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Galeries Lafayette Doha celebrates 2nd edition of ‘Beauty Weekend’

Continuing with its tradition of celebrating beauty, Galeries Lafayette Doha launched the second edition of ‘Beauty Weekend’ in style. May 25 to May 27 was a special weekend for all beauty lovers in Doha as the ‘Beautiful You- Beauty Weekend’ opened the doors to an exclusive beauty-inspired experience.

From brand master classes, beauty treatments to counter animations, Galeries Lafayette Doha designed a complete 360-degree beauty escapade for the public to enjoy. Top international brands like Gucci, Indie Lee, Hermes, Guerlain, Christian Louboutin and Bobbi Brown were a part of the weekend celebrations.

The ‘Beauty Weekend’ masterclasses, which were the highlight of the event, welcomed expert speakers from different fields. From the House Perfumer of French Brand Caron, Jean Jacques, who was visiting Doha for the very first time, to a first time collaboration with Dr. Nada Soueidan from Medi Spa: NuYu, Galeries Lafayette Doha made sure to offer a complete beauty experience. A special beauty and haircare masterclass was delivered in collaboration with Doha’s luxury salon and spa, Beauty Hive and world’s leading luxury professional haircare brand, Kérastase.

In line with its vision to promote local talent, Galeries Lafayette Doha also used the ‘Beauty Weekend’ platform to promote local Qatari brands like Abdulla Al Abdulla, the regional Qatari influencer who has launched his niche fragrances and organic skincare, Abdulla Beauty.

The entire Parisian Store was dressed up for the ‘Beauty Weekend’ and special care was taken to make sure that the guests can engage with the surroundings. While the beauty magazine backdrop were a super-fun way to make memories at the event, the 360-degree video booth, ‘Glam Cam’, offered a trendy way to capture some glamorous, lively images for social media.

Adding a twist to the already interesting décor, a make-up-inspired bowling alley was created with pins resembling lipsticks, while the floor of the alley looked like an eyeshadow palette.

The La Suite, Galeries Lafayette Doha’s exclusive penthouse, was also converted into a stage for a beauty experience. From an exclusive Masterclass by Roja Dove for selected VIPs to a sensory journey with Abdulla Al Abdulla’s perfumes and skincare in collaboration with Inclub Studio, La Suite offered a true luxury beauty experience.

In line with the beauty theme of the event, a beauty macaroon station by Café Pouchkine and a special hydration station were stationed on the ground floor of the store. The hydration station offered lemon and lavender pink lemonade, perfect to boost health and beauty.

Speaking about the event, General Manager of Galeries Lafayette Doha Mr. Kevin Gerard Pender said: “Galeries Lafayette celebrates beauty not just in the conventional sense. We want our clients to discover the true essence of beauty and all things beautiful it entails. Our ‘Beauty Weekend’ experience is a journey, where you learn, enjoy, win and go home with a lot of beautiful memories.”

Galeries Lafayette Doha’s ‘Beauty Weekend’ was an ideal opportunity to discover answers for all beauty needs and the three days felt too little for everything that the event offered.

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ABA Group Procurement Department holds awareness workshop

With the goal to raise awareness about the role of procurement in the Group, Ali Bin Ali Holding’s Procurement Department organized a special workshop on May 25, 2023, at Alwadi Hotel Doha – MGallery in Msheireb.

The event was attended by ABA staff members from different divisions who are involved in the process of procurement. A total of 80 people attended the one-day in-depth workshop, which explained procurement policies and procedures in the Group.

The session, headed by Group Procurement Controller Ms. Petra Bais and Procurement Analyst/Buyer Mr. Yousuf Yahyya, elaborated on the importance of the Procurement Department in the sourcing of goods and services that support the daily operations, including sourcing, negotiating terms, purchasing items, receiving and inspecting goods as necessary and keeping records of all the steps in the process.

The participants learnt about the different clusters of procurement processes and what is preferred at the Holding. They were also educated on the different workflow procurement structures that are ideal for their divisions.

In her presentation, Ms. Petra highlighted that as a trusted partner, the Procurement Department is keen to focus on issues that protect the interests of the Holding. “The ABA Group Procurement Department requires a strong understanding of market trends, organizational objectives and supplier capabilities to ensure success. These include strong procurement roles in sourcing, negotiation, contract management and supplier relationship management,” she added.

Key to the discussions was the department’s wide role in cost reduction, profit realization and adding value to the business processes. On his part, Mr. Yousuf explained: “The Ali Bin Ali Procurement Department can actively place the Holding in a more competitive position. Suppliers working with ABA business streams must have the ability to cope with the latest equipment, technology and processes.”

Adding an element of fun and engaging the attendees while testing what they learnt, they were challenged with a group activity to handle procurement situations through a case study. The two teams to recognize the most correct steps were awarded for their prowess in the task.

The event concluded with a survey to gauge their understanding about the workshop and the procurement process. Finally, the guests ended the day with a scrumptious lunch.

 

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ABA Holding celebrates the graduation of employees for The Harvard ManageMentor Program 2022-2023

Ali Bin Ali Holding is proud to congratulate the 86 employees who graduated by successfully completing the Harvard ManageMentor Program 2022-2023. On May 24, 2023, at a special graduation event arranged at the ABA HR training room in ABA Tower, the graduates were ceremoniously handed their course completion certificates.

Apart from the graduating employees, also present at the event were the ABA Group Learning & Development team, COO of ABA ICT Mr. Mohamad A. Ebrik, Group General Manager – Human Resources & Administration Mr. Aldrine Fernandez and other senior managers of the Group.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Ebrik highlighted how important ‘People’ are for Ali Bin Ali Holding. The ABA values – SHARP – reflect that “our staff is our biggest resource and the Group cultivates all opportunities for their growth. The Harvard ManageMentor Program is just one of them.”

The enrolled employees had to finish the designated courses through a period of 8 months and prepare a project at the end of the term to reflect the knowledge they have acquired. The top projects were also awarded at the graduation ceremony.

Ivan Carlo Iglesia Jose from Ali Bin Ali Logistics was the winner while Vaishali Jain and Fernando Tungol Tayag from Internal Audit, Soumaya Amri from Galeries Lafayette and Syed Khalid from Qatar Quality Products earned the position of 1st runners-up. Edwin Babasa Ballat from Ali Bin Ali Logistics was awarded the 2nd runner-up trophy.

Warmly congratulating the group of graduates, Mr. Fernandez said, “It is a pleasure to see more and more employees engaging in our training courses. Not just individuals, encouragement from the division’s part is also boosting knowledge transfer and optimization of the trainings that our very efficient Learning & Development team organizes.”

ABA Holding is delighted that the Group’s employees, drawn from different ABA business streams, elevated themselves, their skills and knowledge and capitalized on the learning opportunity provided for them. By graduating from a world-renowned course, not only have the employees taken a step towards their professional and personal growth but also enriched the company by developing their skills and competencies, which will no doubt advance performances at all levels.

As a premier capacity-building and skills development course run by Harvard Business Publishing, under Harvard University, the program ranks as the world’s leading digital learning experience that leverages on-demand, world-class content to develop leaders at all levels.

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Monoprix Qatar’s reusable bags set to contribute to charity efforts

After becoming the first and only 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 January 1, 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, which is valid for 1 month, can be redeemed at any of the Monoprix stores on the next visit.

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.

Customers can also choose to donate their vouchers to charity efforts. In partnership with Qatar Charity, the hypermarket has placed voucher donation boxes on each of its cash counters for customers to make a contribution. Monoprix will then pay Qatar Charity the equivalent amount of the number of vouchers collected. The donation process is part of Monoprix Qatar’s vision of elevating underprivileged communities and creating sustainable livelihoods.

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 to 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.”

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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.”

 

 

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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.”

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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.”

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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.

 

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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.

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Governance, Risk and Compliance practice set precedence for the future of Ali Bin Ali Holding

On January 17, 2022 Ali Bin Ali Legal Department announced the launch of its autonomous and reinvigorated Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) unit that will manage risks and ensure compliance of business requirements and government regulations. The evening event, held at W Hotel Doha, was attended by more than 100 ABA executives from across 18 business streams of the conglomerate.

In his maiden speech, ABA Vice President/General Counsel, Mr. Nabil Chamas, pointed to the fundamental significance of the GRC unit within ABA Holding as a support unit that would safeguard the company’s identity, its employees and consumers. Mr. Chamas noted that the world’s risk and compliance landscape is more complex than ever before, hence the need for the ABA Legal Department to introduce new policies and regulations, and modify existing ones so as to protect the company’s interest. “By implementing the GRC component, our company can make better decisions in a risk-aware environment. Our sustainable and yet effective approach towards GRC will help us and our stakeholders set guidelines and comply with requirements both at the national and international level,” Mr. Chamas stated.

It was noted in the meeting that the creation of the GRC unit came at an opportune moment when ABA Holding was rapidly expanding its functions and operations in the Middle East and across the globe. Key topics such as the importance of governance and cybersecurity; data protection; addressing risk and risk environments; and compliance practices were discussed by the notable staff and lawyers of the ABA Legal Department including: Mr. Benjamin Anafi, Ms. Janaina De Queiroz, Ms. Mahassen Al Taki, and Mr. Jean Michel.

The legal department, through Ms. Sarolta Kacso and Ms. Amina El Zein, proposed launching an App – App4Legal – that would help track and manage the entire life cycle of the company’s contracts, litigation, and corporate matters, thereby minimizing the company’s risk posture. The App is set to enhance efficiency in ABA’s workflow where every task can be organized, automated and streamlined.

To conclude the event, a plenary discussion was opened for participants to share their opinions, experiences and how to better implement the GRC program in their daily practices. As a follow-up to the conference, the GRC support unit will conduct trainings to enable employees better understand the GRC and App4Legal.