making it the only regional market to achieve this. The Middle East Hotel Benchmark Survey Report, conducted by Ernest and Young across the hospitality sec- tor, saw an ADR increase from July 2019 to July 2020 in the Emirate of over 70 percent, resulting in robust RevPAR growth of 13 percent. In August, a similar pattern emerged with an ADR increase of over 60 percent from August 2019, leading to RevPAR growth of over 15 percent. This growth can be attributed to enhanced safety and hygiene measures as well as our success in attracting the staycation market with a breadth of offerings set against sweeping outdoor spaces that makes social distancing comfortable. The authority worked on a Covid-19 stimulus plan; do you feel enough has been done swiftly enough to navigate the situation? What were the key initiatives? As soon as the crisis hit, we launched a range of far reaching support initiatives, aimed at our hospitality, leisure and development partners to lay the strong foundations for future recovery. We also shared a comprehensive contingency plan with our industry partners, which mapped out short- to mid-term solu- tions to mitigate the negative impact of coronavirus on travel to Ras Al Khaimah. Our four-step road to recov- ery placed initial focus on the domestic market, followed by the GCC and wider Middle East, to then be extended to Asia and Europe. The key initiatives included offer- ing a six-month waiver of all touristic licenses; waiver of tourism dirhams, a complete exemption of tourism licensing fees and tourism licensing fines until September 30th. This support was fur- ther enhanced by a dedicated financial incentive package aimed towards non- government owned touristic entities, including budget, midscale and four-star hotels as well as attractions, golf courses and other tourism establishments. Through our strategic partnership with Bureau Veritas, we have led the way in implementing stringent health, safety and hygiene measures across all Ras Al Khaimah hotels to mitigate any possible risks for employees and guests and providing complete confi- dence in the destination. As a result of these strict precautionary measures, Ras Al Khaimah became the first city in the world to receive both the Bureau Veritas Safeguard Assurance Label and the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Safe Travels Stamp which recognise the heightened safety stand- ards, training and hygiene protocols in place across the emirate. This naturally boosted visitors’ confidence and the demand of short getaways within the local market. Alongside promoting the region to visitors, part of the remit of RAKTDA is to promote it to investors. How crucial is it to attract the right kind of investor, and who is investing in RAK? Tourism is a vital sector and a direct contributor to the national economy. Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority actively encourages private in- vestment in the sector, and makes those investments even more attractive by adding incentives and putting massive resources behind tourism development. This is reflected in the astonish- ing improvements in the infrastructure, facilities and developments taking place across the emirate, all with the objective of increasing annual visitor arrivals. Ras Al Khaimah offers unlimited investment opportunities for travel and tour opera- tors, hotel operators, key hospitality brands, retail and F&B providers. What are some of the attractions to global athletes of this marathon? As the world’s fastest half marathon, the race has consistently drawn interna- tional athletes to attend due to the high calibre of participating athletes, the number of world records achieved over the years, the panoramic views the RAK Half Marathon offers, and most importantly the AED 1.2m ($326,000) prize fund on offer. Are there any plans to make the event a full marathon? At the moment we are focussing on the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon that has seen incredible performances from the elite runners and has achieved an envi- able status in the region. Last year alone we have welcomed over 5,000 participants. Tourism attraction RAKTDA recognises the importance of constantly evolving its outdoor offering26 C EO M I D D L E E A S T JA N UA RY 2 0 2 1 LEADERSHIP LEADERS OF 2020 2020 CHALLENGED LEADERS LIKE NO OTHER YEAR IN LIVING MEMORY. WITH THE PLANET ON LOCKDOWN, QUALITIES OF GRIT, CREATIVITY, VISION AND TENACITY CAME TO THE FORE. IN THIS LOOK BACK AT OUR INTERVIEWS OF 2020, WE HIGHLIGHT THE EXEMPLARY MEN AND WOMEN WHOSE VISION AND NIMBLE THINKING IS AN EXAMPLE AND INSPIRATION TO ALL OF US.JA N UA RY 2 0 2 1 C EO M I D D L E E A S T 27 THE GAME-CHANGER IT’S THE TURN OF THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY TO GET ITS OWN GAME-CHANGING APP. DIGITAL MAVEN FODHIL BENTURQUIA TELLS CEO ABOUT HIS OWN JOURNEY AND WHY THE PAST SIX MONTHS HAS BEEN TURBO-CHARGED FOR TECH IGITAL ACCELERATION IN THE PAST six months has been so fast that we scarcely even have the ad- equate buzzwords to describe it. ‘Digital transformation’ seems almost a passé way to talk about how quickly technology has been co-opted, adapted, upgraded, made obsolete, made indispensable and become an enmeshed part of business in 2020 in ways that were never imagined before. Just as species adapt and evolve to respond to the demands of their environ- ments, businesses too have had to face the stark reality that if they don’t, well then quite frankly, they’re toast. Luckily for the enterprises helmed by technology and e-commerce maven Fodhil Benturquia, that doesn’t seem to be an is- sue. Quite the opposite. With a who’s who of regional digital start-up success stories to his name – from Marka VIP, which he co-founded in 2010, to Noon.com, where he was CEO, to Souq.com, of which he was general manager until 2015, Benturquia has a stellar track record in identifying gaps in the market, and then filling them with user-focussed digital solutions. Okadoc is his latest venture, and it seeks to revolutionise the medical industry. Okadoc, which was named Start-up of the Year at annual Arabian Business Start-up Awards, connects healthcare providers and doctors with their patients. Patients can use okadoc. com to find doctors across more than 130 specialties based on location, lan- guage spoken, insurance and availability. It also helps practitioners; clinics and hospitals reduce ‘no-shows’ by up to 75 percent, optimise their bookings, attract and engage new patients. Notes Benturquia: “It’s incredible to see how digital change is accelerating. It took the likes of Amazon and Booking. com 25 to 30 years to reach where they are today; Uber took around half that time to redefine ride-hailing. Today, these accelerations are happening even faster. What is accelerating the speed of adoption is that today, almost everything is already digital. We communicate via Whatsapp; we buy our products online. There are so many industries that are completely different today to a decade ago. Who buys physical airplane tickets? Today, if an industry is not online, it’s actually just annoying for the customer.” TECHNOLOGY AND TIMING “Uber took off around 2010 for a simple reason,” notes Benturquia. “Smartphone batteries and networks had previously not been long-lasting enough. 3G hand- sets then became more powerful. That allowed mobile tracking for drivers and riders. The innovation in the hardware and software enabled new concepts to grow. When it comes to healthcare, I think it’s just an industry that’s focused so much on internal technologies, but simply missed the interaction between provider and patient.” COMPANY CULTURE “Any new idea within the organisation is challenged. And unless we try, we won’t know if it works, so we allow failure. That has what has allowed us to achieve our successes. We believe it trying a beta ver- sion and understanding what works. We might try ten ideas and one will end up being a great idea,” says Benturquia. Today, the company employs around 20 people in the UAE and 40 in Indo- nesia, and its founder is committed to ensuring the team remains passionate about building something that contrib- utes to the community. D LEADERSHIP | OKADOC28 C EO M I D D L E E A S T JA N UA RY 2 0 2 1 HAPPINESS THREE60 THE CENTRE FORMS PART OF ELTIZAM ASSET MANAGEMENT GROUP’S CORPORATE ‘GET WONKY PROGRAMME’ AND IS AIMED AT DELIVERING THE HIGHEST SERVICE STANDARDS HREE60 COMMUNITIES, a subsidiary of Eltizam Asset Management Group and leading service provider in quality and innovative community management across the UAE and Oman, has unveiled its new Cus- tomer Excellence and Happiness Centre in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The move aligns with the company’s Get Wonky programme that focusses on customer happiness, with the centre’s primary goal being to resolve customer issues in a happy environment to ensure timely and favourable resolutions that suit all concerned parties. Services provided by the Customer Excellence and Happiness Centre are available throughout the UAE in order to maintain seamless operations across the country. The centres also provide a platform for customers to provide feed- back and recommendations for further improvements, enhancing experiences in communities under the umbrella of Three60, and creating policies and services that contribute towards a more positive and happy community. Alan Rowlands, General Manager, Three60 Group, UAE and Oman, said: “As one of the region’s largest and most qualified community management com- panies, constantly achieving customer happiness is our top priority. This new centre has been established in accord- ance with the national programme for happiness and well-bring in the UAE and will contribute towards happy communities throughout our entire scope of operations.” He continued: “At Three60 Communi- ties, we take full responsibility for every aspect of a real estate development. Our ambition is to provide every resident and client with world-class services and ultimately provide a community where they can live, work and play in the hap- piest environment possible. The launch of the new centre is the latest stage in our efforts to enhance our services even fur- ther and we look forward to months and years ahead as we continue to meet and surpass the expectations of our valued customers. We are pleased to see the re- sults of our 2019 efforts have led to higher customer satisfaction levels, especially in our UAE communities.” Mohammed Alsharaf, Chief Opera- tions Officer, Eltizam Asset Management Group, added: “By operating based on the core objective of achieving customer happiness, Three60 Communities has consistently set a benchmark for all com- panies under Eltizam Asset Management Group and we are excited to see how the new centre will benefit our customers and enhance our services over the duration of 2020 and beyond. Happiness is also an important pillar of Eltizam’s ‘Get Wonky’ programme as it strives to make an impact on the communities in which we operate, and we will continue to provide the very best levels of services in line with inter- national standards and retain the highest levels of customer satisfaction.” T LEADERSHIP | ELTIZAM Achieving customer happiness Mohammed Alsharaf, Chief Operations Officer, Eltizam Asset Management GroupJA N UA RY 2 0 2 1 C EO M I D D L E E A S T 29 A LESSON IN LEADERSHIP FROM THE HERD KELLY L. EIDE IS THE FOUNDER OF TRUE, A LEADERSHIP COACHING COMPANY THAT PARTNERS WITH HORSES TO HELP HUMANS EXPLORE THE CONCEPTS OF LEADERSHIP, COMMUNICATION, CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION HEN I ARRIVED AT THE STABLE that morning I heard there had been a foal born during the night. As I approached the pasture, the newborn was lying down in the grass sleeping with his mare protectively stand- ing watch over him. Aware of my excite- ment and energy level, I approached slowly outside the paddock. She was vigilant as she watched me approach. I deepened my breath and relaxed my body, hoping to get close enough to see the new foal, but prepared to leave if the mare seemed disturbed. If she did not want me near she would push her foal to get up and move away. I reached the fence line and could see the leggy colt dreaming on the grass as his legs twitched involuntarily with the realisation he was not tucked up in his mother’s belly anymore. I leaned into the fence, consciously enjoying the stretch in my own back and hamstrings. In that mo- ment, the mare did something completely unexpected. She lay down next to her foal. I wondered, as she gingerly lowered herself to the ground, if she may be in some pain? I was so honoured, knowing that for a prey animal to give up her one defence, the ability to flee, at this fragile time was an act of trust. As she rested, I understood it was my job to stand sen- tinel over this herd. So quietly, we spent these gentle, precious moments; a small herd, at peace and in the peace of nature. In this moment, I reflected on the les- son this mare was teaching. Leadership is not about the position you hold. When it was just the two of them she was required to be leader – dominant, and sentinel all at once to keep the two of them safe. Once I arrived and after her assessment of my presence, she was happy to give up those roles to me; the one better suited in this moment to play those roles. It was an act of trust and resilience to hand off to me when given the opportunity. Isn’t that what so often stands between us and the self-care required to be resilient? We don’t think we have anybody to hand off to in the moment? This powerful mare showed me that leadership can be shared. She showed me that in a herd, we are strongest and safest together. We don’t have to go it alone. Trusting yourself to lead your experi- ence gives you stability and allows you to be present. In this calm, embodied presence, creativity is born. Solutions you couldn’t see in your hyper-focussed, vigilant state slide gently into your view. Leadership can flow through a group. This makes it more sustainable for the whole group. Trusting yourself gives you confidence and feels empowering. From that empowered state, you are able to trust others. Shared leadership begins to look fabulous to you, just as it did to that beautiful horse on the day she became a new mother. W LEADERSHIP | KELLY L. EIDE Next >