Category: Uncategorized

Emmanuel Macron-President of France

Working together: Universities are forming innovative partnerships for research and development

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With 2015 declared a “Year of Innovation” by the federal government, public and private stakeholders in the emirate have increasingly focused on post-graduate education, particularly research and development (R&D) activities at the PhD level. Both private and government-funded universities have actively sought to expand their PhD offerings, with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education taking on increasing prominence as the emirate moves to develop a skilled workforce in its transition to a knowledge-based economy. Enrolment Growth Post-secondary enrolment in Abu Dhabi recorded a sharp increase between the 2008/09 and 2013/14 academic years, from 32,360 to 51,333 students, according to data from the Ministry of

Xi Jinping-President of China

Port of call: Developments in the cruise tourism segment are building and sustaining growth throughout the economy

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The cruise tourism segment is showing itself to be increasingly capable of boosting Abu Dhabi’s status as an international destination, while further supporting moves to diversify economic growth beyond the hydrocarbons sector. The emirate is expecting increased arrivals and greater tourist footfall onshore thanks to the decision by top cruise companies to “home port” their vessels in Abu Dhabi. (https://matchkicks.com) This means that cruise companies will base their ships there throughout the season, before and after voyages, making Abu Dhabi the entry point for a

Nhon Luc Ly-CEO-AIA Myanmar; Son Nguyen-Country President-Chubb Life Insurance Myanmar; Daw Zarchi Tin-CEO

Tapping into savings: Measures are being taken to ensure more sustainable usage of water resources

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Limited supply of available water resources poses an acute challenge to Abu Dhabi and the UAE more broadly. As new research points to the urgency in countering the trends of high water usage, the government is looking to increase efficiencies to sustain the water resources needed to support growth. On the agenda is the implementation of a data-driven water budget that encourages the sustainable use of water resources across agricultural, industrial and residential users. Falling Levels According to a 2015 study “The Challenges of Water Scarcity and the Future of Food Security in the United Arab Emirates” conducted by researchers at the UAE University, Al

Srisawad Power 1979: Financial services

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The Company Srisawad Power 1979 (SAWAD) was established by the Kaewbootta family mainly to offer collateral-backed consumer loans. Moreover, it offers auto hire purchase loans for new motorcycles and non-collateralised personal loans. However, the firm is tending to lower its exposure to these businesses as it prefers to focus more on collateral-backed lending. In addition, SAWAD offers other auto-related services, including auto tax extensions, auto registration and insurance. Moreover, it recently diversified to the debt collection and asset management businesses (NPL purchases) as well as collateralised lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). As of September 2015, the firm had 1446 service centres nationwide. Classified

Pham Hong Hai-CEO-HSBC Vietnam

Playing catch-up: Setting sights on significant expansion in renewables

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When spiking oil prices and global pressure to address climate change led to a widespread shift in the energy industry towards a greater contribution from renewable energy (RE) in the early 2000s, Thailand largely bucked this trend, preferring instead to double down on traditional fuel sources. Alternative energy sources contribute only a very small fraction of the country’s electricity needs; at just 2.5% of the total primary energy requirements for the country in the first half of 2015, even though financial incentives for RE have been in place since 2006. The overall contribution is only slightly larger when looking solely at the electricity segment, where

In good company: A look at the various types of businesses that can be set up

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In Thailand, business organisations can be divided into two types: non-profit organisations and business organisations. Non-profit organisations have to register under the Civil and Commercial Code, and are divided into associations and foundations. Associations can conduct any activity that is ongoing and not conducted for the purpose of profit. Foundations consist of property allocated specially for public benefit, and also are not-for-profit. Business organisations can be divided into three types: partnerships, limited companies and joint ventures. Partnerships Partnerships are split into ordinary partnerships and limited partnerships. Ordinary partnerships may or may not register as a legal entity. (https://cannabisbudcans.com/) Non-registered ordinary partnerships have no status as

Nhon Luc Ly-CEO-AIA Myanmar; Son Nguyen-Country President-Chubb Life Insurance Myanmar; Daw Zarchi Tin-CEO

Work to do: A downgrade by international regulators has led authorities to overhaul the aviation industry

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Despite Thailand boasting a top-rated airport and a flagship carrier ranked in the top 20 globally, the country’s aviation sector was hit in 2015 by a series of negative reviews and downgrades by a foreign regulator and an international aviation organisation. The assessments surprised the travelling public and gave rise to a number of practical concerns and considerations. While the downgrades had no immediate impact on the country, over the long term they have the potential to harm not only the business of Thailand’s airlines,

Enda Kenny-Prime Minister of IrelandEnda Kenny-Prime Minister of Ireland

Balancing the books: Fiscal policy emphasises reduction of the public wage bill, subsidy cuts and tax reforms

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Balancing a budget is made all the more challenging in times of low growth. However, Tunisia has had some remarkable success in addressing its fiscal shortfalls, and while debt has been inching upwards, it is still manageable. The government has more work to do to bring the budget closer to a surplus and will look to slow the rise in debt, but the country has certainly proved itself adept at balancing the books. (https://thefoundationspecialists.com) Rising & Falling Tunisian government debt steadily declined in the first

Ahmed El Beheiry-CEO-Telecom Egypt

Multiple benefits: Regulatory changes include moves to boost transparency, risk management and capital levels

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The Tunisian insurance sector is regulated by the General Committee on Insurance (Comité Géneral des Assurances, CGA), which is a unit of the Ministry of Finance, and by the 1992 Insurance Code. The industry has entered a period of significant regulatory change following the completion of an EU-funded strategic review of the insurance market and the CGA’s subsequent announcement of a five-year programme of reform. Due to be completed in 2019, the programme gradually introduces changes to industry regulations, including moves to boost transparency –

Mark Geilenkirchen-CEO-Port of Sohar

Neighbourhood watch: Although China’s slowdown may not have a direct impact on the Philippine economy, risks remain

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Relative insulation from China has been a saving grace for the Philippines since 2014, helping sustain high growth rates as most other South-east Asian economies have slowed. Yet the Philippines will continue to be affected by the developing changes in China. Global Impact A crash of the Chinese equity market and a surge in capital flight in the summer of 2015 generated turbulence in capital markets worldwide. The Philippines felt a moderate impact: the peso fell against the dollar by 3.5% during July and August,