A high-quality office environment will entice 'knowledge economy' companies to set up in Abu Dhabi.
A high-quality office environment will entice 'knowledge economy' companies to set up in Abu Dhabi.

Abu Dhabi must invest in office environment



Abu Dhabi has aspirations to become a global city - a modern, dynamic place that brings together people and businesses from across the world.

It will become an increasingly balanced economy - imagine a mix of Houston and New York - combining the historical strengths of its oil and gas industry with a diversified business centre of international and local companies.

The 2030 Abu Dhabi Economic Plan identifies strategically important sectors that would fit well with the city, such as aerospace, electronics, media and renewable energy technology. All are considered key drivers of future growth, creating the bulk of new jobs over the next 50 years. This plan to develop clusters of expertise is reminiscent of civic development strategies at Silicon Valley, Boston and Singapore, traditionally favoured locations for knowledge businesses.

Attracting such organisations can be a challenge. As information technology advances, ties that have historically kept businesses close to their key markets are breaking down.

So what is it that makes one city more attractive than another to these expanding industries? And how can Abu Dhabi make sure it is the foremost choice?

There are several factors that companies consider when deciding where to make their home. Transport links, housing and lifestyle, research and higher education facilities, available finance, government incentives and communication networks all play important parts. To this list we must add a further consideration - the physical work environment, offices, cubicles, buildings and mobile workplaces in which knowledge workers ply their trade.

A 2002 study by the consulting firm Accenture found that physical environment was the number one priority for organisations looking to improve the performance of high-end knowledge workers (the other common ones were information technology and management). The introduction of a new workspace was most often the catalyst for a broad redesign of the working environment.

There are many examples of organisations designing new offices with the intention of encouraging more collaborative working cultures. It is difficult to achieve the balance between providing workers with sufficient space to concentrate and ensuring easy communication and interaction, but finding it can result in spectacular increases in productivity.

It is therefore an imperative that for Abu Dhabi's proposition as a knowledge-business hub to be taken seriously, flexible world-class office environments must be available in abundance.

Yet the vast majority of commercial office space currently available in Abu Dhabi does not fulfil these needs. At Aldar we are focused on remedying this shortage, supporting the performance goals of organisations within the "knowledge economy". In commercial developments such as Al Mamoura and HQ, which is now complete and ready for occupation, our aim is to provide creative spaces that enable workforces to deliver.

In creating our commercial developments, we have placed our highest priority on tailoring the working environment to fit future business needs, achieving a balance of communication and collaboration while providing the space to concentrate.

At the top of the range buildings such as HQ have the flexibility to accommodate all the human (modular space design, natural daylight, positive working environment, on-site staff services) and technological (raised access flooring, inbuilt IT & communications infrastructure, back-up power capability, supplementary airconditioning supply, increased floor loadings) aspects of the high-performance jigsaw in the knowledge economy.

It is this flexibility that will stand Aldar's commercial buildings in good stead as demand grows for high-quality office space in Abu Dhabi.

We are focused on creating the conditions that develop the infrastructure to attract knowledge-based companies to Abu Dhabi. As we implement the Government of Abu Dhabi's economic plan aimed at promoting a "knowledge economy", a high-quality office environment has never been more important.

Mohammed al Mubarak is the chief commercial officer at Aldar Properties

'My Son'

Director: Christian Carion

Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis

Rating: 2/5

HEY%20MERCEDES%2C%20WHAT%20CAN%20YOU%20DO%20FOR%20ME%3F
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Teachers' pay - what you need to know

Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:

- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools

- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say

- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance

- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs

- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills

- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month

- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues

A new relationship with the old country

Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates

The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.

ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.

ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.

ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.

DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.

Signed

Geoffrey Arthur  Sheikh Zayed

CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage

Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid 

Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani

Rating: 4/5

COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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TO A LAND UNKNOWN

Director: Mahdi Fleifel

Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa

Rating: 4.5/5

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

Company%20Profile
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo

The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km

Gender pay parity on track in the UAE

The UAE has a good record on gender pay parity, according to Mercer's Total Remuneration Study.

"In some of the lower levels of jobs women tend to be paid more than men, primarily because men are employed in blue collar jobs and women tend to be employed in white collar jobs which pay better," said Ted Raffoul, career products leader, Mena at Mercer. "I am yet to see a company in the UAE – particularly when you are looking at a blue chip multinationals or some of the bigger local companies – that actively discriminates when it comes to gender on pay."

Mr Raffoul said most gender issues are actually due to the cultural class, as the population is dominated by Asian and Arab cultures where men are generally expected to work and earn whereas women are meant to start a family.

"For that reason, we see a different gender gap. There are less women in senior roles because women tend to focus less on this but that’s not due to any companies having a policy penalising women for any reasons – it’s a cultural thing," he said.

As a result, Mr Raffoul said many companies in the UAE are coming up with benefit package programmes to help working mothers and the career development of women in general. 

EXPATS
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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League final:

Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports

The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Power: 268bhp / 536bhp
Torque: 343Nm / 686Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
On sale: Later this year
Ticket prices
  • Golden circle - Dh995
  • Floor Standing - Dh495
  • Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
  • Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
  • Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
  • Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
  • Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
  • Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding