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ABA’s Monoprix Qatar celebrates success of FORWARD in the division

After implementing the FORWARD application in February 2019 and using it since then, it was time for Ali Bin Ali (ABA) Holding’s Monoprix division to celebrate the successful implementation. On May 30, 2019, the Monoprix Qatar team and members from FORWARD PMO gathered to commemorate this achievement.

Apart from the team that worked on the FORWARD Project, Regional General Manager of Monoprix Qatar Mr. Sébastien Farhat, FORWARD Project Sponsor Mr. Mohamad Ebrik and ABA Holding PMO Manager Mr. Youssef Farajallah were all there to applaud the hard work the team had put in.

Opening the gathering, Mr. Sebastian said: “Whatever we achieved was because of teamwork. True to the values of Ali Bin Ali S.H.A.R.P, where people are very important, together we made this achievement possible in a short timeframe. It was with all your efforts, particularly the team that developed the requirements as per the needs of the different streams of business, we met our expectations.”

Applauding the efforts of the team, Mr. Ebrik said: “Monoprix is one of the new babies of Ali Bin Ali Holding and the expansion, growth and pace that we have been going through is really good. The ERP solution is now functioning in full swing in the division but it is important that the people behind the system makes it work to its full potential. It is up to you to benefit or not benefit from it. 

“In terms of knowledge and growth, using the best systems in the world is a big plus for you as it increases your value. Next, the FORWARD team will refocus with you on how to enhance what has been delivered.”

It was also the perfect opportunity to recognize the heroes in the division who went that extra mile to make the transition smooth. 

Shyam Thushara Peiris – Senior Accountant, Afroj Alam – Store Financial Controller, Rezaul Karim Bhuiyan – Store Financial Controller, Mohammed Mahiuddin – Store Financial Controller, and Mohammed Ehteshamuddin – Gold System Administrator, were awarded for their outstanding role in the project. 

Dianne Daraman – Accountant, Manohar Pratap – Accounts Assistant, Bimal Khadka – Accounts Assistant,  Bijay Chaulagain – Accounts Assistant, Sajan Shah – Accounts Assistant, Bharat Bhatta – Assistant Accountant, Diana Grace Dolor – Assistant Accountant, and Bipin Neupane – Invoice Control Clerk, were also recognized for their unrelenting support to the project.

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ABA Fashion and Galeries Lafayette Doha celebrate successful implementation of FORWARD

After the successful implementation and stabilization of the FORWARD application in the divisions, Ali Bin Ali Fashion and Galeries Lafayette Doha celebrated the efficient automation of the work process in their divisions on May 23, 2019.

 

The two divisions, which have the same management and a similar workflow, worked on the project together and also went live on the same day. For both the divisions, FORWARD automated the Finance modules and interfaced with the Oracle Retail application.

 

Mr. David Miller, General Manager for both ABA Fashion and Galeries Lafayette Doha, was present on the occasion – heading a proud team that did an extraordinary job while implementing the application. The event was also attended by FORWARD project sponsor Mr. Mohamad Ebrik and members of the FORWARD PMO team.

 

“I thank the team for all the efforts you have put in. We were trying to integrate multiple operations during the transition process and the dedication everyone showed without any complaint was really commendable. You worked late on weeknights and also on the weekend to make this possible. Of course, we have some tiny issues and I know we will overcome those over time and reach the level we desire,” Mr. Miller said.

 

Mr. Ebrik explained, “We were very apprehensive when we started implementation of the FORWARD project at Galeries Lafayette Doha, ABA Fashion and 21 High st simultaneously. There was a lot happening at the same time. New businesses were opening, FORWARD was being applied, RetailTech – which is another first-time project for Galeries Lafayette and ABA Fashion, annual budget. But when we gave the go ahead, everybody was focused on making it happen. This is one of the key success areas as we did not drag the project and the objective was to complete it fast, even with so many other things happening in parallel. We received so much positivity from the division – it really helped us.”

 

The occasion was also the perfect stage to bring the FORWARD heroes in the divisions under the spotlight. While the entire team got together and made their contribution to this success, it was a couple of members who played a particularly pivotal role. Dilif Kumar Tripura – Management Accountant of Galeries Lafayette Doha, and Samuel Maina – Accounts Assistant at ABA Fashion, were honored with the FORWARD hero title from the divisions.

 

Depicting the glamorous business of both ABA Fashion and Galeries Lafayette Doha, a huge banner replicating the Hollywood walk of fame was set up. All members from both the divisions who worked on the FORWARD project put their handprint on the stars and signed on it to mark their feat.

 

With the much-anticipated opening of Galleries Lafayette in Qatar and ABA Fashion introducing a couple of new stores, it was an intensive journey for the team to implement the FORWARD application. The shift to the new system marked a watershed in the way the divisions function, adding a lot of automation and producing error-free results.

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Ali Bin Ali & Partners wins popular basketball league

Standing true to Ali Bin Ali (ABA) Holding’s reputation as an all-rounder, Ali Bin Ali & Partners (ABAP) – CAG and Baladna division emerged victorious in the popular Japa Sports League Inter-Company Basketball Tournament 2018.

Held at Aspire Dome, the tournament took place from August to November 2018. There was participation from 32 companies from all over Qatar, including Al Asmakh, Aerotech, Nestle, Arab Center for Engineering Studies (ACES), Carrefour Qatar, Daewoo, Hamad Medical Corporation, Al Mannai Group and Nakheel Landscapes.

The 16-member team of Ali Bin Ali Holding, led by Coach Ronnie Padios, trained and practiced hard to elevate the level of their game. They challenged all odds to balance work pressure with the tournament.

This dedication and hard work guided them to the final of the tournament against Nakheel Landscapes on November 2, 2018. After a spectacular performance, the ABA Holding team emerged victorious by 15 points.

Freddie Gilboy from ABAP was named the man of the match.

Delighted with the victory, Market Manager – Baladna Division Mr. Joseph Samaha said: “I had full confidence in the boys and knew they would bring the trophy home. The team put in a lot of hard work and sacrificed a lot, they totally deserve this win. The entire ABAP division are super proud of our boys and we are glad that we could contribute to Ali Bin Ali Holding’s sporting tradition.”

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HR celebrates the graduation of ABA Management Development Program 2017 batch

In a proud moment for Ali Bin Ali (ABA) Holding, 45 staff members from different divisions of the Group completed the ABA Management Development Program and graduated with flying colors.

 

It was part of the company’s efforts to support its employees by providing an opportunity to attend professional training and achieve certification with the Institute of Professional Certified Managers.

 

The initiative was divided in 2 streams – Foundations of Management (for new / junior managers or potential employees) and Certified Manager (for experienced in the field managers). For the first time there was 88% completion rate for a management initiative, which sets the bar high for the future programs.

 

To commemorate this feat, the ABA HR department organized a small gathering on Thursday, February 22 at the Ali Bin Ali head office and the batch of 2017 was awarded their certificates and appreciated for achieving professional recognition

 

Apart from the 45 graduates, the guests at the event included senior representative from the management. They expressed their satisfaction with the efforts and the success of the participants in the program.

 

Opening the event, Group General Manager Human Resources Mr. Aldrine Austine Fernandez congratulated the graduates and said: “It is great achievement for all of us. I am so happy to see so many familiar faces from our previous development programs. This demonstrates our company’s and employees’ commitment for continuous development.”

 

This was followed by a ceremony where certificates were handed over to each of the graduates by the GMs and COOs of different divisions.

 

Group Leadership Development Manager Mr. Nikolay Stoichkov said, “It is a proud moment not just for the graduates but all of us. It is really encouraging to see such promising and committed students who, despite their hectic work schedule, give their best and really work hard to earn these accolades.”

 

Marking it a perfect ending, the evening concluded with the guests socializing and enjoying some light snacks. Now it is the turn of the managers to demonstrate their capabilities, through knowledge transfer, high dedication and more success in future.

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Team ABAP wins 15th ABA Cricket Tournament

Continuing with its tradition, Ali Bin Ali Group recently organized the 15th edition of the ABA Cricket Tournament. The event, through which ABA Group upheld its continued commitment to sports, was won by Ali Bin Ali & Partners – CAG Team, while the IA/PCP-1 Team finished runners-up in the tournament.

 

This year, the ABA Cricket Tournament was held at the Old Ideal Indian School Ground on January 4 and 5. More than 200 enthusiastic ABA employees and their families supported and enjoyed the exciting display of skills on the pitch.

 

Mr. Sampath Balaji, GM Finance – FMCG; Mr. Mohammad Imran, GM Dohatna/Prime Distribution; and Mr. Viji Kurien, GM – IA, were present at the game to encourage the participants.

 

Twelve teams from across ABA Group, viz, Dohatna/Prime Distribution (2 teams), IA/PCP (2 teams), ABAP-FMCG, ABA-HO, ABAP-CAG, ABATS, ABA Beverage (Pepsi), Al Danah, Monoprix, and ABA Logistics participated in the tournament. 

 

After a thrilling semi-final against the Logistics team, which went to the ‘Super Over’, the ABAP – CAG Team emerged victorious. The Man of the Series award was bagged by Mr. Anil John for his great batting skills, while the Man of the Match honor went to Mr. Suhas Sainudheen Vakattayil for his unbeaten 63 runs in the final against IA/PCP-1, both representing the ABAP-CAG team.

 

Speaking about the event, Mr. Imran said: “It is always a pleasure to see such a display of sporting skills. We are all lucky to be part of an organization that encourages sporting activities. The excitement generated by the cricket tournament was felt by the fans and spectators who attended the event. The teams ensured that the fun atmosphere was matched by some quality cricket on the field.”

 

Many congratulations to Team ABAP!

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Ali Bin Ali Group Stands Together in Honoring October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month

The ABA Group cut across all boundaries and stood together as one family, to honor October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As a Group we organized a week-long awareness campaign from October 23 under the title ‘Let’s Do More than Wearing a Ribbon!’

As part of the week-long activities we organized a headlining event at the Head Office, in co-operation with Qatar Cancer Society (QCS). The session was attended by women employees from different departments located in the Head Office as well as ABA family members from Dohatna, ABA Medical, ABA & Partners and Logistics.

QCS gave a detailed and informative presentation about breast cancer and discussed the truth and the myths about the illness. The insightful session was followed by a testimonial by a breast cancer survivor. The inspirational 37-year-old, who was diagnosed with cancer two years ago, shared her emotional journey and victory over cancer. 

Ending the gathering on a positive note, Ali Bin Ali Medical shared a new technological device with all the attendees and explained how it enables people to do breast cancer screening at home – thereby making prevention easier.

In order to engage our entire Group and give everyone equal opportunity to participate, we – along with ABA Medical – took the breast cancer awareness campaign to different divisions, including Travel, Al Danah, International Agencies & Prime Consumer Products, Luxury, ABATS and all ABA offices in Katara Plaza (Monoprix, Hospitality, Fashion, Desert Eye & Sports Gate) through the rest of the week.

The attendees lauded the initiative and said it gave them valuable insight into the critical health issue and would help them take appropriate decisions in future. It is important to remember, this is an ongoing campaign. As the ABA family lets remind ourselves that NOW is time to take action. Let’s do regular self-examinations and contact our doctors if we notice anything unusual.

We would like to thank everyone for their wholehearted participation and extend our gratitude to ABA Medical, Casa Flora, Fauchon and ABA Beverages for lending their precious support and making the campaign so successful.

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Ali Bin Ali Group Employees Participate in a Generous Blood Drive

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Ali Bin Ali Group, one of the leading conglomerates in Qatar and the region, was proud to have added to their corporate social responsibility initiatives by giving the opportunity for all employees of the Group to participate in a specially organized Blood Donation Day. The drive was held at the ABA head office on 30 March, 2016, from 9 a.m. till 2 p.m.

“We are very happy with the turn out at the event, as we had more donors registered than we expected. If I were to rate this event on a scale of 1 to 5, I would give it a 4.5,” said Mohammed Reza, Staff Nurse at the Blood Donors Center.

The Ali Bin Ali Group was very satisfied with employee participation. The participation was not only from staff of all grades at the head office, but it also drew donors from other ABA divisions. Their whole-hearted engagement symbolized their support for this noble cause.

For some employees, it was their 16th time to donate blood, while for others it was a first. The first timers took the call to contribute to the Group’s corporate social responsibility efforts seriously and to heart. Evidently, employees were ready to register for blood donation before the event even started. As one of the employees offered their thoughts saying, “Donating blood is a humanitarian act and should definitely be encouraged. We should support others in the community.”

Among the donors was Jills Daniel, Senior Division Manager of Health Care Solutions, Ali Bin Ali Medical. He was not only passionate to advocate for blood donation, but he is also an organ donor. He emphasized that donating blood is the least someone can do. “If my family were in need of blood tomorrow, I would thank those who have donated blood today. You never know, your loved ones can be the ones who will need donations.”

Research has shown that every 2 seconds someone is in need of blood. Statistics have also proven that donors can save 3 lives by just donating 1 pint of blood, which amounts to 450 ml. Thus, donors are always in constant demand in Qatar and all around the world.

Ali Bin Ali Group was pleased to have contributed to the critical care of the recipients of the blood donations, such as the patients with cancer, victims of accidents, and patients undergoing surgery in all local hospitals in Qatar.

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Ali Bin Ali’s Finance Community Get Together

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The Ali Bin Ali Finance department community dedicated a full day out of their busy and stressful calendar to get together with their families and colleagues to celebrate their companionship on 11 march, at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Qatar from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m.

More than 500 guests including employees and their families attended the event where a full range of fun activities were organized. The organizers in the finance department had done an excellent job to ensure that all participants were superbly entertained by providing activities for all ages at each corner. Fun and entertainment ranged from dance related contests to an array of sports including volleyball, kabaddi, as well as larger participatory games like Tug-Of-war drew in players of all ages. Special activities for the ladies had also been organized, including games of cricket and treasure hunts. In addition, an illusionist used his masterful skills to keep the children and all adults entertained. Thrilling raffle draws added to the excitement of the day. It was surely a memorable day for the community!

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