The VCN issue#0

Smart Village celebrateS 10 yearS OF QUaNtUm leaPiNg

Issue # 0 JANuARY - MARCH 2015

MOVE RIGHT IN

Building 2401, Street 1106, Ground Floor, Smart Village Egypt, Giza, 12577, [email protected]

Tel: +2 (02) 3535 8000Fax: +2 (02) 3537 0549www.smart-villages.com

Located in the heart of SMART VILLAGE, Egypt’s prime Technology and Business Park,

SMARTZONE with its various services and soft landing task team, gives you the means

to benefit from the business opportunities in Egypt and the region.

SMARTZONE, with its short term rental schemes for fully furnished, equipped and

assisted offices, will suit the different objectives and business needs for established

companies and startups.

THe VIllAge THe VIllAge

WELCOME

4 SMART VILLAGES

COMPANY A Word from the Chairman

6 MCIT SMART VILLAGE

Minister’s Word

8SV COMMUNITY NEWS

News Around the Village

FEATURE

Celebrating 10 Years of Quantum Leaping

18SUCCESS QUOTES

Inspirational Quotes by Extraordinary

People

20GITEX DUBAI 2014

SVC in GITEX Dubai 2014

34FACTORING

Cairo Factors

38WOMEN IN POWER

Powerful Arab Women

40SUEZ CANAL

Active Role for MCIT in National Suez

Canal Development Project

42INVESTMENT & ECONOMY

The Egyptian Minister of Investment

32

AASTMT The Arab Academy for Science,

Technology and Maritime Transport

28CELLULAR TRENDS

iPhone 6 Vs. Note 4

26SV TRANSPORTATION

Smart Transportation

21SVC CHAIRMAN & CEO

The Synergy of Cooperation

iNSide

2

12

44EGX

Stock Exchange Today

46AEBA

AEBA: The Link between Egypt and Asia

48OFFICE WEAR TIPS

Dress Code

50E-WASTE

Green Electronics

52TRAVEL SOMA BAY

Kempinski Hotel Soma Bay

54TECHNOLOGY & SPORTS

Technosports

WELCOME

3

56 SMART CUISINE

Feed Your Brain

57 HEALTHY NUTS

Go Nuts!

58THEATER RENOVATIONS

The Egyptian National Theater

59AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY

Meet the New C-Class 2015

Publishers Smart Villages Development & Management

Company

In Partnership withGlobal Trade Matters

Director of PublicationAhmed Naim

Editor-In-ChiefAshraf Mohamed Naguib

Managing EditorLuuk de Waardt

EditorSalma Magdi

Creative EditorPedro Gomez

Research EditorAhmed Ayyad

Food EditorNourhan Michel

Smart Village Content Emad Mohsen

SV NewsGhada Hosny

Contributing Writers

Salma Magdi, Mohamed Osama, Alaa Abu Sharkh, Karim Hamroush, Sherif Osama, Eng. Atef

Moukhtar

Special Thanks to SV Sales DepartmentHussein FahmyAmr Saad El Din

AdvertisingMay Helmy

Design & PrintingCADA Studios

Social Media AdvisorsThink Marketing

Official publication of Smart Village Egypt Tel: +202 3535-2000Fax: +202 3535-2001

www.smart-villages.com Smart Villages Development & Management

Company Building 1, Street 26Smart Village EgyptGiza, 12577, Egypt

All Rights Reserved 2015

TRAVEL SOMA BAYKempinski Hotel Soma Bay


Dr. Adel DanishChairman & CEO, Smart Villages Development and Management Company

A WORD FROM THE

CHAIRMANW elcome to Issue Zero of “The Village Community News,” the official Smart Village

quarterly publication. We are very excited about this new addition to our continuous efforts in serving the Smart Village Community.

SMART VILLAGES COMPANY

4 THe VIllAge

Dr. Adel Danish

“The Village Community News” publication is a valuable addition to the cohesiveness of the Smart Village Community.

Through this unique publication, the Smart Village Community will be connected like never before as the publication offers amazing opportunities for both individuals and companies to communicate with each other, sharing their news, ideas, opinions, interviews and getting updated with the latest news on CIT & finance industries in addition to all sorts of different exchange opportunities.

I would like to thank the Smart Village magazine team for working continuously under very tight deadlines to complete thisbeautiful publication.

I also would like to extend my thanks to ourcolleagues at Global Trade Matters in assisting us in developing quality content for the publication.

We offer you this issue as an example of moreto come and we plan for even bigger issues in the following months.

5


MCIT SMART VILLAGE

6

miNiSter’S WOrd Congratulations!“The Village Community News” magazine, a new platform for communication between members of the Smart Village Community, is now between your hands to read, become informed, and share with the outside world. I encourage our community to highly utilize this medium.

Minister of Communications & Information Technology

I look for-within this publication-inclusion of the whole Community, and for this to happen, the content of it has to be targeted with information and knowledge of small business development centers, entrepreneurship training opportunities, market information, networking opportunities, marketing assistance, business incubators promotions,

and even financing opportunities.

Let us celebrate together ribbon cuttings, successes in entrepreneurial efforts and reflect on them. From the Smart Village a lot is being produced and accomplished to be proud of and worth exposing. I foresee “The Village” as a distinguished tool to enhance, increase

and track the achieved success of The Smart Village Community.

I congratulate the Editorial Team on the issuance of this Publication and look forward to reading the upcoming issues.

Eng. Atef Helmy

7


NeWS arOUNd the Village

SV COMMUNITY NEWS

8

ICT Minister discusses investment prospects with American Chamber of Commerce delegation

The Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Atef Helmy, received in his office, Nov. 11, 2014, the delegation of the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt, presided by the Chairman of the U.S.-Egypt Business Council, Steve Lotus, where they discussed available ICT investment opportunities, means to promote cooperation and expanding American investments in the Egyptian markets.

The delegation entailed major American ICT companies investing in Egypt, among which are Microsoft, Oracle, Xerox Corporation, Visa, Intel Corporation, IBM, HP, First Data and Cisco Systems, Inc.

Helmy has ascertained that the ICT sector is the cornerstone for the digital economy relying on Egypt’s qualified youth and distinguished expertise. He has added that the ICT strategy 2020 has a clear vision that will lead to an inclusive development.

This is in addition to the development of ICT industry through encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship and supporting companies. He has referred to outsourcing as one of the leading industries in Egypt that has achieved a distinguished rank worldwide.

THe VIllAge

ITIDA to visit U.S. to attract IT, healthcare and airline companies

The scheduled visit of the delegation of Egypt’s Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) to the U.S. in December to attract investment will not only focus on IT firms but also healthcare and aviation companies, given the fact that their businesses are in need of large call centers, said the chairman of ITIDA, Hussein El-Gueretly.

The head of ITIDA intends to conduct negotiations with new IT operators, as well as huge companies and multinational firms since the former are eager to penetrate into new markets in the region, he added.

The agency seeks to attract firms specialized in cloud computing, according to El-Gueretly.

e-finance launches new “Banzenty” app

e-finance, a national digital network for financial transactions, has announced the launch of a new smartphone application, named “Banzenty.” The new app is available for all iOS and Android users.

The application provides verifiable information for vehicle owners on the locations of the nearest petrol station, e-finance head of business development, Amr Khater said. He added that the application also lists other services the petrol station offers. Development steps for this application will include details on car maintenance shops and possibility to book periodic maintenance.

The application was designed by Mohamed Tmam, one of e-finance’s employees. “This comes in the framework of e-payment national project, sponsored by the Ministry of Finance and the Egyptian Central Bank,” e-finance said in an official statement. “This aims at excluding all traditional methods of payment and collection.”

SV COMMUNITY NEWS

9

Mobinil to pay EGP 1.5 bn to bondholders next January: managing director

Mobinil believes that the new national infrastructure entity will strongly contribute to improving prices and generating communication sector activity while also keeping up with technological developments in global markets. The company is interested in obtaining a global gateway license as a new source of income, after recent losses, attributed to debt interest, were valued at EGP 1bn annually.

The company is preparing a study on potentially selling its mobile telephone towers as assets or increasing capital within two months, as part of a financial restructuring process. These options are among the one suitable alternative that will be chosen by the beginning of next year, according to a statement issued by managing director of Mobinil, Yves Gauthier.

THe VIllAge

EFG Hermes Q3 net profit exceeds EGP 100m

Leading investment bank EFG Hermes announced a 46% year-on-year (YoY) increase in operating profits in the third quarter (Q3) 2014, driven by a growth in net profits of EGP 100m.

The positive earnings came despite the inherent seasonality of the business during the third quarter with the slowdown for summer and the month of Ramadan, the company said, adding that this is its third consecutive quarter of profit.

Core investment bank operations were the primary drivers of growth, with the net operating profits rising 487% YoY to EGP 85m in Q3 2014. This translates into a net profit after tax and minority interest of EGP 43m in the quarter, compared to a net loss of EGP 11m in the same period of 2013.

Fee and commission revenue, which includes the four core EFG Hermes business lines of Securities Brokerage, Investment Banking, Asset Management and Private Equity, rose 52% YoY to EGP 211m in Q3 2014.

The company said that the growth was mainly driven by higher brokerage commissions as liquidity improved in most of the firm’s trading markets and stronger investment banking revenue “which reflects the substantial market share in Egypt and growing market share in the GCC.”

EFG Hermes added that the management’s ongoing emphasis on cost management led to a 15% YoY drop in total operating expenses to EGP 149m in Q3 2014 due to lower employee expenses and other operating expenses.

NBE negotiates with Hurghada’s tourist client to settle debts worth EGP 250 mn

National Bank of Egypt (NBE) is currently negotiating with tourist client in Hurghada to settle debts worth EGP 250 million.

Head of non-performing loans at NBE, Yehia Abu El Fotouh, said the bank is negotiating in order to settle cash debts besides exempting from the client part of the interest.

The bank is considering the clients’ attitude towards the tourism sector during the upcoming month after the completion of the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE)’s initiative.

The tourism sector witnessed relative improvement within the recent period in occupancy rates against the previous period due to the political stability, noting that the tourism sector’s portfolio ups EGP 9 billion, EGP 5 billion performing loans and EGP 4 billion non-performing loans, Abu El Fotouh added.

The bank succeeded in collecting EGP 400 million from the clients of tourism sector in the fiscal year of 2013/2014.

The bank’s non-performing debts portfolio reached EGP 6 billion at the end of 2013/2014; the bank is considering reducing it to EGP 5.5 billion by the end of the current year.

NeWS arOUNd the Village

SV COMMUNITY NEWS

8

ICT Minister discusses investment prospects with American Chamber of Commerce delegation

The Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Atef Helmy, received in his office, Nov. 11, 2014, the delegation of the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt, presided by the Chairman of the U.S.-Egypt Business Council, Steve Lotus, where they discussed available ICT investment opportunities, means to promote cooperation and expanding American investments in the Egyptian markets.

The delegation entailed major American ICT companies investing in Egypt, among which are Microsoft, Oracle, Xerox Corporation, Visa, Intel Corporation, IBM, HP, First Data and Cisco Systems, Inc.

Helmy has ascertained that the ICT sector is the cornerstone for the digital economy relying on Egypt’s qualified youth and distinguished expertise. He has added that the ICT strategy 2020 has a clear vision that will lead to an inclusive development.

This is in addition to the development of ICT industry through encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship and supporting companies. He has referred to outsourcing as one of the leading industries in Egypt that has achieved a distinguished rank worldwide.

THe VIllAge

ITIDA to visit U.S. to attract IT, healthcare and airline companies

The scheduled visit of the delegation of Egypt’s Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) to the U.S. in December to attract investment will not only focus on IT firms but also healthcare and aviation companies, given the fact that their businesses are in need of large call centers, said the chairman of ITIDA, Hussein El-Gueretly.

The head of ITIDA intends to conduct negotiations with new IT operators, as well as huge companies and multinational firms since the former are eager to penetrate into new markets in the region, he added.

The agency seeks to attract firms specialized in cloud computing, according to El-Gueretly.

e-finance launches new “Banzenty” app

e-finance, a national digital network for financial transactions, has announced the launch of a new smartphone application, named “Banzenty.” The new app is available for all iOS and Android users.

The application provides verifiable information for vehicle owners on the locations of the nearest petrol station, e-finance head of business development, Amr Khater said. He added that the application also lists other services the petrol station offers. Development steps for this application will include details on car maintenance shops and possibility to book periodic maintenance.

The application was designed by Mohamed Tmam, one of e-finance’s employees. “This comes in the framework of e-payment national project, sponsored by the Ministry of Finance and the Egyptian Central Bank,” e-finance said in an official statement. “This aims at excluding all traditional methods of payment and collection.”

THe VIllAge THe VIllAge10 THe VIllAge

SV COMMUNITY NEWS

Microsoft announces Windows 10, coming in 2015

Microsoft officially unveiled its new operating system at an event in San Francisco held on Sept. 30, 2014, but contrary to expectations, it’s not Windows 9.The version of Windows 10 on display at the presentation, reported by The Verge, is a “very early build,” Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore said. But it will offer a desktop/taskbar/Start menu layout that will be familiar to users of Windows 7. “In Windows 8 when users launched a modern app, it sort of had a different environment,” he said. “We don’t want that duality, we want users on PCs with mice and keyboards to have their familiar UI.”

The idea here seems to be all things for all users: Windows 10 is intended to make multitasking easier for newcomers through its new “Task View” button, and it will also support multiple desktops, each capable of running multiple apps simultaneously. The command prompt is not only still around but has actually been improved, and Belfiore said Microsoft also intends to continue supporting Windows 8 users “who have touch machines and are getting a lot of benefit out of them.”

As for why Microsoft opted to name the new operating system Windows 10 rather than the more sequentially-obvious Windows 9, or perhaps even Windows One, Myerson said only that once the new Windows is fully unveiled, “I think you’ll agree with us that it’s a more appropriate name.”

IBM and PRO BTP use analytics to fight healthcare insurance fraud and abuse

IBM announced that it signed a seven-year agreement with PRO BTP, one of the primary welfare institutions in France, to fight healthcare insurance fraud. Built with IBM’s Smarter counter fraud Software and Services, the new SOLON cloud business solution uses advanced analytics to detect fraud patterns and suspicious activity, qualify them in real time, and decide how they should be treated.

The growth of electronic transactions has given rise to new opportunities for fraud and abuse. The new SOLON platform allows the insurance provider to identify issues at the moment of payment for optical and dental reimbursements. As a result, PRO BTP will be able to reduce the volume of fraudulent transactions, reduce costs and improve service.

Delivered in the cloud, the SOLON platform uses IBM’s advanced analytics solutions and services to analyze millions of data points held by PRO BTP and identify and predict suspicious claims and activity in real-time across both optical and dental domains. During a recent pilot using 21 months of PRO BTP data, the platform was able to identify suspicious activity in 9 percent of optical and 14 percent of dental insurance claims, amounting to €14 million in potential losses. This detection was achieved through the use of IBM’s predictive analytics solutions and the integration of numerous sources of data.

The two companies plan to extend the SOLON platform to other medical specialties such as hospitalization, pharmacy, audiology and prosthesis benefits as well as life insurance.

Huawei’s active antenna system selected by Vodafone Egypt to support mobile broadband network

Huawei Active Antenna Unit (AAU) solution has been chosen for commercial deployment by Vodafone Egypt to build its mobile broadband (MBB) network.

Huawei said that its AAU solution is developed with the purpose of integratingantenna and the radio module and the integrated solution helps to reduce base station site space by up to 75 percent in comparison to traditional site solutions.

AAU solutions support both high and lowfrequency bands. At the same time, the Huawei AAU protects operators’ CAPEX bysupporting future LTE evolution with no additional antenna deployment needed, added Huawei.


SVc celebrateS 10 yearS OF QUaNtUm leaPiNg

FEATURE

12

Smart Villages Development and Management Company Headquarters

Smart Village started as a dream that became a reality and today celebrates its 10th year anniversary after achieving so many milestones over the years.

Collaborative Partnership

Founded as a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) between the Ministry of Communications and a group of Egyptian investors, Smart Village was created with the objective of gathering multidisciplinary companies in one place — a business park.

To thrive though, Smart Village project had to be politically supported and very scrupulously

planned, which was the case in its early stage, in which the long-term objective of both parties was to join their forces to create a number of business and technology parks, both nationally and regionally.

The mandate of Smart Villages Development and Management Company (SVC) was to establish and manage a branded chain of Technology Clusters and Business Parks capable of accommodating national, regional and multinational companies; governmental and financial organizations; educational institutions; and R&D centers that would share sophisticated state-of-the-art infrastructure in a hassle-free environment, making it Egypt’s economic growth “Pacemaker.”

With its appealing landscape, outstanding services and passionate workforce, Smart Village has become a business utopia to hundreds of implanted companies that interact together in a synergic B2B environment. Smart Village lives up to its name to celebrate its 10th year anniversary today.

Serene Work Environment

Upon stepping through Smart Village’s gates, another fascinating world emerges away from all the commotion and traffic jam in the outside world — a world of sheer brilliance in terms of architecture, specifically designed to offer a better quality of life and a human ecosystem.

13THe VIllAge

The Village Center & The Think Tank

FEATURE

Meticulous engineering has fundamentally contributed to creating this soothing atmosphere of landscape by setting up and applying very clear design guidelines as well as rigorous site rules and regulations.

Therefore, out of SV’s site available area, 90 percent were allocated to open space and green landscapes, leaving the remaining 10 percent for buildings construction, thus aligning Smart Village with similar international business parks, but setting the benchmark fare atop of any potential local or even regional competition.

Architectural requisites were decided to imprint the whole project with its typical and particular appearance known to everybody today. Consequently, Smart Village architectural code stipulated that all buildings’ facades should be designed in neutral and unified white and blue colors, which would make a nice and peaceful contrast with the foliage. At least 60 percent of the facade area is covered by bluish tinted glass windows to let ample daylight through and give off a spacious feel. Open-space area inside the buildings is partitioned by glass walls and doors to enable the extension of light into the internal office space, as well.

On the other hand in other Cairo areas, even high-end suburbs, the views usually overlook what is called architectural deformity, which ruins the whole scene. At SV every little detail

is taken into consideration, where adequate spacing between buildings tones down all the noise coming from yet-to-be finished construction sites.

State-of-the-Art Systems & Infrastructure

As a Management Company, SVC provides a bundle of products for property and facility management, created through developing and maintaining active communication with tenants and service providers.

SVC therefore acts as a property manager on behalf of other Investors, Developers and Business Owners; hence, a set of rules and regulations were developed to run the properties and protect the owner’s assets. SVC selects and attracts the principal companies that constitute the primary key players in the cluster architecture to act as a magnet attracting the rest of the cluster community.

The company provides a smart mix of tailored facility management services offered to its business community. These services are offered by specialized service providers carefully selected by means of high-standard evaluation criteria. Among the services provided are transportation, event management, housekeeping and maintenance, sports and leisure facilities, meeting facilities and conference center, catering, etc…

By positioning itself as a Management Company, SVC’s main aim was to help its clients focus on their own core competencies while centering its own efforts on providing labor intensive facility management and service to those clients. At its early stages, SV grew on two main clusters clusters: information technology and telecommunications. However, a third cluster was yet to emerge and flourish into SV’s Financial District, a sector that is a heavy technology user, but most of all the financing and funding source of the CIT community.

By running a huge business park, SV engenders huge power consumption. Therefore, optimizing electricity consumption was one of SVC’s major objectives. This was achieved by incorporating building management systems (BMSs) installation within the architectural and technical designs of each structure yet-to-be built in SV in the first place. Currently, a project is under study to set up a central BMS monitoring center in SV with the purpose to monitor the whole village’s buildings from a single location.

A smart organization always targets smart solutions to its problems. And SVC is no exception to this rule.

In targeting efficient use of energy solutions, LED technology was adopted by SVC for lighting because of its energy effectiveness.

THe VIllAge THe VIllAge14

Think Tank Lake

FEATURE

The design of the big Lake in SV reflects brilliance in problem solving, as it has both functional and aesthetic purposes, where it acts as an open water reservoir for putting out fire and irrigating SV’s landscape — a huge and significant undertaking. A district cooling facility operated by natural gas provides chilled water to all SV’s buildings through an underground piping network. Ventilation systems in every building are designed in such a way to mix external air and internal air to allow fresh air into compact-designed buildings.

Moreover, an important fleet of buses are assigned for internal and external transportation of both Smart Villagers and visitors. Transportation services vary depending on each customer needs.

Electricity never goes off in the village because

of redundant infrastructure resources that are put down in the site, which insure supplying each building with electricity from two different and independent sources; moreover, each building is equipped with a generator capable of supplying the building with its needs of electricity for few hours together with an important setup of uninterrupted power supply system (UPS) to insure business continuity with no interruption.

Smart Village is also a place of self-satisfaction, starting from labs and research centers to nurseries, schools, banks, full-fledged sports club and even fast food franchises. There is no need to step outside the borders of the village for getting services.

The company is continuously working on expanding its services. The plan to build a hotel and a commercial center is on the table.

The main aim is to make everything easily accessible to Smart Villagers, with free parking space and security.

The Road Ahead

SV was able to get through many obstacles in the past couple of years. Most corporations had to resort to some desperate measures that have led to the downsizing or laying off of personnel or even shutting down; but SV not only stood tall and undisturbed, it also provided an environment where innovation and new ideas still grew — a situation which has left enough latitude for SVC to not only market its “up-and-ready” rentable spaces on a short-term demand, but also to expand nationally and regionally with the aim of acquiring as maximum market share as possible on the medium and long term.

15

FEATURE

In the middle of this conjuncture, SVC top management decided to grab the opportunity of a hesitant market and indulge into a “global reform” journey by revisiting its Strategies, Vision and Mission — a “Paradigm Shift” which revealed the sparkling perspective of putting Business Process Management discipline into perspective.

Obtaining the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Standard

As a first step towards this global reform, SVC decided to implement and acquire the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Standard, where by adopting the ISO principles, tremendous improvement in the organization performance could be realized.

In March 2014, Smart Villages Company was awarded the Quality Management ISO 9001:2008 Certificate by the internationally highly reputable TÜV Rheinland.

Yet, this ISO Quality Certificate couldn’t have been obtained without the accumulated experience of SVC’s management team who’s indisputable professional calibers and experience with a proven track record of accomplishments over the past ten years have paved the way to this achievement, in addition to the support of the regionally well-recognized “Productivity and Quality Institute” subsidiary of the “Arab Academy for Science and Technology and Maritime Transport.”

By possessing a manual of processes, policies and procedures that described in details every minute operation that took place in its operation, SVC is now in a position to be able to manage other business parks nationally in Egypt by applying the same standard used in its “Giza” business park. Also, SVC can now comfortably compete as a “Management Company” in case any real estate developer, nationally or regionally, would make an approach asking for a management proposal. And finally, by acquiring the ISO quality management standard, “Smart Village” rooted itself as a strong “Brand” that could be

franchised regionally in the Middle East, Africa.

To take the global reform a step further, SVC decided to acquire and operate a “Workflow Management System” solution in order to automate one by one all the processes identified and described in SVC’s ISO quality manual, thus creating a paperless environment, improving productivity and monitoring the employee’s performance through well-defined KPI’s.

This whole process shall allow the goals and strategic objectives set by the Company’s Top Management to be redefined and continuously reviewed while keeping the future of Smart Villages Company in perception, thus, allowing the key business processes to be updated to meet the requirements of the implemented strategies.

As a result of the exponential growth of SVC operation, the company is now preparing to


Xceed Company Headquarters

FEATURE

adopt a more advanced “Property and Facility Management” solution in early 2015, which shall integrate with the already running ERP solution, thus laying down the necessary infrastructure capabilities to manage a multi company and multi sites operations and consolidate the results of all those operations into one balance sheet.

To put the icing on the cake, SVC will be launching shortly the first version of its Mobile Application in cooperation with EME International, which shall be a “B2C” marketing tool provided to facilitate information dissemination and mutual interaction between SVC and its actual and potential future clients and even visitors.

Sustainable Development

What makes SV an exemplary role model of success is its ability to preserve its assets and maintain the standard of high quality and never go below it, even in the times of trouble.

When looking back at the very early stages of SV, it basically began as a dream; but then organized planning attracted multinationals and reputable companies like Microsoft Corporation and Vodafone Company to be the

first in SV, which was just a piece of desert land at the time.

In early 2000, the Think Tank and the conference hall — now branded as “The Village Center” — were just being built but today it’s become a home for holding conferences, meetings, conventions, exhibitions, etc., accommodated to meet the client’s needs of services.

Smart Villagers have become infused with smart and practical ways of thinking. SV is a learning experience; every day there is a new addition. It has become easier now to understand the diverse cultures that are impressed with SV, raise their expectations and get them onboard.

It started as a dream and the wheels kept turning after mind mapping the goal, reaching today some 72 buildings and more than 45,000 white collars.

One of the success stories that SV would proudly share is “Valeo,” a French company, which started off in a shared partition of an office building, but then one thing led to another and in a few months it moved to its own building of 8000 sq. meters in the Village.

Not only does the village sustain its level of high standards, but innovations perpetuate indefinitely. Among SV’s innovations is the Smart Zone franchise, which is a strategic solution to providing a workspace, fully equipped and furnished and tailored to the office needs of internet access, phones, meeting rooms, press and business centers, secretarial staff, offered for short-rental schemes that start from even “one day.”

The Virtual Office is another innovation in that scope. It provides office services without the need to physically exist; so by getting the required domains and phone numbers, the work tasks can be done from anywhere and at any time, which is , especially interesting for consultants and freelancers.

At SV, there’s a rooted belief that there’s always a solution. The economic and financial crisis caused by the political unrest, especially during and after January 25, 2011, has brought about severe repercussions that affected many businesses in Egypt. SV made it possible to maintain a stable rhythm; businesses kept operating and all was up and running because there’s always a solution.

It’s incredible how people amidst all this

17

Center for Documentation of Cultural and Natural Heritage “CULTNTAT”

turbulence and lack of security went to work every day willingly. Some of them would even show up to work with their sleeping bags, which is a particularly impressive move that reflects on a Smart Villager’s perseverance.

On a small scale, regarding the challenges SV has faced, extensive efforts are currently being exerted to reduce the traffic congestion in the vicinity of and leading to SV, by building bridges and making some amendments in the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road, as planned by the government.

All of that set aside, considering it is a green environment, the village has a very low pollution rate, even lower than the international standards, which is proven by regular scientific measurements. According to environmental measures, SV is said to be one of the areas in Egypt with the least amount of carbon footprint.

Progressive Expansion

Such a distinguished model as SV must be replicated and spread all over. As a matter of fact, the village is undergoing broad expansion both locally and internationally.

Locally in Egypt, SVC owns a premium site in Damietta, a city which turned out to be one of the most eligible candidates for a new SV, where it has one of the most booming and

diversified industries in Egypt. Currently, SVC is conducting meticulous market and feasibility studies there to determine most suitable investment sectors that would be appealing in this market.

In greater Cairo, the experience of SV is to be taken to the east of Cairo, where the initiative is currently being under study too.

SVC expansion plans also include Suez Canal Hub, which is the backbone of the new Suez Canal expansion project.

The SVC initiative plans to proceed throughout Africa, especially in the countries of the Nile Basin, as River Nile is considered a very valuable asset. This is not as far as this grand project goes. It extends to reach Uganda, Jordan and Tunisia.

The project in Uganda is currently being studied with the Ugandan government.

An alliance between Smart Village and ECG has won an open tender to plan and outline the establishment of the first Technology Park in Uganda.

The feasibility study, market study and master planning have been delivered to “Orange” mobile and landline operator company in Jordan for the approval and more forward toward implementing a Technology Park in south of Amman.

And finally, negotiations are ongoing with a Tunisian partner to run a Technology Park in Sousse, Tunisia.

The world would be a better place if Smart Village were everywhere.

At the dawn of the year 2000 Smart Village was an Egyptian dream, and today that dream came true; it has become the very true dream of every Smart Village visitor.

Smart Village Pavilion

FEATURE


“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is

success.”Henry FordFounder of the Ford Motor Company

“I’m convinced that about half of what separates successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.”

Steve JobsLate Chairman and CEO of Apple Inc.

“Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.”

Albert EinsteinTheoretical Physicist and Philosopher of Science

“Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a

successful personality and duplicate it.”

Bruce LeeHong Kong American Martial Artist

“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”

Michael JordanAmerican Former Basketball Player

SUCCESS QUOTES

INspIRAtIoNAl Quotes By ExTrAOrdInAry PEOPLE

1417

Nokia Networks: The World’sSpecialist in Mobile Broadband

Nokia Networks’ (formerly Nokia Solutions and Networks or NSN) business history in Egypt dates back to 1990 when a joint venture between Siemens, Telecom Egypt and the National Bank of Egypt was established to manufacture switches to the fixed operators in the region. In 2007, Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) was established, as a joint venture between Nokia’s Networks Business Group and Siemens’ Communications. The new company quickly positioned itself as one of the market leaders for Mobile Network infrastructure and Services supply. This helped NSN to penetrate the Egyptian Mobile Networks market and provide equipments and services to all Mobile operators in Egypt and technical support to Nokia clients globally through a skilled pool of Engineers.

In 2013, Nokia Finland bought all Siemens shares, and the company became fully-owned by Nokia; so Nokia Siemens Networks became Nokia Solutions and Networks, but retaining the short name NSN, as our clients usually call. In April 2014, NSN’s networks’ business became Nokia’s main business, as Nokia divested its handset business to Microsoft. Since then it became Nokia Networks currently operating under Nokia brand globally.

Our Strategy:As Nokia Networks, we continue to invest in the innovative products and services needed by telecoms operators to manage the increase in wireless data traffic, which is more than doubling every year. Future investment will focus on further build-

ing on our strong position in mobile broadband and related services, and strengthening our leadership position in next-generation network technologies that will be important enablers for the future networks connecting tens of bil-lions of devices.

Nokia Networks is focusing on retaining its market leader position for Mobile Broad-band networks infrastructure and services supply by increasing its LTE “4G” footprint globally, and growing in the 2G and 3G markets currently being served. The company is invest-ing more than 40% of its earnings in product development, which is higher than the industry average in order to keep a technological com-petitive edge over its competitors.

Social Responsibility:Nokia Networks Egypt is providing technical trainings annually for under gradu-ates, and fresh graduates to impart knowledge and skills in Networks installa-tion, and Network Planning and Optimization. It opens up a lot of opportunities for fresh graduate engineers, and helps Egyptian telecom market find skilled resources.

Mohamed Rashed Nokia Networks Country Director

Contact usPhone: +20-2-35352526 | Email: [email protected] | Web: www.nsn.com


GITEX is the ICT business gateway to the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia Region and it has maintained its position as the industry’s trend setting authority.

With nearly 142,000 attendees + ICT professionals from over 150 countries and over 1,400 hosted media representatives coming from more than 72 countries, Gitex Technology Week (12 – 16 October) is the perfect opportunity for all entities to visit SVC booth in the Egyptian Pavilion at Sheikh Saeed Hall, Trade Center Arena – Stand S1-C1 and explore the success opportunities that SVC can provide as the pioneer leading company for Managing & Developing Business Parks & Franchising Brands in the MENA region.

Smart Villages Development & Management Company was founded in August 2001 as a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) investment with a mandate to establish and manage a branded chain of Technology Clusters and Business parks and it is now considered the Egyptian Technology Cluster Icon.

Smart Village Egypt is our first project in Egypt and is considered one of the key pillars of Egypt’s CIT Ecosystem in addition of being one of the MENA region’s distinguished CIT clusters.

The Key sectors that saw new additions within SV in 2014 include internet and multimedia software, telecommunication and IT services, investment and even medical labs.

Many business partners significantly increased their presence in SV owing that to the high quality of services and infrastructure that SV provides.

SV has been one of the forerunners in carrying forward Egypt’s vision of transitioning into a knowledge-based economy with its access to an extensive talent pool from all over the world. Throughout 2012, SV has also increasingly turned

its attention to supporting and nurturing small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) in addition of providing them with special rental scheme, and encouraging the development of innovative ideas.

Smart Village Egypt today is one of the most preferable destinations for Direct Foreign Investment (DFI) as it consolidates 40,000+ professionals who work every day within Smart Village Egypt, including Call Centers operating 24/7 and 160+ Multinational and National Companies in addition to 10 Governmental Organizations

& Authorities as well as 10 Foreign and Local

Training, Research and Development Labs and

all of that operates in 520,000+ square meters of

operational office space and planning to reaching

1,000,000 square meters by the end of 2016 and

in that we will make use of the 1,000,000+ square

meters of landscape and 2,300+ persons working

in services and supporting functions, and this

unique structure allows companies to base in

all their outsourcing activities in one centralized

community.

SVc egyPt Premier techNOlOgy & bUSiNeSS ParKS deVelOPerS aNd maNagerS ParticiPateS iN giteX dUbai 2014

GITEX DUBAI 2014

H.E. CIT Minister Atef Helmy with H.E. Lebanese Telecom Minister Boutros Harb who showed a great interest in SV booth that resulted in visiting Smart Village – Egypt to eyewitness the amazing success of this pioneer Technology Park.

20

Dr. Adel DanishChairman & CEO, Smart Villages Development & Management Company

By Ashraf Mohamed Naguib

SVC CHAIRMAN & CEO

the SyNergy OF cOOPeratiON

During the past decade or so, very little can be truly considered to be a success in Egypt. Not many projects can truly be considered an icon of

greatness and progress. Not many communities can claim to be main contributors to Egypt’s economic future and growth. Not many companies have done so much in only 10 years. Smart Villages-Egypt can easily claim all of the above and more, as it continues to offer local and international corporations and institutions the perfect business environment in Egypt for both investment and growth.

It does not take more than a simple visit to the Information Technology and Financial Park to understand the true meaning of advanced thinking in management and sustainability. The first question which comes to one’s mind is “Why isn’t the rest of Egypt like this?”. Once inside the gated fence of this 600-acre

business community, with perfectly aligned roads and state-of-the-art buildings, surrounded by acres of glorious landscape, fountains, parks and lakes, it immediately takes you away from the daily hustle and bustle of cosmopolitan Cairo.

Each building is totally unique in both design and functionality; yet conformity in basic structure gives the Smart Village a greatly pleasant and practical aesthetic look and feel which has a great positive psychological impact on the over 45,000 tenants working and visiting Smart Village daily.

Having arrived at the main headquarters of Smart Village, I could not help notice how everything was so well-maintained and organized. Everyone in the office walked around with a surprising smile on their faces and the phones seemed to never stop ringing across the

desks, very much like one of those Hollywood movies.

My team and I were kindly greeted by Mr. Ahmed Naim, SVC VP Commercial, and were led to a large meeting room overlooking a lavish garden and several corporate headquarters for companies such as Microsoft, Egypt Post and Etisalat (which is still under construction). The room reflected the advanced technology available in Smart Village with screens across the wall, connections everywhere and a large projector hanging from the ceiling.

Shortly we were joined by Dr. Adel Danish who led us to his office and made sure that everyone was comfortable and ready for the interview. Dr. Adel Danish has been one of the leading pioneers in the CIT industry in Egypt throughout the years and one of the main contributors of the success of Smart Village.

21THe VIllAgeINTERVIEW


Dr. Adel Danish, you are currently the Chairman and CEO of Smart Villages Development and Management Company, but this is only a small part of your journey in the CIT sector in Egypt. When we use the word “Pioneer” in the industry, I can easily refer to your vision back in 1978 with BayaNet and STANDARDATA S.A. which you founded in France at the time. Is what we see today in communications and information technology advancements what you expected or predicted back in 1978?

Welcome to the Smart Village and thank you for your question. You took me back almost two decades to a time that can never be forgotten. I want to say that I was not the only one in 1978 that had a vision. It was the time when the world was really being introduced to the CIT revolution. Like the industrial revolution of 1760 and early 1800 which changed the way we produced goods, the CIT revolution is changing the way that we do everything and I do not think that the industrial revolution was really complete without the technical advancements and breakthroughs in technology we have today.

The 70s was a time when great companies emerged, great ideas were explored, and new technologies were advanced. This was the time when schools, businesses and universities began to use computers. So it was only natural that a whole new industry was being born.

I had the pleasure of starting my career working as a researcher for the IBM Scientific Center in Paris, France, and it is there that all these ideas started developing in my mind. I knew that Egypt had to have a stake in this new growing industry, and I also saw the need for the introduction of CIT solutions, not only to the Egyptian private sector but also to the government and their institutions.

With the need for more efficient communications, we launched BayaNet, which was an application service provider, delivering computer-based services to customers over a network.

You have to understand that since the 70s the market has been growing exponentially and it was very difficult to maintain the same approach to the market for more than a year or two at a time. As the market progressed, we founded the U.S.-based SAQQARA Systems, Inc., which at the time was a leading vendor of e-commerce software and services in the electronic-components industry worldwide. The company’s product suite allowed manufacturers and distributors to manage, publish and exchange product information between trading partners.

The last part of your question reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend almost 25 years ago. It was more of a statement which was met with both disbelief and skepticism, but today we can say that it has proved to be true. I said to a friend that one day everyone will be able to send a message and in an instance it will appear a mile away. Years later, I messaged that same friend with an “I told you so.”

Since then you have held many different positions and undertaken many responsibilities including but not limited to a board member of Egypt Telecom, member of board of directors of the Egyptian High Tech Association, member of the board of trustees of the French University in Egypt, president of the Club d’Affaires Franco-Egyptien, chairman of the board of advisers of the School of Business at the American University in Cairo, co-chairman of the Arab Business Forum for Information & Communications Technology (ABFICT), playing an active role in the Business Steering Committee of the Global Business Dialogue on Electronic Commerce (GBDe), and the list goes on. But no other project can really bemore synonymous with Dr. Adel Danish than Xceed. Tell us more about your visionfor Xceed.

SVC CHAIRMAN & CEO

22 INTERVIEW

SVC CHAIRMAN & CEO

Xceed was certainly a dream come true and a representation of Egypt’s position in the Global Call Center Industry. In the late 80s and throughout the 90s there was an evident shift in the call center industry, firstly through the advancements in technologies serving the industry and secondly through a total mind shift in the strategic approach to the industry’s growth.

More and more companies in Australia, the U.S. and Canada sought out more efficient and cost-effective methods to reduce the growing costs of servicing customers through their call centers, and like many large manufacturers in these countries, one of the best options was to outsource offshore. That being said, back then and even till today the Indian industry trumped all other players in the fray with its large pool of intellectual capital, human resource and IT infrastructure.

It was clear that Egypt had all the right elements to compete in this new industry, geographic position, affordable educated labor and the government’s support to the CIT industry at large. The average age group for call center employees is 25-32 years old, which captures more than 30 percent of Egypt’s population demographics. While a great source of foreign currency, call centers also aim at providing new and unique job opportunities for Egypt’s youth. Hence began the challenging task of developing and building Xceed, which today has become the leading multilingual Business Process Outsourcing Service Provider in the EMEA region with a capacity of more than 2,200 web-enabled multi channels stations.

Companies like Xceed give youth the opportunity to learn and acquire new skills, both in interpersonal communications or new languages in addition to the technical knowledge they are exposed to through the products and services they represent.

Another advantage we had here in Egypt is the compatibility of languages throughout

the Arab world, which positions Egypt as a true hub for customers and call centers across the region. I still believe that there is much which needs to be done to enhance the sector further, but I believe that we are truly on the right track. Xceed is like many other local, regional and global companies that have made Smart Village the business base for their corporate offices, call centers and customer service centers. Smart Village also hosts many governmental organizations in addition to universities and educational institutions. Tell us more about Smart Village and the concept. I cannot say that Smart Village is a simple concept. Viewed by many as a group of corporate buildings, it is quite the contrary. Smart Village is a holistic concept, meaning that those buildings you see and everything that happens within them and around them is to ensure the best working environment for the over 45,000 people who work at Smart Village daily.

Another misconception about Smart Village is that it is fully centered on large corporations such as EFG HERMES, Huawei, Ericsson and other multinational names; but in reality Smart Village hosts and encourages both small and medium enterprises to flourish through an array of incubators, services and products developed specifically for that purpose.

Our main goal is to create and maintain synergies between the large companies and themselves and then the large companies and smaller businesses. We don’t want to forget that Smart Village is home to The Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport and Nile University in addition to other specialized educational institutions.

So it is imperative for us at Smart Village that we are able to assist those young graduates to seek out appropriate jobs or encourage them to introduce new entrepreneurial

ideas. And there is no lack of opportunity in Smart Village. Every month we hold a meeting by and between the CEOs of the major companies at Smart Village and the founders of smaller companies in order to explore the endless possibilities of support, funding and partnership.

That is the real goal of Smart Village: establishing and shaping a true community which will work together, support each other, and share success and growth.

You’ve used the expression “shaping a true community” and also mentioned that over 45,000 employees work at Smart Village. So with the diversity of companies and their internal corporate cultures existing in Smart Village, how do you approach this concept?

People are people everywhere regardless of where they work. There are always main basic needs that we try and go beyond. Our philosophy is to “Shape a true community” within Smart Village and to find the right “Synergies” and build on them. Like I said before, Smart Village is not only made up of corporate buildings but we have so much more to offer our tenants.

Smart Village manages a sports and social club, which offers its members and their families tennis courts, squash courts, heated swimming pools, a fully equipped state-of-the-art gymnasium, football fields, running tracks, a kids area in addition to restaurants and lounges.

Right across from the Club House, Smart Village boasts one of the most sophisticated world-class events and conferences venues, built over 4,000 sq. meters and overlooking 10,000 sq. meters of landscaping and lakes, which are also used for social and corporate events.

Smart Village also offers its tenants cafes and restaurants throughout the compound, catering for all different tastes and needs.

23INTERVIEW


We also have one of the best international schools in addition to an international day care center, making Smart Village not only a business park but also an educational center. These are things we are focusing on.

When Smart Village was conceptualized, itwas mainly supposed to be a technologicalpark, but today it hosts some of the largestnames in finance and banking. How didthis shift come about?

It is what we consider natural business

progression. It is true that there has been a

shift in direction but before we get into that,

we have to understand the origins of Smart

Village and the people who made it happen.

All credit has to go to the former Chairman and

CEO, Dr. Ali El Hefnawi. So when we talk about

pioneers and/or icons of Egypt’s CIT sector, we

have to always remember the efforts of Dr.

Hefnawi.

But we cannot say that this success was exclusive to the efforts of Dr. Hefnawi and others like him. Like I mentioned before, in the 90s The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology was putting great weight and effort into developing the sector. Smart Village was the perfect “Tool” that could help Egypt realize its true potential in the industry.

As the years went by, the need by all the large multinational and local companies, operating

24 INTERVIEW

SVC CHAIRMAN & CEO

out of Smart Village, grew for more services especially from the banking sector. Once the Financial District was planned, we had no lack of interest from the financial community. Today the Egyptian Stock Exchange, The Egyptian Financial Regulatory Authority and a multitude of banks and investment companies such as EFG Hermes, HSBC, Commercial International Bank and Cairo Factoring just to name a few have made Smart Village their home.

The need here was also reciprocal as the banks and other financial institutions found the necessity to be closer to their IT partners and call centers. We can never forget the real correlation between the growth of the financial sector and the CIT industry. In today’s ever-changing world, you can no longer have one without the other and that was the vision we realized here at Smart Village by finding and building off the right synergies.

As we drove to this building, we took a side tour of Smart Village and saw that there is a lot of new construction and land ready for new buildings. If we talk about the expansion plans for Smart Village, how do you envision the future to be? Because Smart Village as we agreed is a concept, not just a place or a venue, then it makes sense that this success can be reproduced in different formats in different places around the world, not only Egypt. But let me differentiate between Smart Village Egypt and its expansion plans and then we will talk about the Smart Villages Management and Development Company’s growth plans.

Smart Village Egypt, as you mentioned, is growing and still has potential for great growth in the coming years. By this, I mean that we are constructing new buildings, occupying more rentable space and planning for future phases. Smart Village Egypt has invested extensively in the park’s infrastructure, and I do not just mean the IT infrastructure, but I am talking about roads, parks, energy and basic utilities.This gives us as the management of Smart Village full confidence that we can

accommodate for future growth in corporate tenants and the number of employees working at the Village.

I also want to mention all the different infrastructural development projects taking place around Smart Village from new roads to bridges and services, currently being completed, and will strongly facilitate access to the park from all around metropolitan Cairo. This will make the location even more attractive for companies from all sectors to seek a new home at Smart Village.

Now today we are thinking of more than one Smart Village. Egypt has around 28 governorates and it is our dream to have a Smart Village in every one of these governorates. We would aspire for a Smart Village in every city across Egypt, but today we are focused on at least two new Smart Villages; one of them is the 100 acres, currently being developed in Damietta city.

Could you tell us more about the reason behind selecting Damietta for a location of a Smart Village? It seems so out of context when we are talking about CIT and the financial sector. Like I mentioned before, a successful concept can be replicated in different forms, and our approach toward Damietta is not to establish a CIT center but to localize the initial concept of Smart Village to accommodate for the people and businesses of Damietta. The principle of synergy remains the same, but in this case we want to create a center for manufactured goods especially in home furniture, which Damietta is internationally renowned for. Here we are targeting a different sector with the same approach of bringing together all the supply chain in one place in order to support each other and create both efficiency and economies of scale. Just imagine the potential of industry in Egypt if we were able to replicate and apply this ideology to different sectors across the economy. Renewable energy is just another excellent example of our Smart

Village concept that could be applied. Slowly but surely we will witness this happening.

To get back to your original question, the other means of expansion and growth is coming in the form of exporting the concept and idea of Smart Village to other countries taking with us our extensive experience in not only developing such specialized parks but also in managing such locations.

Recently Smart Villages has been cooperating with the government of Uganda in order to launch special areas for the technological and administrative firms in the small African nation. We are also in the process of finalizing the master plan and detailed studies to establish the first “Smart Village” in Amman, Jordan, and also moving forward in the procedures of establishing a partnership between us and a Tunisian master developer to establish, operate and manage a group of business and technology parks and Smart Villages in Tunisia.

Finally I would like you to direct a message to the youth of Egypt regarding the future and their role in rebuilding Egypt’s economy.

My message to the youth of this country is that they are the future and without them there will be no real growth. We do everything in our capacity to support new ideas, but we do not necessarily come up with them. It is the young people with their explosive and innovative new ideas who will lead the way forward. They must have a dream and believe in it.

25INTERVIEW

SVC CHAIRMAN & CEO


SV transportation services from and to Smart Village are listed below.

Round-Trip BusesRound-trip buses include buses (50 passengers), mini buses (26 passengers) and micro buses (14 passengers), with the possibility of both long-term rental and daily round-trip rental. For further information, please call +202 3535-2000

Monthly SubscriptionsThis service is available for all Smart Village employees from Greater Cairo to Smart Village and vice versa, according to specified timing (arrival 8:30 a.m.; departure 4:30 p.m., except Thursdays departure 4 p.m.)

Bus Routes-Sheikh Zayed Route, 6th of October City, Dokki, Mohandseen: employee subscription fees EGP 375 per month -Tahrir Route, Al Haram, Faisal: employee

subscription fees EGP 475 per month - Heliopolis Route, Nasr City, Salam City, Maadi, Helwan, Gesr El Suez: employee subscription fees EGP 475 per month

Bus Types- Mini buses, 26 passengers, AC- Micro buses, 24 passengers, AC For further information, please call+202 3535-2000

Smart traNSPOrtatiONa smart mix of services and facilities offered to our business communityThese services are offered by specialized service providers, carefully selected by means of high standard evaluation, delivering business support services to our valuable clients. SV Egypt’s community enjoys our professional services offered for its convenience inside and outside its office spaces. Such services are tailored to harmonize the business process within the park. In this context, SVC offers a varied package of transportation facilities to satisfy different needs.

SV traNSPOrtatiON

26

Double-Deck BusesDouble-deck buses is a new service offered by Smart Villages Development & Management Company for all Smart Village employees and visitors. Its capacity is 72 passengers. Subscriptions are purchased on a monthly or daily basis or a one-way trip.- Return trip from Smart Village at 5 p.m.- Ticket fee EGP 5 - Monthly subscription fees EGP 175 For more information, please call: 012-01003003

External ShuttleSmart Villages Development and Management Company always provides additional services in order to satisfy its employees and visitors; for that reason Smart Village came up with an idea to provide shuttle buses at specific times for all the assigned companies inside Smart Village, from Smart Village to Mohandseen and vice versa.

Limousine ServicesSmart Villages Development and Management Company always provides additional services in order to satisfy its employees and visitors; for that reason Smart Village came up with an idea to provide shuttle buses at specific times for all the assigned companies inside Smart Village, from Smart Village to Mohandseen and vice versa.

Internal ShuttleInternal transportation for employees at Smart Village from one building to another is an essential need to build an environment of a united community; accordingly, it provides internal shuttle bus service to transfer employees and visitors regularly from one stop to another inside Smart Village.

Bus Stops and RoutesTelecom Egypt - Nursery - Microsoft - Vodafone - Alcatel - TeleTech - Arab Bank - B2401 - Conference Center - Smart Village Club - Mobinil - Telecom Egypt

Bus Types- Toyota Coaster, 26 passengers, AC- Toyota Hiace, 15 passengers, AC

Operation Regulations- Buses operate from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and leave either every 15 minutes or when the bus is full.- Buses operate from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. and leave either every 30 minutes or when thebus is full. For more information, please call +202 3535-2000

From and to Alexandria & North CoastDue to a rising demand for trips to and from North Coast during summer weekends, SVC provides transportation services from Smart Village to North Coast on Thursdays, returning on Sundays to Smart Village. This service operates twice a month, and the same for Alexandria for the rest of the year.

Bus Types- 15 Toyota Hiace buses, all equipped with free Wi-Fi, AC

Bus RouteThe bus leaves every Thursday at 5 p.m. (every first and third week of each month) from parking lot #1 to Sidi Gaber station, Alexandria, and returns by Sunday at 6:15 a.m. (every first and third week of each month) from Sidi Gaber station to Smart Village station, Cairo, at 8:30 a.m.

Subscription FeesOne-way trip EGP 50

Reservation deadline is Wednesday, 3 p.m., prior to planned trip For further information, please call +202 3535-2000

SV traNSPOrtatiON

27


iPhONe 6 VS. NOte 4CELLULAR TRENDS

The competition becomes fierce between the two rivals, especially when the iPhone 6 bendgate incident breaks out and rumors start swirling. Amid such an occasion, images, videos and reviews on the matter start to go viral. Among those videos are some which reveal both devices’ durability and strength. Basically

the device is tested for its ability to keep its structure when compressed until case separation, deformation or being broken. Luckily both devices were able to pass the test. Bendgate is put to test, and according to consumer reports answers in lab results using “INSTRON” compression test machine, Apple’s iPhone 6 plus was able

to put up to 90 pounds of compression. On the other hand, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4 survived in a three-point bend test and human weight test by being propped up using bars at each end applying pressure in the middle. While that’s duly noted, the specifications of each device must be considered to pass fair judgment.

APPLE iPHONE 6 SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 4

DesignOSDimensions

DISPLAYPhysical sizeResolutionPixel densityTouchscreenFeatures

CAMERA CameraFlashFocal lengthFront-facing camera

HARDWARESystem chipProcessorBuilt-in storage

iOS (8.x)5.44 x 2.64 x 0.27 inches (138.1 x 67 x 6.9 mm)

4.7 inches750 x 1334 pixels326 ppi Multi-touchLight sensor, Proximity sensor, Scratch-resistant glass.

8 megapixels Dual LED29 mm1.2 megapixels

Apple A8Dual core, 1400 MHz, 64-bit128 GB

Android (4.4)6.04 x 3.09 x 0.33 inches (153.5 x 78.6 x 8.5 mm)

5.7 inches1440 x 2560 pixels515 ppiMulti-touchLight sensor, Proximity sensor, Scratch-resistant glass.

16 megapixelsLED31 mm3.7 megapixels

Exynos 54338-core, ARM Cortex-A57 and ARM Cortex-A5332 GB

THe VIllAge THe VIllAgeVIllAge CoMMuNITY News 29


the arab academy FOr ScieNce, techNOlOgy aNd maritime traNSPOrt

AASTMT

Prof. Dr. Ismail Abd El GhaffarPresident Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport

“The Village Community News” is honored to meet with Prof. Dr. Ismail Abdel Ghafar, president of The Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, to talk about his history, the academy and its presence in the village. The strategic planning and support of Prof. Dr. Ismail has created a reputable institute, both locally and internationally.

INTERVIEW32 33

Dr. Ismail Abdel Ghafar, before we talk about the academy, we would like to share with our readers more about you and your extensive career.

It is a pleasure to reach out to Smart Village community through your esteemed publication. Before holding my position at the academy in 2011, I have held many and various positions. One fact I have been always very proud of is having graduated with Honors from the Military Technical College in 1978. I studied electrical engineering at the computer department at the college, which to me was not only an education, but a true passion. I went on to get my master’s degree from Cairo University and then my Ph.D. degree from George Washington University in the United States in 1989. Since then I returned to Egypt where I put all my efforts in lecturing and sharing my ideas, experiences and education as part of the teaching staff at the Military Technical College’s computer department. I still lecture there till date and hope to do so for as long as I can.

So what brings AASTMT to Smart Village? When looking for a new campus for a specialized international, educational institution such as AASTMT, we have to take into consideration many different variables; but mainly it is vitally important to ensure a perfect study/work balance for both the students and the faculty. Smart Village offers just that, providing our students and faculty with the perfect setting enabling them to focus on their studies and research. But it is not all about the aesthetics; we can never forget that Smart Village is the center of technology and finance in Egypt. It is also an educational hub catering for students from KG1 all the way to postgraduate studies. The fact that there are over 160 national and multinational companies operating out of Smart Village gives our students amazingpostgraduate working opportunities.

Tell us about the concept behind AASTMT.

Derived from the Transportation Committee of the Arab League in 1970, the idea was to establish a local institute for maritime and logistics which would create the perfect educational pipeline to support the sector in the near future. It was imperative as both the shipping and technology industries were undergoing major market changes that the Arab region start establishing the resources which would enable us to compete in these industries on a global level and there was no better place to start than education.

What makes the AASTMT Campus at Smart Village unique, not just as a location but as a facility?

As you have seen, our building at Smart Village is both aesthetically and functionally practical, but we focus on the advanced technological resources we provide for our students. We build on the already existing information and communications infrastructure available at Smart Village by providing our student body and faculty high-speed internet and online connectivity, unparallel to other educational institutions. Our classrooms and research labs are fitting with state-of-the-art technology, giving our students direct accessibility to not just local knowledge but also global exposure.

Over the years, AASTMT has established itself as a leader in specialized education receiving both regional and international recognition for its success. Could you please shed some light on that?

AASTMT

As you know, we are specialized in “Maritime Transport” and have excelled in this field greatly especially between 1991 and 1996 as we were strongly supported and funded by the Egyptian Ministry of Transportation. Our efforts did not go unnoticed by our international partners who believed that it was imperative to support AASTMT, so in 1992 the Japanese government contributed to our efforts by providing the academy with the “AIDA 4” which is considered to be a technological breakthrough in training ships. By 1994, AASTMT was made home to one of the world’s advanced “Ship Simulators” as part of the Egyptian-U.S. cooperation efforts in advanced education and technology capacity building.

What are some of the most notable international achievements of AASTMT?

People have to understand that we are truly an International Institution; with students from over 58 countries receiving their education in AASTMT, we offer over 120,000 scholarships to local, regional and international students annually, giving them a better perspective on not only the value of the education we offer, but also the volume. Hosting the advanced technologies I have mentioned before is a great attraction to students and other educational institutions from around the world. In addition to what we do at home, the World Bank has recently selected AASTMT as the main consultant from amongst Norwegian, Belgian and Hungarian bidders to develop maritime education in Bangladesh. This shows you the scope of the academy’s international importance in the global maritime society and industry.

Thank you for your time, and in closing what is your message to the readers of “The Village Community News” publication?

On behalf of the student body and faculty of AASTMT, I would like to thank you for welcoming us into this unique community and extend to you all an invitation to come and visit our new campus and learn more about what we have to offer Smart Village-Egypt, the region, and the world.

INTERVIEW


FACTORING

established in 2013, “cairo Factors” is one of the most unique financial services companies in egypt. considered a pioneer in the “Factoring” industry in egypt, cairo Factors provides corporate clients with new and innovative financial solutions not previously available to the egyptian markets. co-founded and chaired by one of egypt’s banking and finance icons, mr. gamal moharam, cairo Factors has been building its business across the country reaching new heights and facing new challenges. “the Village community News” will try to gain an in-depth understanding of factoring and the man behind its growth in egypt.

CAIRO FACTORS

INTERVIEW34 THe VIllAge

First of all, what would be the simplest definition of Factoring?

Factoring, while new to Egypt, has been around for a very long time and simply seeks to create access to cash for businesses without having to go through banking institutions. To simply put it, we are a financial intermediary that purchases receivables from a company. A factor is essentially a funding source that agrees to pay the company the value of the invoice less a discount for commission and fees. The factor advances most of the invoiced amount to the company immediately and the balance upon receipt of funds from the invoiced party.

Can anyone just start a Factoring Business in Egypt?

Yes, anyone can start any business they want in Egypt; they just have to at least bring with them some kind of related background experience. Factoring is not a complicated business; yet it is not a simple one. My partners and I boast over 220 years of collective financial and banking experiences. That is what gave us the confidence to enter into factoring. So to answer your question, yes — conditional the right experience and the approvals of the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority — anyone can get into this business.

So how does Factoring really help businesses?

Factoring is imperative for many businesses regardless of the sector they are operating in. It is a relatively premium form of financing, providing a valuable service to companies that operate in industries where it takes a long time to convert receivables to cash and companies that are growing rapidly and need cash to take advantage of new business opportunities. So to put it simply, we help businesses get money quickly, avoid the hassle of collecting bad debt, smooth their cash flow, and have them access money secured by their own revenues. Factoring is a quick and easy way of turning all invoices into cash when needed.

What is the contribution of Cairo Factors to the Egyptian business market?

When you have such an extensive background in the finance and banking industries, you can clearly envision what the market requirements are and then develop the financial instruments which fulfill those requirements. One of our latest services aspires to facilitate the flow of money between a buyer and a supplier, helping the supplier not only to collect their outstanding invoices but also to focus on the more important core aspects of their business. We also provide what is called “Reverse Factoring” which is a great option for larger companies that want to improve the cash flow situation for their suppliers. This gives suppliers flexibility to select which invoices they want to have paid to them earlier than dictated by the standard payment terms by the larger companies or buyers. The initial difference here is that the “Factoring” is initiated by the buyer and not the supplier.

How does Factoring actually differ from the normal banking system or the services they offer?

Most companies with some kind of financial requirements revert to the bank for a loan; simply putting it “Factoring” is a substitute. Instead of being a loan, it is an acquisition of postdated assets. With factoring, the emphasis — and scrutiny — is on the customers’ invoices, not on suppliers, and the funds can be available much quicker than bank loans, usually in days. Factoring provides a steady predictable flow of funds; bank loans are usually one lump sum. You don’t want to pay interest on funds you are not using, and even though factoring rates are higher than bank rates, factoring can provide opportunities that can compensate for that. Factoring can produce significant cost reductions, since factors handle the credit and collection function. Factoring improves your balance sheet but bank loans add debt; in essence factoring just convert’s one asset (accounts receivable) to another (cash).

Cairo Factors is located in Smart Village,

considered the home of “Technology and Finance,” how do you integrate both in your business?

We place great emphasis on our ability to communicate and serve our clients with state-of-the-art technologies in both hardware and software. Digital presence is a major part of our service offered to our clients; hence we manage client data and information through HPD, a global leader in factoring software development and management. Through a well-targeted and managed portal, we are able to provide our clients with real-time information enabling them to take better management decisions regarding their cash flow. Through this portal, we are able to create new and exciting business opportunities for our clients by connecting buyers and suppliers through our vast client database, both locally and internationally. So information technologies play an integral part in our business and Smart Village is the perfect place to be located.

You talked earlier about providing services to both markets, local and international. Tell us more about Cairo Factors’ international business.

The Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority mandates Factoring companies in Egypt, seeking to engage in international factoring to be part of one of two international factoring organizations: “The International Factoring Group” or the “Factoring Group Association” — a mandate which we at Cairo Factors have complied with. Our international factoring

FACTORING

INTERVIEW 35


business has grown dramatically in the past four months as trade indicators continue to improve. The international side of our business depends highly on importers and exporters and their financial relationship together. For decades, banks have offered “trade financing” but today we are offering “export factoring.” Through our export factoring services, we provide a complete financial package that combines export working capital financing, credit protection, foreign accounts receivable bookkeeping and collection services.

As one of Egypt’s leading financiers, how do you approach your work-life balance?

No matter how much time you spend at work, it will always only be a home away from home. They say “a man’s home is his castle” and that is how I view my home — a place where my title is “dad” or “grandpa” and these are the titles I value the most in my life. So I never take work home with me and never bring home to work with me. To be successful you have to make a clear separation between both and respect that fine line that you draw for yourself. I expect this from all the people I work with. I expect no excuse for the lack of excellence in performance every day, every week, every month, every quarter and every year. I am highly annoyed by those people expecting bonuses because they are excellent

at their job. In my opinion being excellent is the primary reason why you get your salary.

Since 2008 the world has been going through a global recession; in addition to that Egypt and the Middle East region have been going through major political, social and economic changes. How does that impact your risk appetite?

Risk is an imperative part of any business; the small-business owner looking to open a kiosk considers risk with the same attentiveness as that of large bankers. Risk is relative and hence it all comes down to how much you have, how much you can buy for, and how much you can sell for and when you can collect and pay all the related cash. The “risk” represents all the things that could go wrong in between. Factoring is a “leverage business” and hence we have an appetite for risk and take the measures which would protect us and our shareholders from that risk. Nothing is certain, but with the right experience and prudent management, risk does not become the main driver behind a business’s future.

Not everyone knows about Factoring despite its obvious usefulness for businesses. How do you tackle the issue of awareness and reach?

Reach and awareness are things that are very much needed for the growth of the Factoring industry in Egypt. On the other hand we have been doing a great job in getting the message and benefits of Factoring across to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through the larger companies and buyers. Through our larger clients we are able to identify and qualify suppliers with strong reputations, performance records, financial standing and credit worthiness. Reverse Factoring has been a key driver in creating the awareness and reaching smaller businesses. We have also founded the “Egyptian Factoring Association,” a nonprofit association mandated with the promotion and growth of the sector in Egypt.

Mohamed Gamal MoharamCairo Factors S.A.E, Chairman

FACTORING

INTERVIEW3636 37


POWerFUl arab bUSiNeSSWOmeNread by government and business leaders from around the globe, “Forbes” magazine recognizes the arab World’s 200 most Powerful Women, 2014, in an extraordinary celebration which included 29 of egypt’s renowned names in business and government.

WOMEN IN POWER

Nancy MaghrabiChairperson, Global Trade MattersRanked 64 in Forbes Middle East List of 200 Most Powerful Arab Women 2014

39

Nayka Hayek from Lebanon who serves as the

Chairperson of Swatch Group. Our Ladies of

the Nile were also very well-represented at the

awards ceremony held in Dubai, positioning

the closest to the top at number 10, Elham

Mahfouz, the acting CEO of the Commercial

Bank of Kuwait. Other notable entries included

Heba Thabet, Director of Juhayna Food

Industries, who comes in at number 23. The

rankings included the CEO of Piraeus Bank,

Nayera Amin; and the CEO of Al Ahli United

Bank, Nevine El-Messeery, 35 through 36,

respectively; at 37, COO of HSBC Egypt, Hania

Sadek; and at 46, Nancy Maghrabi, CEO of

Global Trade Matters, Egypt’s leading Private

Sector Think Tank.

As proud as we are of these achievements,

next year we want to see more powerful Arab

women in both government and business

dominated by leading Egyptian female

leaders.

People who think that men only take leading roles in business are so wrong. Over the years, the world has witnessed many models of women filling very high positions and partaking in grave decision-making processes that might have even made monumental changes affecting

the business world that we live today.

As the Arab region continues on an unstoppable trajectory of growth and development, more and more women are taking over bigger responsibilities and gaining stronger influence in the economic, political and social direction of the region. From Cairo to Dubai, “Forbes” magazine went out seeking the most powerful women

behind the region’s growth. Forbes researchers focused on specific criteria including but not limited to the degree of power associated with the nominees’ position, the years of professional experience, impact on family business, media interaction and online presence, the number of countries the organization operates in, and the number of employees managed. Once the research was completed, Forbes researchers were able to finally compile a list of the Arab world’s most powerful 200 women. Egyptian women led the Forbes list with 29 entries

WOMEN IN POWER

followed by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates at 27 and 26 entries, respectively. Out of the 200 selected women, 59 were representing their government positions — a very strong indication of the continued influence of Arab women in formulating politics in the region. Family businesses were also well-represented; but worth mentioning, publically listed family businesses were excluded from the ranking. Executives had strong presence with a strong representation from the financial and banking sectors, again showing the extensive presence and influence of women in the Arab business markets.The breakdown of government participation

makes for some interesting analyses. There were 12 government entrants representing social affairs, while another 11 represented legislation, with education and tourism coming in with six entrants, respectively. This is an indication that the Arab world still needs more active government participation from women especially in key industries such as trade, investment, finance, planning and industry just to name a few.Overall the list was topped by Shaikha K. Al Bahar, who is the Deputy Group CEO of the National Bank of Kuwait, followed by Dr.


CELLULAR TRENDS

The Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Atef Helmy, has participated in the launch of the new National Suez Canal Corridor Project. Helmy said that MCIT participation in the mission is represented in a number of gigantic projects with investments reaching between EGP 13 and 15 billion to implement ICT basic infrastructure where the government is to contribute with 10-15 percent. Helmy said that MCIT will implement three main tracks in the national project, in cooperation with Ismailia, the Canal and Suez governorates, under the umbrella of the Egyptian Cabinet of Ministers.

The first track includes the establishment of a global logistical center targeting the Middle East and Africa markets. The second track comprises the establishment of a global center for internet with the intent to maximize investments and benefit from the 17 maritime cables crossing Egypt. The third track focuses on reviving the Technology Valley project in the eastern area of the Suez Canal aiming to create an urban industrial community depending on the high-technology programming and electronics industries.

Furthermore, MCIT launched the new premises of ITI in Ismailia on a surface of 1300 sq. meters. It aims to qualify human calibers at the canal zone to boost the electronics industry in the region. More than 1300 trainees will benefit from ITI services after training and qualifying

them on the outsourcing industry which target universities of Suez, Canal, Ismailia and Port Said.

The ICT minister said that the ITI new premises construction shall be finalized to undertake the training programs intensively, serving university students at the Canal cities, hence qualifying calibers to boost the National Suez Canal Corridor Development Project. Helmy, accompanied by ITI Chairman, Heba Saleh, visited the Suez Canal University where he got acquainted with the training and professional programs.

The ICT minister has explained that Egypt’s future counts on its youth who appreciate the significance of technology for the prosperity of the country. He stressed on the importance of collective innovation and the use of latest technology applications and systems.

He has also highlighted the importance of youth innovation to face challenges in the new era once they are technologically empowered and have received necessary support and sponsorship.

The ICT minister praised the cooperation between MCIT and the Ministry of Higher Education with the Suez Canal University, the Arab Contractors as an honoring example of teamwork and achievement on a strategic level. Moreover, he praised the support

ACtIve Role for MCIT in national Suez Canal development Project

SUEZ CANAL

Minister of Communications & Information Technology

promised by General Mohab Mamish, the Suez

Canal Agency President. He thanked Suez

Canal University leaders, on top of whom is

its President Mohamed Mohamadein, for their

belief in the ITI message and direct support for

the institute to provide adequate atmosphere

for innovation to its students.

The ITI fifth premises foundation stone was

laid in April 2013, offering training services

to students at Egyptian universities in the

Canal cities. It is to be a center for human skills

development in Ismailia and hence empowers

participation in the development of the

National project of Suez Canal.

The training programs were launched in October

2013 in partnership with leading IT companies

to develop a training system based on hands-on

experiments in specialized laboratories.

The Prime Minister, Ibrahim Mehleb, witnessed

the ITI 34th batch graduation ceremony

celebrating the first innovative model of

young trainees in the institute at Suez Canal

University trained on ICT applications and

skills through the 9-month professional

training that ITI organizes regularly.

H.E. Engineer Atef Helmy


the egyPtiaN miNiSter OF iNVeStmeNt at “mONey aNd FiNaNce” 2014

We have to admit that we have many challenges ahead of us, but today I want to address two major obstacles facing our economic growth.

The first is our “two-digit inflation” which today stands at 11.04 percent (October 1, 2014). If we were to look at the third round inflation after the removal of the fuel subsidies, we might find this figure even higher. So there is no doubt that we are facing a major challenge with inflation.

It is vitally important that we approach this problem of managing our inflation with great prudence and diligence, without extensive government interference and without having to change the way we assess the numbers. If we are going to be able to control this double-digit inflation rate then we must really go back to focusing on attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). This is imperative, hence as part of the Ministry of Investment’s development program, we are seeking to attract over USD 10 billion during 2014 and 2015, and we are confident this will help in curbing this enemy we call inflation.

We are well aware of the problems the economy is facing, and we also know the solutions and mechanisms we need to jumpstart economic growth, and it seems that

we are moving on the right track, the right direction towards real economic growth.

His Excellency President El Sisi’s speech at the United Nations Security Council had as much of a positive impact on an economic level as it did on a political level.

It is all a matter of building investors’ confidence and offering a suitable business

environment, which not only provides them with stability but also with the opportunity to grow and expand.

During our trip to the United States, I had the opportunity to meet up with various business leaders from some of the largest multinational companies in the U.S. and the world. I am happy to say that there is great appetite and

interest for investments in Egypt. As a result of these meetings we were able to

secure investment commitments worth USD 2 billion. Other

companies in the field of energy are also here in

Egypt seeking out new business and investment

opportunities in the sector.

That being said I would like to move on to the second biggest challenge and that is Energy.

It will be impossible for us to be able to

attract FDI in different industries if we are

unable to provide a reliable, sustainable and affordable

energy supply. Hence we have been taking major and serious

steps regarding the “Feeding Tariff” in addition to major steps toward completing

the regulations which would allow the private sector to invest and sell energy. And we are expecting in the next 18 months investments in the energy sector worth USD 8 billion with a net of about USD2.2 billion.

INVESTMENT & ECONOMY

H.E. Minister Ashraf SalmanEgyptian Minister of Investment

42


StOcK eXchaNge tOday

EGX

A stock exchange is often the most important component of a stock market. Stock exchanges have multiple roles in the economy including raising capital for businesses, mobilizing savings for investment, government capital-raising for development projects, and numerous other roles that a lot don’t know about. For that reason, Dr. Mohamed Omran, Chairman of the Egyptian Exchange (EGX), shares his views on the role of EGX as a key indicator of economic growth in a brief talk with The Village Community News.

Dr. Omran, as Egypt continues to strive for economic stabilization, more and more people on the street are hearing

and reading about the economy, but not all of them truly understand the role of the Egyptian Stock Exchange in economic growth. I know it may seem as a simple question, but even the simplest people are keeping their eye out on the screens.

The Egyptian Stock Exchange has been and will always be a key driver of economic growth. Only in the past six to eight months you will find that many listed companies have utilized the EGX for their capital increases, raising just over EGP 10 billion. That is the true strength of the Stock Exchange. It is not only a place for listings, or even just trading, but mainly it is to help companies raise the capital they need when they need it.

This automatically has a positive impact on the economy as it creates jobs, on GDP growth and on the national budget, as companies pay taxes on their profits. So the stock exchange triggers a cascade down effect on the economy beyond just the listings and trading.

I think it is the role of the media and even educational institutions to reach out to the people and help them better understand the concept of the Stock Exchange. We at EGX offer a wide range of educational tools, resources, seminars, conferences and diplomas which are instrumental in developing not only a general understanding, but a real knowledge of the financial mechanisms, tools and resources we utilize at EGX.

EGX and NASDAQ OMX at the official signing ceremony in New York City to extend exchange technology contract to 2020. (Courtesy of NASDAQ )

INTERVIEW

EGX

We offer various programs such as “Stock- riders” and “Step-By-Step,” which help us develop tailor-made educational programs to suit the needs, backgrounds and experiences of those interested in trading or just understanding the mechanisms of the Stock Exchange. These programs are even tailor-made for school and university students, which gives us a great opportunity to reach out to them at a very young age and engage them in innovative activities that are both fun and educational.

With all the attention the economy is getting, people always tend to look at the Stock Exchange as one of the main, if not the main, indicators of economic growth or decline. How true is that?

I cannot say that it is entirely true, but we have to understand why it is important to always keep an eye out for the performance of the Stock Exchange. In many instances the market is able to predict economic growth six to eight months before growth in the “Real Economy”

which actually happens. And hence the opposite is true, when we start to see a decline in the markets then it is highly possible that we will witness a decline in the real economy within months. That is why economists do not just take the stock exchange as a reflection of the current situation but also as a reflection of the future. If we take a closer look at the role of the stock exchange since 2011, we will find that it had become a gage of everyday life; meaning, it was not just a “short-, mid-, long-term” indicator but more of an “Immediate-Term” indicator. I have had conversations with many people who ask me, “How are the markets today?”. Taxi drivers, kiosk owners and just regular people on the street want to know how the markets were performing. This happened because for the past four years Egypt’s economic, political and social environment has been very dynamic in terms of changes, and the EGX was a reflection of what happened on a daily basis, hence even for those who do not understand economics

or have any ties to the markets, they looked

at the Stock Exchange as an indicator of the

situation around them.

Yet today the situation is quite different and

the growth that we are seeing in the markets

is derived from real investors’ confidence

and from improved performances by the

listed companies. Another reason why we

are seeing improved performances on the

trade floor is due to the extensive measures

being undertaken by the current government

toward real economic reform and true

economic change.

In closing, how do you see 2015?

I am very optimistic and as I was saying, the

EGX is a reflection of the future as much as it

is of the present, and with the movement I am

seeing in the market today, it indicates that we

should be optimistic in 2015.

Courtesy of NASDAQ

45INTERVIEW


aeba the link between egypt and asia

Tell us more about AEBA.

It is a nonprofit organization committed to serving the needs of the Asian Egyptian business community in Egypt and across the Asian countries. The association and its members share a common cause to foster new business opportunities between key industries and promote free and fair business between both sides. AEBA extends a helping hand and shares its collective resources, wisdom and expertise with business people interested in accessing a market which represents well over 4.4 billion consumers and includes some of the world’s largest and fastest-growing economies.

What is AEBA’s mission?

Our main mission is to advance the industrial, commercial, professional and public interests of the Asian-Egyptian business community, locally and internationally. We also aim to promote and facilitate relations between Egypt and the Asian businesses and investment communities by providing information on conducting business in Egypt and the different Asian countries; to provide business and economic data and analysis about Egypt and Asia; to organize local and international seminars, conferences and exhibitions to promote trade and investment opportunities by and between Asia and Egypt; and to promote the interests of corporations,

groups and associations who are engaged in business activities in different member countries.

What is the story behind your interest in Asia?

As an investment banker, I have had extensive exposure to that part of the world and have always been fascinated with the beauty of Asia. In 2010, having returned from a ministerial delegation, which included many top Egyptian businessmen visiting South Korea and Singapore, it was very clear that the potential of cooperation between Egypt

“the Village” discusses with Karim helal, chairman of asia egypt business association, the role of aeba in building a bridge with the asian region for mutual businesses to grow and investments to be made, benefiting both areas. mr. helal also talks to “the Village” about his recent visit to Smart Village.

and Asia was growing strongly. Together with

other leading businessmen we launched the

ASEAN - EGYPT Business Association. The

association focused solely on ASEAN countries

and throughout 2011 and 2012 played a very

important and vital role in Egypt-ASEAN trade

and investment relations. I also have to say

that the ASEAN ambassadors have been the

cornerstone of the association, providing and

offering support at any opportunity. In 2013,

the board and members agreed to expand the

scope of the association by re-launching as

the “Asia Egypt Business Association” as known

today.

Karim HelalAsia Egypt Business Association, Chairman

AEBA

46 INTERVIEW

What are ABEA’s future plans?

It is very important that Egypt and Asia

maintain a strong business-to-business and

government-to-government and government-

to-business relations. It is all about availability

of information and connectivity, and we try to

offer both. Information is very important and

has to be made available for both sides. AEBA

is currently working on a portal, which will

provide both Asian and Egyptian businesses

with trade and investment data, news and

analyses, business opportunities, online

networking and much more. This is more

complicated than you can image as we are

trying to connect with at least 40 countries

across Asia. We are also planning for the

annual “Doing Business with Asia Conference”

which is to take place in the first quarter of

2015.

You’ve recently visited Smart Village with a

delegation of Asian ambassadors; how was

the experience?

AEBA was holding its monthly executive

committee luncheon with the presence of

the ambassadors of China, Thailand and

Vietnam, so we selected the Village Center at

the village, which gave us a great opportunity

to tour Smart Village and see the fantastic

achievement, which makes us all very proud.

The Asian ambassadors and guests were

highly impressed with not only the design

of Smart Village, but also maintaining its

perfect condition and quality. We were

joined as well by Dr. Adel Danish, Smart

Villages Development and Management

Company Chairman & CEO, which gave us an

opportunity to discuss together issues related

to solar energy in Egypt and in Smart Village. I

can truly say that it was a great experience for

our guests.

AEBA

47INTERVIEW


OFFICE WEAR TIPS

- Business attire is to be worn Sunday through Wednesday. Casual wear is acceptable on Thursdays, excluding pantacourts or leggings, torn-up jeans, shorts or t-shirts, plastic flip-flops and sandals or beach footwear.

- For women, business suits with blouses, skirts or pants with long or half-sleeve blouses, knee-high skirts, dresses, sweaters and plain pullovers for winter are all acceptable business attires.

- For men, formal and professional wear is limited to business suits with collar dress shirts and neckties, classic pants and collared shirts.

-Concerning footwear, which could sometimes be a tricky endeavor, especially for women, stick to anything that is not flip flops, sandals or sneakers of course. Flats could be a controversial topic but to find a compromising solution, basically wear flats on normal work days and switch to heels on special business occasions.

- Men have a variety of options to choose from. The most common styles are loafers, boots and classic leather shoes. So determine which outfit you find suitable to wear then choose the shoe color accordingly; some like to do it the other way around.

DRess CoDeIf “clothes make the man” is a plausible saying, then a proper attire for the workplace must be taken seriously. The main elements of a suitable office wear are projecting a professional image, especially if there were clients involved, wearing appropriate garmentfor you and your coworkers, and wearing something that you feel comfortable in. Use these tips as you dress for work or prepare your own work dress code.

- Grooming is another aspect that must be considered thoroughly. Nails should be clean and trimmed or sculpted. Men must have well-trimmed beards and mustaches. Hair styles should be neat, conservative and preferably off the face. With few exceptions, hair color should not be shocking or unusual.

- When it comes to makeup, always keep it simple. Wearing no makeup at all is almost as bad as wearing too much makeup. As a general rule, it is recommended to wear simple makeup that is appropriate for daytime.

- Avoid wearing heavily-scented products inbusiness settings. Scents can trigger asthma,overpower a room and are often more offensive than pleasing to others.

- Never smell like smoke (if you smoke in a car, your clothing will always pick up the odor).

- Maintaining self-hygiene and cleanliness is highly essential.

- As for jewelry, they should not be noisy (no metal bangle bracelets), too large or costume jewelry. Keep earrings small, simple and above the earlobe. It is better to wear no jewelry at all, than to wear too much jewelry.A nice, conservative wrist watch for both men and women will do fine.

Demonstrating that you care about your personal appearance communicates to the person you are meeting that they are important to you. Paying attention to the details of your appearance sends a message to others that you will also pay close attention to business details and the needs of your customers and clients.

48


greeN electrONicSE-WasteWhat is it? It is discarded electronic and electrical equipment and devices, so basically all those dusty keyboards, mice, worn out CRTs and drained cell phones lying around in your house are electronic waste. They become e-waste when they get to the point where they are not valid for use, reuse, sale, resale, maintenance, salvage, refurbishment and disposal.

Environmental and Health ImplicationsE-waste is the most dangerous pollutant after nuclear waste. What actually happens is that heaps of electronic scrap are piled up and eliminated in the dumps of developing countries like Asia and Africa to be burned as second-hand material, leaving behind injured scrap collectors. Burning scrap especially jeopardizes the respiratory system and lungs and causes injured skin that could deteriorate to skin cancer due to the dangerous matter contained like carbon, mercury and nickel. Getting rid of e-waste by throwing it in the water also pollutes and contaminates it with toxics. In turn, living organisms are at stake.

PreventionIt is simple. Any electronic waste is eligible for recycling so do not throw it away no matter how obsolete you believe it is. Gather it in your house and from your friends and relatives. Be useful by raising awareness among your circle

of acquaintances. You will be surprised to find that most people have not heard about e-waste. For some, it is a force of habit to keep everything thinking it might be used in the future like those plastic bags kept under the mattresses! Keep in mind that your cell phone, which is going to be thrown away probably a year or two from now, will turn into a useful material and save scrap collectors and other living things from terrible diseases thus saving the environment.

Efforts and InitiativesIn the context of a greener environment free of e-waste, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Atef Helmy, launched a national campaign for safe and clean disposal of e-waste. The first stage was launched in Smart Village on 14-18 September under the patronage of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and the Ministry of Environment (MoE). The campaign — through which 28 events are to be organized until December 2016 — is to be carried out through the implementation of MCIT Green ICT program, in line with the State’s keenness to maximize benefits of the environment-friendly ICT tools being one of the key development pillars locally, regionally and internationally.

During the campaign period at Smart Village, certain areas were allocated as e-waste collection points in the premises of MCIT, Smart Villages

E-WASTE

Company (SVC), Xceed, Oracle, Mobinil and the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AAST). SVC and International Technology Group (ITG), owning the factory specialized in e-waste recycling in Egypt, are the main partners in the campaign.

Last November, Helmy inaugurated the e-waste factory at the industrial zone of October 6 city. The Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) President Ahmed Abul-Seoud, SVC CEO Adel Danish, ITG CEO Khaled Ibrahim and a large number of CEOs of companies located in Smart Village attended the launching event.

A Green EnvironmentKeeping the environment green and happy has a great payoff. First of all, the rate of pollution and health issues will immensely subside and drop. That will naturally lead to more resources and energy. But that is not it; even the economy is improving with the construction of more factories requiring millions of workers, which means more employment opportunities and investments to be made. The geographically strategic location of Egypt helps to make it the intersection point between Asia, Europe and Africa, making it the courier of e-waste.

do you know that recycling goes way back to 400 b.c.? it is beyond just the plasticbottle you are holding in your hand. electronic waste, or e-waste, describes all sortsof electronic scrap, bound to be recycled in other forms for a greener environment.

SVC VP Commercial, Ahmed Naim, speaks at the E-Waste Safe Disposal National Campaign event, Sept. 14, 2014, at the “Village Center.”

47


Kempinski hotel Soma bay

TRAVEL SOMA BAY

imagine you were lying on the beach, breathing in the sea breeze and soothed by the voices of nature wafting across the golden sand. all you can see is sunlight mirroring the pure turquoise water surface. then a friendly face approaches you with an icy cocktail just in time to break that pleasurable feeling of thirst. better yet, open your eyes and feel this heavenly experience yourself because it’s real. it does exist in Soma bay, a city resort located in the red Sea riviera, in egypt. but it won’t be complete without a place to stay like Kempinski hotel Soma bay. this marvelous hotel is a combination of luxurious european service and egyptian hospitality. Whether you’re traveling for recreational, family or business purposes, this is the place to be.

REVIEWTHe VIllAge 53

TRAVEL SOMA BAY

Kempinski Hotel is conveniently located within the Peninsula of Soma Bay, an approximately 1-hour drive from the Hurghada International Airport. With its spectacular location, Kempinski offers a very relaxing atmosphere. Overall the hotel’s elegant setting and architecture strike as a royal palace. With its combination of Moorish and oriental architecture, this place is the perfect getaway resort to spend some time in peace and quiet.

Keeping the guests happy is the key to running a successful hotel business. The staff, starting from the check-in staff to the pool attendants, are not only courteous but very well-acquainted with what they do, and this is exactly what a hotel as Kempinski offers. They know how to make guests comfortable and special, with their friendly attitude, professionalism and commitment to providing high-quality service. At Kempinski, the service is simply impeccable; they are very efficient,

helpful and knowledgeable and check-in is fast.

The hotel offers a variety of amenities. The Cascades Spa & Thalasso in Soma Bay is located near the hotel and features one of the region’s largest and best-equipped thalasso-therapy operated in cooperation with Raison d’Etre of Sweden. You can go there for hydrotherapy treatments as well as beauty and wellness treatments. The hotel makes it

easier for you to keep in shape and work out using its gym facility. Try the fantastic Health Club equipped with all your favorite workout equipment.

If you are a big fan of adventure and water sports, Soma Bay is home to a world-famous golf course and coveted dive and kite spots. Its stunning natural beauty helps provide a range of outlets which afford the ultimate enjoyment of all the sea has to offer. You can

go there to dive, kitesurf, sail and a lot more.

For a change of scenery, stay at one of the hotel’s rooms and enjoy the beauty of Soma Bay, one of Egypt’s hidden gems. The rooms are fabulous, with amazing views of both the clear sea water and pool. They are very spacious too to make you feel comfortable. In addition, Soma Bay stands out as a unique venue for remarkable events such as wedding ceremonies. When wedding parties

are thrown at this place, with its charming aura, to overlook the blue sea, they become unforgettable fairytale experiences to the newlyweds and the memory stays with them forever.

It would be hard to leave Kempinski Hotel and be anything less than extraordinarily delighted. This heavenly spot should not be missed.

REVIEW


TECHNOLOGY & SPORTS

technology has a huge impact on everyday life. it has become an essential asset to make life easier when used as a tool that gets acclimated to the fast-paced life we live today. you’ll find it in everything you do; you get in your car, and the embedded software guides you through the road to find your way; you go grab a quick bite for breakfast using the appliance developed by the latest technology; you pay a visit to the dentist’s office and there it is again. in one way or another technology ubiquitously turns up to serve your needs. For that reason, technology is not only an agent that must be preserved and enhanced; it is an indispensable tool that can truly do wonders. this rapid invasion of technology has contributed in sports as well. this article demonstrates how technology is involved in physical activity and sports.

Hawk-Eye SystemThere is a great need for goal line technology in soccer, particularly as there are numerous examples where the TV reply has been able to show wrong decisions by the referee, where a ball has or has not passed over the goal line, and the goal was given or not given. A system such as the Hawk-Eye uses three cameras focused on each goal-line, and each taking footage at 600 frames a second. Hawk-Eye is able to give a definitive decision on whether the ball has fully crossed the line and relay this information in the form of an audible beep to the central referee within half a second. As the Premier League referees use headsets, the signal is easily sent to them. In other leagues, other methods such as through a watch can be used. Hawk-Eye has already been used to make calls in tennis as well by the use of six or more computer-linked television cameras situated around the court. The computer reads

in the video in real time and tracks the path of the tennis ball on each camera. These six separate views are then combined together to produce an accurate 3D representation of the path of the ball.

Smart Ball SystemA promising prospect has been a “smart ball” loaded with a sensor suspended inside. The technology uses a network of receivers around the field designed to track the ball’s precise position in real time — including exactly when it has fully passed the goal line. That information would be relayed in less than a second to a watch-like device worn by the referee.

Goal Ref SystemThe Goal Ref goal detection system has been developed by the company Fraunhofer IIS. This system is a radio-based system, which uses

techNOSPOrtS

54

TECHNOLOGY & SPORTS

low-frequency magnetic fields to determine whether or not the whole ball has passed over the goal line. There are two magnetic fields — one in the goal area using coils attached to the goal, the other is created in and around the ball using a passive electronic circuit embedded in the ball. The data is processed then transmitted wirelessly to the referee’s wristwatch, and a message is displayed in real time, in addition to a vibrating alert.

Foam TechnologyA spray of vanishing foam is another recent use of technology in football, which came to prominence at the 2014 Brazil World Cup. The spray is a temporary foam applied by the referee to the field to provide a visual marker for use by both players and referees to indicate the minimum distance that members of the opposing team must remain from the ball during a free kick, as well as the spot from which the kick is taken. The can contains about 80 percent water and 20 percent butane gas. When released from the can, the butane expands due to pressure changes, forming small drops of butane covered with water. Eventually the butane evaporates, leaving only water and surfactant residue on the

ground. The marks disappear after about one minute.

Samsung Fit WatchAnother addition to the technology trend in sports is the Samsung Gear Fit fitness watch, which measures your heart rate, calories burned, distance traveled, steps taken and speed to help you track your fitness progress; and it also features Bluetooth utility that lets you sync results with your compatible Samsung phone or tablet.

Wii Fit PlusThis technology can be considered technically

as a substitute to yoga and aerobics instructors; so its main advantage is that it can save time and effort by just working out at home with a fully equipped guide. Wii Fit Plus offers a range of features and enhancements to help you reinvigorate your workouts, along with exercises and balance games designed to keep them fun. You will also be able to choose from specialized workout routines that focus on an individual’s personal fitness goals or certain target areas. And with the addition of activities like Skateboarding and Rhythm Kung Fu, you will be using the Wii Balance Board accessory in a variety of new and fun ways.

Scuba Diving TechnologyTechnology has engaged in the various physical activities and deeply submerged under water too. The self-contained underwater breathing apparatus or scuba diving system is the result of technological developments and innovations that began almost 300 years ago. Scuba diving is the most extensively used system for breathing underwater by recreational divers throughout the world and in various forms is also widely used to perform underwater work for military, scientific and commercial purposes.

55THe VIllAge


chef Nourhan F. michel

Cupcake KoftaIngredients• 1 Kilo minced meat• 2 large onions, chopped • 1 cup parsley, finely chopped • 2 sachets of “SPYSI KOFTA” seasoning• 2 garlic cloves, minced • 2 eggs; to bind the dough • Salt, pepper, chili as desired (already salted)

Method1. Mix all ingredients well; in order to hold together the dough.2. Prepare cupcake tray. Lightly oil cupcake pockets.3. Shape the meat into circles. Place in cup-cake pockets.4. Pre-heat oven. Place tray inside. Leave to cook for 30 minutes.Serve with pasta, rice or French fries

SMART CUISINE

Crab Casserole with White Sauce

Ingredients: Casserole• Kilo crab, cut into 2 halves • 3 tbsp minced garlic, mixed with chili powder, cumin, salt, oil and lemon• 2 bell peppers, any colour, diced• ¼ cup finely chopped celery

Ingredients: Sauce• Packaged cooking whipped cream• 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1 cup chicken broth • ½ lemon • 2 tablespoons flour, mixed with ½ cup water • Salt and pepper, as desired

Method1. Clean crab well. Then season with garlic mixture. 2. In a bowl put a little oil. Dip and leave crab in it for 5 minutes. Add bell peppers, set aside.3. In the same bowl, pour a little more oil for the sauce. Stir in garlic until it becomes golden.4. Add cooking cream and chicken broth. Toss well.5. Add a little flour; adjust thickness accordingly. Add lemon, salt and pepper.6. In a clay or oven tray place bell peppers and crab. Pour sauce mixture. Sprinkle celery.7. Place tray in the oven, leave to cook for 10 minutes.

Feed yOUr braiN

According to Mona Radamis, nutritionist, nuts are one of the healthiest snack foods. They provide health benefits which prevent heart disease and diabetes, fight cancer and furthermore nuts are not as fattening as previously thought. There are different types of nuts with different benefits such as peanuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, macadamias, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, chestnuts and pine nuts. And every type has its benefits.

Starting with peanuts — the benefits of vitamins in peanuts help maintain healthy skin, and hair, as well as healthy muscle tone. Actually they’re not truly nuts but peanuts are a great source of concentrated protein as they contain 20-30 percent protein. They are also full of rich and various vitamins such as vitamin B and potassium. Moreover, the potassium in peanuts helps control the body’s water levels and the normal metabolism of food, which prevents cramping, especially during a workout.

Also, almonds are a very good source of protein and fiber and calcium as milk can be replaced by drinking a cup of almonds. Almonds are also high in vitamin E and antioxidants selenium. The benefits of almonds are due to their maintaining strong teeth, bones and helping prevent colon and prostate cancers.

Antioxidants inside the almonds are the ones that help protect the body from cancers.

As for cashews, each mineral in them has different benefits; magnesium is important in forming the protein in the body to gain energy; copper helps the body to get rid of infections; phosphorus works with calcium to keep teeth strong and bones healthy; and iron is essential to maintain healthy red blood cells, skin, hair and nails.

Regarding the importance of walnuts, Dr. Ashraf Yousry, nutritionist, revealed that they are the most heart-healthy nuts: not only do they contain monounsaturated fat, but they also provide a rich supply of omega-3 fatty acid as the importance of eating 3 ounces of salmon can be replaced by eating walnuts that help prevent heart disease, arthritis and depression.

Hazelnuts provide the body with several benefits when they are not mixed with chocolate or oil and this is because there’s selenium, which prevents premature aging and cell and tissue degradation.

Turning to chestnuts, they are high in vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate and potassium. Vitamin C helps to protect against disease and infection;

vitamin B6 and folate help to build proteins, hormones and cells; while potassium controls body fluid levels and neuromuscular functions. Furthermore, chestnuts should be boiled or roasted before eating them because they are very high in tannic acids, which may cause digestive discomfort.

Dr. Hamdy Samy, nutritionist, stated that the best way to incorporate nuts is to add them to any kind of food or to replace unhealthy snacks such as chips and cookies with them.

The last nut is pine nuts; actually they are not counted as nuts but they are seeds. The best thing about pine nuts is their high concentration of monounsaturated fat, which smooth the way for a healthier cardiovascular system. However, vitamin D leads to stronger bones and teeth, by improving the body’s ability to absorb calcium, and vitamins A and C may improve vision and increase the immune system.

Nuts are one of the healthiest snacks that can replace unhealthy snacks and they can be added to any kind of foods. In the end, there’s something now to go nuts about.

gO NUtS!Do you eat nuts in your daily life? Do you know how healthy they are?Do you know that they’re not fatty? Do you know that peanut isn’t a nut? Do you know how they’re beneficial to your body, skin and hair?

HEALTHY NUTS

57


National theaters are one of the many icons of a country’s culture and arts. They use an entertaining form of art to tell stories that mirror a deep-rooted culture. Culture is what symbolizes identity, the way people live, the way they think and the connection between them and other cultures all around the world. The Egyptian National Theater is an important medium to represent the Egyptian culture.

Along the many platforms of art, the Egyptian National Theater has presented many performances; however it has gone through some overwhelming incidents in 2008 when it was burnt. But theater goers can finally rejoice as it is finally set to re-open.

According to Cairo Scene, the Ministry of Culture has recently announced that the Egyptian National Theater is set to reopen after undergoing a massive renovation. The estimated cost of the renovations hovers around EGP 55 million (USD 7.7 million). However, reconstruction was largely hindered by the political turmoil that brought Egypt to a halt.

“Ahram Online” mentioned that H.E. Culture Minister, Gaber Asfour, stated that students would be granted 50 percent discounts on ticket fees to all the performances, in hopes of inspiring a younger generation into attending classical and contemporary theater.

On opening night the theater is to re-launch with a play starring none other than Egyptian acting legend Nour El-Sherif, in the role of Refaa El-Tahtawy, an Egyptian icon who led an educational and cultural renaissance.

The Egyptian National Theater was established in 1921. It is located in the heart of Downtown. It stood as the cornerstone of Egypt’s cultural scene before being set ablaze in 2008. The plays of the theater include classical and contemporary works. Even its architecture held significant importance in Cairo as it reflected the Islamic era of architecture. Finally the art will be back.

the egyPtiaN NatiONal theater

THEATER RENOVATIONS

59

meet the NeW C-CLASS 2015No longer the littlest, the C is now a full-fledged member of the Benz family, ready to lord power over peasants and to seamlessly dominate highways and country club valet stands. If anyone in the family has to worry, we’d say it’s the E-Class, as this car is better looking, more sharply attired, more efficient at serving one’s needs and more delightful. We’ll be interested to witness the E-Class’ progression.

Progression is clearly the case with the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which with the recent introduction in the market of a new entry-level model — the guileless and adorable CLA-Class — has truly matured.

It has also begun to resemble, in all the best ways, a downsized version of its refined eldest brother, the S-Class. A proportionally long hood, a proper and upright cabin and a short rear deck featuring a prodigious rear overhang give the C-Class a handsome and elegant formality.

When introduced here in the second half of this year, the car will come in two, all-wheel-drive (4MATIC) only guises. The C300 will feature the exact combination of four cylinders, turbo charging and direct injection offered by key category competitors like the Audi A4, BMW 3 series and Cadillac ATS, with an estimated output of 241 hp and 273 lb-ft.

We chose to drive the sportiest possible C-Class: big engine, Sport trim, Sport Package, AMG wheels and tires, cladding, flanges and adjustable sport suspension. Yet even in the sportiest Sport + settings, we would not exactly call this car a carver. It is refined and relatively athletic; with full competence in the way it seamlessly puts power to the pavement, and tracks and slows itself around the twisty bits. Yet there is little of the road feel or rush of power that exists in competitors like the BMW 3 Series.

And also we shouldn’t forget our lovely C’s all-new interior, as Mercedes has really upped their game in this realm in the recent years, not only incorporating classic and high-quality materials like real metals, ribbed and tufted and quilted leathers and a variety of varnished and unvarnished woods but doing so in a way that really differentiates them from category leaders like Audi. Where the inside of an A4 is rigorously logical and functional like a particle physics lab, the interior of the new C-Class is rich, warm and inviting, like your rich friend’s summer house.

Numerous hints of delight: the click of the metal screw closure on the big eyeball vents, the expanses of wood on the uncluttered center console and the newly the still illegible COMMAND system that will enhance your emotional connection.

To sum up, the C-Class has always been in the Mercedes-Benz family; but this confident, satisfying and stylish new model makes it a Benz in terms of desirability and prestige, too.

To reach verdict, it is how BBC’s Top Gear experts describe it as “Confident effort, free

from old-school Stuttgart smugness, but not trying to ape the 3-series either.”

Model C180 C200 C220 BlueTEC

Engine2,143 CC, Four-Cylinder

1,991 CC, Four-Cylinder

2,143 CC Four-Cylinder

Fuel Gasoline Gasoline Diesel

Fuel Efficiency (Combined MPG)

47 44 59

Acceleration (0-62 MPH) 8.2 Sec. 7.5 Sec. 8.2 Sec.

Global Drive train Specifications

AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY

REVIEW

THe VIllAge56

http://www.dargroup.com

SMART MEETS SUSTAINABLE IN OUR NEW HEADQUARTERSSmart and sustainable - with the same globally-recognized level of expertise.Dar Al-Handasah (Shair and Partners) is proud of its new, LEED-Gold certified headquarters in Smart Village, Cairo.

The VCN issue#0

Documents