Home MARCH 2009

MARCH 2009

by reeda

MARCH 2009

 

EDITORIAL





COMMENT



Near death of a star
Lebanon's English daily barely stays afloat






The costs of our conflicts
The Middle East's lost trillions at the end of the barrel






India‘s fatwa against terrorism
Sub-continent's Muslim take stand against extremism






Last call for peace
A future full of war if Obama's efforts in region fail






Defective democracy
Arabs vote, but 'free' or 'fair' not in the election vocabulary




EXECUTIVE INSIGHTS























EM Leadership Center
The world‘s shifting market






Value creation within the pale of crisis
Value creation within the pale of crisis






Drive Communication
Lebanon‘s need for a ‘creative nation’ branding




LEVANT



TMA’s flight path
The peculiar politics of the cargo business






Lebanon – Storm brews in cedar seas
Proposed mega-project dredging up environmental battle






Expanding coverage
Lebanese insurers still see growth despite a sinking world economy






Ads up for an election
Campaign faces set to get pasted all over town






Ripe for fresh businesses
Excess liquidity and loans programs should sow harvest of SMEs






Ever the snow bunnies
Despite the warmer weather, skiers are lining up for the chair lifts






Rockin’ the shop
Music business in Beirut keeps the beat even in an off-key industry






Aid work on a shoestring
Humanitarian NGOs face looming funding cuts






Politics over pragmatism
Votes bought at the economy’s cost




GCC



The dollar’s exposure
Greenback’s sway around the world wears a litany of liabilities






The empty lanes of realty
Once speeding real estate stocks suffer breakdown






Dubai's development delays
A map of stalled construction






Opportunity in Dubai’s crisis
Cheaper rents and declining wages lower start-up costs for businesses






A parking lot like no other
‘Barwa Al Baraha’ set to be the world’s biggest truck park






Antoine Drean & Jean Aboumrad – Q&A
A chat with the chairman/CEO and the managing director




NORTH AFRICA



Enticing tourists
Algiers seeks to be visitor’s port of call






Wildlife from war’s swamp
Tourism potential rediscovered






On factory road
Low costs and an educated workforce lure foreign manufacturing jobs






Students of success
Emphasis on education paves way for future prosperity






Industrial ambitions
Rabat unveils plan to carry the economy on the back of industry




BANKING & FINANCE



Merrill Lynch – Gary Dugan (Q&A)
The managing director and chief investment officer in the EMEA






National Bank of Abu Dhabi – Michael H. Tomalin
An exclusive interview with the chief executive






UAE – Sovereigns of solvency
Abu Dhabi cushions banks with capital, Dubai may need to do the same






Solidere – equity research guide
Opening the developer’s books






IPO Watch – Hints of a thaw
Markets show signs of unclenching, ever so slightly








BUSINESS ESSENTIALS





FINANCIAL INDICATORS



Regional equity markets
A look at Arab World indices for February




CAPITALIST CULTURE



Rule of law – Mr. Lebanon’s redress
What the Hariri tribunal means for Lebanese justice