ABA Holding Group Learning and Development launches new digital platform

Revolutionizing the way our team members gain access to training at Ali Bin Ali Holding, the Group Learning and Development Department has introduced a digital learning platform – The ABA Learning Hub.

The platform was ceremoniously launched on February 26, 2023, at a small gathering held at the ABA Head Office in the presence of Senior Managers, the Learning and Development team and the users. There was also a significant online participation by ABA staff members in Kuwait, K.S.A and also Qatar.

The ABA Learning Hub is a storehouse of a wide range of courses and study modules that ABA employees can avail of at their own pace and in their own time. The easily navigable portal is user friendly and allows the user to check the modules available, select courses that suits her/his business need and even form groups to discuss topics. The e-learning platform is accessible from different gadgets beyond a desktop and laptop and can be accessed via an app on tablets or the mobile phones, whether they are in the workplace or at home.

500 ABA staff members from different divisions and departments of the Holding have been selected by their Managers to pilot the new e-learning platform. All users are being added in the backend by the Learning and Development Team and can set up a profile with the ABA email address.

The ABA Learning Hub is a part of the Group Learning and Development Department’s vision strategy to achieve learning autonomy, learning agility and to repurpose talent. The platform encourages ABA staff to consistently be curious to gain new knowledge and skills. The new platform is a breakthrough for the whole organization as we step into the future with the digitally advanced Learning and Development Department, which allows our staff the flexibility to keep learning as per their availability.

Speaking at the launch, Guest speaker Mr. Sébastien Farhat, emphasized the importance of Learning and investing in one’s own growth, while Ms. Gizelle Lacson – ABA Learning and Development Lead said: “Digitization is the future and it’s a proud moment for all of us to be able to offer this platform to our teams. The core of all these is learning – as it facilitates the resilience of the workforce. It is essential that we keep learning to advance in our professional as well as our personal lives. Learning can happen anytime, anywhere and we want to make it flexible, convenient and fun. The ABA Learning Hub is all of that and I am sure it will be an asset for the employees and the Group.”

 

 

QQP recognized for exceptional performance during FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Once again making Ali Bin Ali Holding proud, Qatar Quality Products’ (QQP) Consumer division – has been recognized for its exceptional sales during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

QQP’s long-standing partner, Perfetti Van Melle, awarded the former for the “Exceptional Action in Execution with Massive Impact” during the World Cup in Qatar.

At a special event held on February 23, 2023, at One&Only Royal Mirage, Luxury Beach Resort in Dubai, the award was ceremoniously handed over to the QQP team. COO of ABA FMCG Mr. Wadih Antoine Kazan, Market Manager of QQP Mr. Cesar Touma and Senior Trade Marketing Executive of QQP Ms. Anuja Jyoti were present at the event.

The award recognized the exceptional sales record QQP achieved for the year 2022 and product display during the FIFA World Cup.

Speaking about the award, Mr. Wadih Antoine Kazan said: “It is always a great feeling to be recognized for your efforts, it validates the hard work you put in. Team QQP had strategized and extensively planned to make sure all its brands received maximum exposure and visibility. The plan was foolproof and this clearly reflected on our market reports. I am extremely proud of the team and also thank Petretti for bestowing us with this honor.”

Turkish superstar Burak Özçivit becomes the face of Ali Bin Ali Luxury and Ali Bin Ai Fashion

Elevating the glamour level of the brands, Ali Bin Ali (ABA) Luxury and Fashion have introduced famous Turkish model and actor Burak Özçivit as their brand ambassador. The big announcement was made by the Vice-Chairman & EVP of Ali Bin Ali Holding Mr. Nabeel Ali Bin Ali on February 21 at the Doha Jewellery & Watches Exhibition (DJWE) 2023. Also present at the event was CEO of Swiss luxury watch brand Purnell, Mr. Maurizio Mazzocchi.

The flamboyant actor has signed the agreement with ABA Luxury and Fashion making him the face of the brands for the entire Gulf region, for the next four years. During this period, Purnell will be the official watch brand worn by Burak. The Swiss watchmaking maison is one of the most popular brands under ABA Luxury’s portfolio.

Burak Özçivit, who has a large fanbase across the region and even globally, is also a supermodel and the face of many European brands. He was chosen the ‘Top Model of Turkey’ and later picked as the second ‘Best Model of The World’. Since his debut in the acting industry in 2003, he has featured in multiple TV shows and films, gaining international fame.

The superstar will now be the brand ambassador of ABA Luxury and Fashion, exclusively participating in various campaign activities. This partnership will unfold a new burst of positive synergies for the ABA Brands who have always carved innovative ways of appealing to the heart of clients.

Speaking about the exclusive agreement, Mr. Nabeel Ali Bin Ali said: “We are happy and proud to welcome Burak Özçivit into the Ali Bin Ali family. Just like our brand, the actor has a strong sense of individuality, which is enough to make this collaboration exceptional. Wishing him all the best for the coming four years and looking forward to seeing him represent Ali Bin Ali Luxury and Fashion.”

Expressing his excitement about the partnership, Burak said: “I am very happy to become the ambassador for ABA Luxury and ABA Fashion. I hope our collaboration helps us reach the entire Middle East and the entire world.”

Ali Bin Ali Holding supports victims of the earthquake-hit Syria and Turkey

In partnership with Qatar Red Crescent, Ali Bin Ali Holding joined hands to offer urgent humanitarian aid to the survivors of the recent earthquake crisis in Syria and Turkey. The move was necessitated by a global call to action to support the two countries that were hit the most by the 7.8 earthquake magnitude, especially as the death toll increased in the thousands.

In a private meeting at Dohatna Logistics Park (DLP) on February 16, 2023, ABA Holding representatives, Mr. Imad Hashim, Group Communications Manager; Ms. Christine El Salim, Supply Chain Manager of ABA Medical; and Ms. Sona Ghazaryan, Business Development Manager of ABA Logistics, came forward to present the donation items from ABA Medical and ABA Hospitality for the disaster appeal.

For this exercise, ABA Medical provided 5 tons of essential items including: surgery and diagnostics solutions, bandages, dispensers, wheelchairs, depressors, and diagnostic equipment.

ABA Hospitality further contributed 1,200 medical mattresses, designed for users with reduced mobility, chronic illness, disabilities, aging, or injuries, and 1,200 2-ply single color blankets ideal for cushioning the victims in the harsh Middle East winter.

Receiving the donations, Mr. Magid Yousef Eltater, Qatar Red Crescent’s Head of Public Donations, accompanied by Mr. Saif Saad Alajeeli, In Kind Donation Coordinator, was gratified by the generosity shown by ABA divisions. “We are working round the clock in the affected areas to ensure that they are supported. In Syria for example, we are emphasizing on blankets, mattresses, warm clothing and medication as temperatures are below freezing,” said Mr. Eltater.

In a side statement, Mr. Hashim commended the gracious gesture the whole world had demonstrated for the victims. “Such unique acts of kindness go a long way in enhancing unity, coexistence and cooperation among people from different faiths, ethnic backgrounds, race or social status,” he shared.

The donation by ABA Medical and ABA Hospitality is part of the Holding’s all-inclusive responsibility to respond to and integrate social and environmental concerns that affect humanity, while building on its business operations and interactions.

Our prayers and thoughts are with the victims and families affected by the devastating earthquake.

QQP receives Best Performer award from Mondelēz International

Adding a new feather to Ali Bin Ali Holding’s cap, Qatar Quality Products’ QQP-Mondelez team was awarded the Best IMS Performer award for the year 2022 by their principle company, Mondelēz International.

The award was presented in view of the Qatar market growing the fastest, with 20% growth compared to last year, amongst all the GCC markets. The awards ceremony was held virtually from Dubai on February 15, 2023. All the distributors from Qatar, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman were present online.

Speaking on the same, QQP-Mondelez Market Manager Mr. Mohammad Zeeshan said: “The team is super excited and happy to have received this award. It was the honest effort of the entire team that bridged the way to this award and they truly deserve it. This year, we are more pumped and aiming to earn higher accolades. The team has begun to work towards the same.”

QQP has been responsible for distributing various brands of Mondelēz International, such as Oreo, Chips Ahoy, Toblerone, Cadbury, Tang, Philadelphia etc., and this is just another of the many awards it has been receiving on a yearly basis. The division has been successful in maintaining its status as market leaders in the respective categories, and maintained its share in all the top retail groups.

Dohatna Innovative Distribution partners with Samsung to showcase an immersive space at 21 High st, Katara Cultural Village

Further strengthening their long-standing partnership, Ali Bin Ali Holding’s Dohatna Innovative Distribution and Samsung Gulf Electronics joined hands to inaugurate an immersive experiential store in Doha’s Katara Cultural Village. Dohatna is the official partner of Samsung Mobile in Qatar.

Located in 21 High st – the ultimate outdoor shopping destination in Qatar, the new store is strategically positioned right opposite the main entrance of Galeries Lafayette Doha. It offers an exclusive space for visitors who wish to see all that is new and innovative in Mobiles, TVs, Home Appliances and Monitors.

The opening ceremony was attended by Mr. Adel Ali Bin Ali, Chairman & President of Ali Bin Ali Holding, HE Lee Joon-Ho The ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Qatar, Mr. Doohee Lee, President of Samsung Gulf Electronics, Ali Bin Ali Holding’s Business Head for Consumer Electronics Retail and Distribution Mr. Ganesh Mithra Parthajee and other top officials from Ali Bin Ali Holding and Samsung Qatar team.

The showroom brings a unique design element to tell Samsung’s product story across a highly immersive customer journey, which intuitively, brings visitors closer to the product depending on individual taste and preferences. The approach was one of seamlessness so that visitors may be guided by their personal needs and even explore opportunities of personalization, from the design to the very software display.

Across the store, customers get to see the latest innovations of Samsung Galaxy Mobiles & Wearables portfolio. Its highly ambitious products offering will exhibit the latest Galaxy S Series, including the Galaxy S23 Ultra, Galaxy S23+, and Galaxy S23, marking a new era of Samsung Galaxy’s ultimate premium phone.

Softened by wooden slats, greenery and elegant accessories, The Frame and The Serif, both part of Samsung’s Lifestyle TV line-up, are showcased on a separate wall to help customers re-imagine their living rooms.

A must-see for visitors is the dedicated SmartThings space, featuring multiple day-to-day scenarios of connected device experiences, such as Gaming and Work from Home.  In addition, customers can see up-close and personal Samsung’s latest home appliances, including The Air Dresser, Bespoke Jet, and Bespoke Refrigerators.

 

ABA Medical signs an exclusive distributor agreement with Zimmer Biomet

On February 05, 2023 Ali Bin Ali Medical signed an exclusive agreement with Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. (NYSE and SIX: ZBH), one of the three largest orthopedic device companies in the world, as its new distributor in the State of Qatar.

The signing ceremony took place during Arab Health in Dubai, in the presence of various officials from Zimmer Biomet including: Mr. Wilfred Van Zuilen, the President of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA); Mr. Erik Antos, the Vice President of EMEA Emerging Markets; Ms. Farah Hamdan, the General Manager of Middle East, North Africa and Turkey; and Mr. Ayman Harb, the Sales Associate Director of EMEA. Other executives from Ali Bin Ali Medical who graced the event were: Mr. Monzer Abdel Samad, the General Manager; Ms. Rawia Amineddine, the Operations Manager; and Mr. Majid Haddadi, the Business Unit Manager. This agreement is set to transform patient experience in Qatar through access to Zimmer Biomet’s innovative cutting-edge solutions, products, digital and robotic technologies.

During the announcement of the new agreement, Ms. Hamdan was thrilled on the constant progress Zimmer Biomet has made. “It’s a transformative period in healthcare and the continued growth of Zimmer Biomet’s presence in the Middle East means we can help alleviate pain and improve the quality of life for even more people – and that is our ultimate mission,” said Ms. Hamdan.

Mr. Abdel Samad expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership between the two companies and how it will elevate access to quality healthcare and products for the people of Qatar and the Middle East. “We are proud to reinforce our acumen in the Qatar market. This new partnership will strengthen our presence even further,” noted Abdel Samad.

The new agreement is part of ABA Medical’s holistic vision and milestone of growing its product portfolio, and being the lead and premier importer and distributor of world-class medical equipment. The Middle East and Africa region continues to be an important platform for both companies, in the field of healthcare.

With a vision for a greener tomorrow, Monoprix Qatar introduces reusable shopping bags

After becoming the first supermarket in Qatar to start using paper bags, Ali Bin Ali Holding’s Monoprix Qatar introduced a more sustainable way of shopping with reusable bags. Making the right start to the New Year, on 1 January, 2023, Monoprix Qatar launched the permanent campaign, ‘Let’s be the change – reduce, reuse, recycle’. Leading the way in reducing the one-time use of shopping bags, Monoprix Qatar looks forward to saving trees and creating a greener environment.

Customers at any Monoprix store in Qatar can now purchase one re-usable bag for QR 1 and also get a voucher worth QR 1 in return, in effect getting the bag free of cost. This QR 1 voucher can be redeemed in any of the Monoprix stores on the next visit starting the next day.  The voucher is valid for 1 month.

The QR 1 cost of the reusable bag is just to make customers conscious about the number of bags they use and use them only when it’s necessary. Making the use of these bags even more sustainable, the supermarket will exchange any used or damaged Monoprix reusable bags for free, for life.

Monoprix as a brand has always committed itself to a sustainable development approach with organic products, local produce, recycling waste and using environment-friendly packaging options. With a proactive vision to save the environment and raise awareness about it, Monoprix takes innovative steps to preserve the nature for a greener future.

Speaking about this noble initiative, Regional General Manager of Monoprix Mr. Sébastien Farhat said: “Monoprix supermarket uses a large number of bags every year and this is not good news for the environment. We are always looking towards more sustainable, environment-friendly solutions and the reusable shopping bags seemed to be the perfect answer to this situation. Monoprix is much more than just a supermarket, we want to give back and do our humble bit for the community. I am sure this campaign will help raise awareness and the eco-friendly shopping option will be well-received and contribute substantially to a greener future for our planet.”