Business Club

Tesla has officially opened a new retail store in Amman, Jordan, its first service centre and store in the Middle East region. 

More than 3 million people worldwide visit Tesla retail stores every year to learn about electric vehicle technology in a low-pressure, educational environment.  

In addition to its convenient home charging, Tesla has designed the most sophisticated electric vehicle Charging network in the world, including Superchargers and Destination Chargers networks, so owners can travel wherever and whenever they want.

With eight Destination Charging locations now available in Jordan, Tesla has also opened four Supercharging 

locations, allowing drivers to recharge their vehicles in minutes rather than hours. Tesla announced its arrival in both the UAE and Jordan earlier this year, inviting customers to visit the online design studio and order the Tesla vehicle that best suits their lifestyle.

First orders of Model S and Model X vehicles are expected to arrive in summer 2017.  Customers in Jordan who wish to sign up for a test drive can do so at www.tesla.com.

The Financial Markets Association (ACI Jordan) on Sunday discussed the board’s report on the 2016 financial situation and the association’s plan for 2017.

At its ordinary general assembly meeting, chaired by ACI Jordan executive committee President Ali Abu Swai, and members also discussed the auditors’ report, ACI Jordan’s budget, its profit and accomplishments, highlighting present challenges.

ACI Jordan members approved all agenda items including the financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2016. As part of the extraordinary meeting, ACI Jordan members elected a new executive committee. 

Royal Jordanian (RJ) and NAVBLUE have expanded their technology partnership with the selection of NAVBLUE’s N-Flight Planning solution. 

The addition of N-Flight Planning builds on NAVBLUE’s track record of supporting RJ since 2014 with its Your RAIM Prediction solution, enabling the airline to implement the latest navigation capabilities such as Required Navigation Performance Approach.

By moving to N-Flight Planning, RJ is fully expecting industry leading flight planning response time, improvements with robust 4-dimensional calculations that will result in an estimated 2 per cent fuel savings, 20 per cent improvement to staff production, along with greater aircraft utilisation.

NAVBLUE’s N-Flight Planning solution is a multitiered and fully scalable flight plan optimisation solution that helps create the safest and most cost-effective routes. 

It is a very intuitive and user-friendly cloud-based solution and it can easily be tailored to customer requirements and be rapidly implemented. RJ President/CEO Captain Suleiman Obeidat said: “We are committed to our customers and continuously look to find innovative ways to provide them with the best service, routes, aircraft whilst ensuring the safest approach and the implementation of NAVBLUE’s award winning N-Flight Planning solution will greatly help us achieve this.” 

Air Arabia Jordan, a low-cost carrier, launched its inaugural flight to Tbilisi from Amman last Friday, becoming the first regular flight to directly link Jordan with Georgia.

The low-cost carrier announced that the destination will be served twice a week, operating on Tuesdays and Fridays. 

The new service to Tbilisi aims to enhance tourism, and contribute to strengthening the trade and bilateral relations between Jordan and Georgia.

Tbilisi caters to travellers who are eager to discover the crossroads between Europe and Asia. The city harmoniously combines antique and contemporary features among the vast nature with its winding streets that run around the mountain ridges.

Air Arabia Jordan began operations in May 2015 and is Jordan’s leading and only low-cost carrier.

The carrier focuses on offering comfortable, reliable air travel from and into Jordan that provides value for money.

The company offers its passengers a 32 seat pitch, the best economy configuration in the market.

Ayla Oasis Development Company's latest project, the Ayla Wake Park (AWP), is another giant step forward for the local tourism sector, and is a first in Jordan.

Inaugurated on Friday, the Ayla Wake Park is expected to attract both professional wakeboarders as well as amateurs and sports enthusiasts from around the region and the globe. AWP is considered a perfect complement to Ayla’s integrated seaside residential, retail and entertainment development, making it a major attraction for local and foreign tourism.

The Ayla community presents a diverse package of entertainment activities both for residents and for visitors to the city of Aqaba and AWP will transform the city into an ideal travel destination, reinforcing its position on the international tourism map.

This new water sport destination represents significant added-value to Aqaba’s tourist offerings, allowing visitors to the seaside town the chance to participate in adrenaline-fueled sports at a world-class facility. AWP, Jordan’s 442m cable wake park skiing facility, provides water sports enthusiasts and tourists looking for adventure and entertainment the chance to live out their passions.

The state-of-the-art facility was designed for both professionals and amateurs in mind, with a thrilling string of obstacles, ramps and sliders and wide open spaces for acrobatic water tricks, waterskiing and knee boarding, providing all the necessary rental equipment, as well.

With possible speedranging from 25km to 40km per hour, and cables suspended 10 metres above the water, AWP promises to be the perfect action-packed complement for any visit. With the capacity to cater to up to six skiers simultaneously on the electrically-driven cable, AWP is the perfect activity to add to a visitors “Aqaba to-do list”.

AWP joins the Ayla Golf Club, the first international golf course in Jordan and The Wibit inflatable Water Park making Ayla the ideal sporting destination in the area.

The resort offers a wide range of amenities, including an extraordinary lagoon and a number of swimming pools, hotels and residential units, retail facilities, numerous dining options as well as boat docking capabilities, making it a favourite among visitors and providing unforgettable experiences. 

Standard Chartered has launched Standard Chartered Mobile, an innovative banking application that gives clients the convenience of banking from the location of their choice.

It also provides a consistent online experience via laptops, tablets or mobile phones as announced by Ahmad Abu Eideh CEO Middle East (Jordan, Egypt, Iraq and Lebanon).

The Bank’s clients will now enjoy more convenient functions and improved navigation through user-friendly interfaces on the bank’s websites when using mobile devices — from any location, 24/7. “The launch of the digital platforms is instrumental in Standard Chartered’s strategy of using digital technology to deliver the future of banking to clients,” Abu Eideh said on the occasion.

“We’re excited about this agenda and we’re investing to bring the best in banking through our digital channels as well as giving customers the convenience and choice in conducting their banking transactions. 

We are committed to the digital agenda that has been successfully implemented globally across the group and we will continue to invest in our capabilities to deliver increasingly efficient, cost effective and accessible banking for all our customers,” he added.  

Dubai – The Institute of Management Accountants has recently announced a new specialty credential designed specifically for professionals holding the CMA® (CertifiedManagement Accountant) certification.

The CSCA™ (Certified in Strategy and Competitive Analysis)complements and expands upon the strategic planning, competitive analysis, and decision-making skillsdeveloped through the CMA. For more information on the CSCA, visit: http://www.imanet.org/csca

According to research by IMA and other organizations, CFOs and their teams are increasingly calledupon to apply their analytical and business skills to more strategically oriented organizational issues.

They are being challenged to combine skills in strategy, operations, technology, and leadership, as well as accounting and finance, to enhance their ability to create value for their organizations. Earning the CSCA will help management accounting professionals meet this market need, master the skills required to drive the strategic planning process, and gain a competitive edge in the workplace.

“The CSCA is ideal for management accountants who not only want to enhance their careers, but also sustain their professional development,” said Dennis Whitney, CMA, CAE, senior vice president of certifications, exams, and content integration for the Institute of Certified Management Accountants (ICMA).

“It provides CMAs with the opportunity to reinforce the skills they gained from the CMA, and position themselves to lead the strategic management process.”

Building upon the CMA certification, the CSCA exam will consist of 60 multiple choice questions and one case study, and will center around the four facets of strategic management. The case study will require candidates to complete a strategic analysis of a scenario, evaluate the strategic options, formulate a strategy, and recommend an approach to implementing and evaluating the strategy.

The CSCA exam will be offered to CMAs twice annually, in March and September. Registration opens in May 2017, and the first exam will be administered this September. Also in May, IMA will introduce the IMA Strategy and Competitive Analysis Learning SeriesTM, a NASBA-approved self-study course that offers continuing professional education credits.

Pioneers Academy for training and consultation and Armoush Tourist Investments Co. Ltd. (McDonald) have recently signed a cooperation agreement to initiate strategic partnerships in the field of youth training and employment in the Kingdom.  

The agreement was signed by Pioneers Academy’s General Manager Mohammed Affouri, and Mithqal Abu Naser, the general manager of Armoush Tourist Investments Co. The agreement is considered a quantum leap, given the fact that the academy has a good reputation in qualifying, training and empowering young people inside and outside the Kingdom, according to Abu Naser.

Affouri also praised the exerted efforts of Armoush Co. in youth employment and alleviating the unemployment burden.

The agreement is in line with the social responsibility of private sector companies, represented by Pioneers Academy and McDonalds, to reconcile companies and job seekers through qualifying and investing in their abilities, according to the requirements of the labour market and through strategic partnerships between public and private sectors.

In its efforts to always provide its colleagues with a great experience to ensure that they can perform their jobs effectively and efficiently, InterContinental Jordan renovated the staff canteen, which is now aptly called “Colleagues Restaurant”.

The Colleagues Restaurant was fully renovated, and its opening was fit for an opening of a luxury global brand. The opening was headed by Michael Koth, General Manager of InterContinental Jordan, and members of the owning company.

The buffet served during the opening was a lavish one that impressed everyone in terms of both presentation and flavour. 

This project was spearheaded by the hotel’s engineering department, and was executed under the management and guidance of Engineer Talal Khleifat.

This is another example of how InterContinental Jordan makes sure to provide a healthy and attractive environment to all its colleagues, and that their overall well-being is a top priority for InterContinental Jordan. 

Bank ABC has launched a new digital banking platform in Jordan, reaffirming its commitment to consistently provide the best quality service to its customers and satisfy their evolving needs.

The design features a new refreshed look and feel and offers greater functionality and a higher level of personalised banking.

The new platform is designed to be responsive and fully compatible for use on any device, whether a mobile phone, a tablet or a personal computer.

The new platform provides enhanced security capabilities including introducing two-factor-authentication, through a One-Time-Password (OTP), which can be generated with Bank ABC OTP app available on smartphone app stores.

Sael Al Waary, Chairman of Bank ABC in Jordan and Deputy CEO of the Bank ABC Group, said: “The Kingdom of Jordan is one of the key markets for us and we have been investing to strengthen our presence in the country.

This is a proud moment for us as to be able to launch this advanced banking service first in Jordan.”  The new ABC Digital Banking offers a thoughtful bouquet of services, benefits and solutions to the Bank's customers.

Customers can transfer funds both locally and internationally; activate/block cards; pay credit card dues; recharge prepaid cards; view/manage/pay bills through eFawateercom; request for cheque books, bank statements, manager’s cheque; and locate Bank ABC branches and ATMs.