“A new achievement confirms the role of our Human capital and its ability to compete regionally and globally”, Al-Saeid, MD and GM, ITS Group

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/15/2012 -- Dubai The International Turnkey Systems Group (ITS) has realized a new regional achievement by obtaining the "Best Technology Company of the Year 2012" award from Arabian Business Magazine. This award was presented in recognition of ITS's recent achievements in the field of information, software development and technology.

Mr. Khaled Faraj Al-Saeid, Managing Director and General Manager of the ITS Group, received the award at a prestigious ceremony in the State of Kuwait. Mr Al-Saeid commented on being selected for this award by saying: "Once again ITS confirms its superiority by the testimony of others through obtaining one of the top regional awards and is highly recognized by companies and institutions in various sectors".

He added: "For more than 30 years (the lifetime of the company) our Human Resources have played the most prominent and important role in realizing these achievements and have positioned the company to enable it to compete strongly within the market and most importantly to distinguish it through groups of solutions, products and services which have ultimately become the hallmark of ITS".

Banking and Investment Sector
The ITS ETHIX financial solution is a recognized solution in meeting the requirements of Islamic and traditional financial organizations. ETHIX has assisted many banks and financial institutions to minimize their operational costs in responding to the increased demand of customers for both traditional and Islamic products and services.

In addition, through the use of the most advanced and developed technological solutions in the world, ETHIX Financial solutions is ranked globally as the premier total banking solution, fully compliant with Islamic Shari'a catering to Tier1 banks.

Higher Education Sector
The ITS OneCampus solution for the higher education sector provides a unique and innovative approach through technical and social integrated solutions accompanied by incomparable services.

The applications and the solutions provided by OneCampus are fully compatible with the future plans of any university or educational body which aim to keep pace with its growth and to ensure the best at educational, administrative and technical service levels.

During the last few years the ITS Group has succeeded in providing a range of unique solutions, systems and techniques which are suitable for universities and educational institutions across the Middle East. The ITS solutions are in line with the requirements of students in the region and it is this factor which distinguishes ITS from other companies operating in the same activity.

While modern technology has increased substantially it is the deep-rooted experience of the ITS Group which allows the company to meet client requirements and to successfully apply the OneCampus solutions with internationally high standard specifications.

Other Sectors
ITS serve a range of important markets including the banking and investment sector, communications, higher education, e-government, the oil sector and many others. Recently the group has witnessed a qualitative and distinctive leap in company activities and the various products it offers. With an innovative approach to the growing demands in large organizations & government entities, ITS P2B (Paper to Bits) offers a unique value proposition, offering comprehensive solutions and services, starting from Digitization, archiving, business process management, to case management.

The Arabian Business awards granted to various business sectors are considered as some of the most prominent and important awards which are presented to the business sector in the region.

The successful strategy of the ITS Group has enabled the company to double the ceiling of its returns and achieve significant company growth. By increasing total returns and the company's equivalent in profits, ITS have been able to make both regional and strategic expansions, highlighting the role of HR in ITS.

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Dubai, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/12/2012 -- Fueled by strong economic expansion, infrastructure sector in the Middle East is rapidly growing in size, maturity and professionalism, and needs to be managed effectively in order to ensure the financial and physical sustainability of these multi-billion dollar investments. However, experts believe that there is still a substantial gap in the management of these infrastructure assets once they are built. While the concept of asset management is relatively new to the region, it is vital for Middle East governments that invest billions of dollars, to ensure that their infrastructure investments are efficient and deliver value for money in the long term.

"It should be noted that asset management is a new but rapidly emerging area across the world. In the Middle East, some asset intensive organisations especially in the transport, power, water and telecom sectors have taken the lead in terms of focusing on improving their asset management practices," said Amit Anand, Director of Capital Projects and Infrastructure, PwC Middle East, who will be one of the speakers at the first Government Asset Management Congress 2012.

"However the majority of the remaining organisations are at a very early stage when it comes to even having access to basic data about their assets, before using it for any meaningful decision-making. We therefore see a big gap in this area in both the government and private sector organisations in the Middle East," he continued.

Anand believes that there are numerous benefits of adopting emerging asset management practices. Some of them include better customer service to the public, enhanced control over capital and operational expenditure, effective identification and management of asset related risks, as well as improved economic and social returns on infrastructure investments.

Without an underlying asset management framework in most organisations, the opportunity to drive efficiencies and performance is big. "Asset intensive organisations in the region are at a point of choice where they can either continue to operate their assets the way they always have, or really seize the opportunity to create a real competitive advantage in their market," said Anand.

Anand said the conference is timely for the region as it could address the gaps in the region's asset management capabilities, adding that it will play an important role in increasing awareness and bringing a much needed cultural shift within organisations.

"The opportunity that the organisations in the Middle East have is therefore quite unique and timely. As these relatively new organisations in the Middle East embark on building new infrastructure, they can also focus on developing a robust framework to manage these assets for when they get commissioned. There are enough examples available overseas that can provide guidance on developing and implementing an organizations' asset management transformation roadmap," he said.

"Mature asset management models have already been developed in Europe, and the lessons learnt can be employed in the Middle East region, in order to speed up the development process," said Atif Raja Managing Director of KEMA, also speaking at the conference.

With the Roads and Transport Authority Dubai as the strategic partner for the Congress, the event will be the first opportunity of its kind in the region and will see the participation of senior figures from a host of government organisations from across the GCC. The conference takes place from May 27 until May 29 at the Address Hotel, Dubai Marina, and UAE. Speakers for the conference include Adi Al Dees, director of asset management department at the Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai, Dr Naif Dandachi, director of asset management at TRANSCO, Abu Dhabi, John Arnup, director of global engineering for DP World in the UAE and many more.

About IIR Government Asset Management
A regional event, the Government Asset Management Congress 2012 promotes the professional discipline of asset management among the owners and managers of government infrastructure across the Middle East. The first event of its kind for the region, it provides an important platform to share international and regional best practice in asset management. The event covers all classes of government infrastructure and assets including water, power, waste water, roads, airports, ports, rail and social infrastructure. Speakers include Bert de Wit Project Manager Asset Management Rijkswaterstaat, Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, Netherlands, Batool Ali Abdula'al Deputy Chief Executive Electricity and Water Production and Transmission, Bahrain Electricity and Water Authority, Bahrain, Abdulla Ali Al Madani CEO, Corporate Technical Support Services Sector, RTA, UAE and others. For more information please visit www.iirme.com/governmentassetmanagement.

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Dubai, Dubai -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/11/2012 -- Mudo City one of the most famous brands in Turkey announced today the opening of the first Mudo City store in the UAE. The Turkish brand comes to Dubai with its partner Asadel Retail Group, a newly established retailing company focusing on various retail sectors such as fashion, furniture and home decor, food and beverage, and entertainment across the GCC, CIS countries, Russia and Turkey.

Making its global debut, Mudo City opened its doors on Sunday, 20th May, 2012 at its Dubai Mall location, the company's first outside Turkey. The renowned brand, which has more than 120 stores throughout Turkey, is set to revolutionize the fashion industry in the region.

"We are delighted to start our global expansion in the UAE. Dubai is known as a shopper's paradise and as such we believe that Mudo City will become an established name in the UAE and Middle East market," said Mustafa Tavilo?lu founder and CEO of Mudo City. "Our store is built around the concept of 'everything for home and life' and has a wide spectrum of products to offer customers in the region."

Established in 1964 by Mustafa Tavilo?lu and Do?an Gueruen, Mudo City began by selling gifts, records and hand-painted t-shirts. The small shop was the foundation of today's Turkish retail giant.

"Today, Mudo City Stores, which evolved from the shop-in-shop concept into being multi-brand lifestyle stores, along with a range of Mudo stores, and the growing number of Mudo Outlet stores have grown to over 55,000 square meters of selling space throughout Turkey," he continued.

The company has grown over time to include the Mudo Collection which features high-end fashion, Mudo Concept which includes home decor and furniture and Mudo Accessories.

"Partnering with Mudo was a natural progression for us as Asadel has an investor mandate to pursue market opportunity presented by the rising demand for stylish, trendy and affordable products in the Middle East, Turkey and Russia," said Mr. Ayman Jamil CEO of Asadel. "The group aims to develop brand presence in the UAE region and to properly position brands to go head-to-head with direct competition in the region."

A pioneer in the Turkish fashion industry, Mudo Collection entered the ready to wear market offering quality and the latest fashion in both men's and women's wear. Their latest collections reflect trends of modern-classic style. Mudo Collection, which is the heart of Mudo today, is represented in over 26 Mudo stores around Turkey.

The Mudo Concept offers its customers more than 25,000 different items. The concept works with over 400 solution partners around the world and also includes Turkish designed and produced items. The renowned brand includes furniture, home decoration, kitchen, bathroom and personal accessories, home textiles and lighting.

Mudo Accessoires brand was created in parallel to the continuous growth and development strategy of Mudo. The brand which has a wide spectrum of products from shoes to handbags is comprised of a young and dynamic team who come up with unique, innovative products for different age groups.

About Mudo City
Mudo City is Turkey's leading retailer offering clothing, accessories, furniture and home decoration products in more than 60 stores throughout Turkey. The Mudo brand includes Mudo Collection, Mudo Concept, Mudo Accessoires and Mudo Outlet. Under the guidance of its founder, Mustafa Tavilo?lu, Mudo has grown from its launch in 1964 as a small gift shop to become a major brand in today's Turkish retail marketplace. For more information visit http://www.kurumsal.mudo.com.tr

About Asadel
Asadel Retail Group is a newly established retailing company focusing on various retail sectors such as fashion, furniture & home decor, food and beverages and entertainment across the GCC region as well as Russia and Turkey. The company is funded through retail dedicated entity set up by investors from the finance and private equity sector and has already been active in the GCC, Russia and Turkey. Asadel was founded by Mustafa Samim Hatipoglu, one of the most respected players in real-estate in Turkey and Kazakhstan due to his past track record of successful projects. He formed Asadel Interbrands with a group of investors to target the retail opportunities that were untapped in Turkey and the GCC region.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

News facts. Dubai, May 21, 2012 – one of 18 events in 17 countries across Central Europe, Middle East, Africa and India (CEMEA & I). IT Future 2012 theme “IT reshaping Business”. Customer exhibition showcasing latest products, solutions and services. High-level Fujitsu speakers, partners and experts will provide personalized information to visitors

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/11/2012 -- Fujitsu, a global IT infrastructure provider, today announces that the Fujitsu IT Future Roadshow 2012 will include a Middle East venue for the first time. The Dubai Conference, taking place on May 21, 2012, is designed to help decision-makers to explore the ways that IT is reshaping business, and how Fujitsu is supporting the changing role of organizational IT in response.

Complete package for customers: Keynotes, break-out sessions and exhibition
As new technologies are changing the way people live – with sensors, big data analytics, social media, robots and communication all opening up new business opportunities – Fujitsu will be using the conference to highlight how its concept "IT reshaping Business" can provide businesses with a competitive edge. Visitors will get a preview of the new ULTRABOOKs and LIFEBOOKs, PRIMERGY S7 server generation and the new Fujitsu CELSIUS workstations, as well as the latest 3D display, storage solutions, SAP HANA software, DI blocks and Fujitsu Cloud offerings.

At the one-day conference Fujitsu executives will discuss the opportunities and challenges facing regional enterprises, and elaborate on the company's global vision for FY2012. Twelve break-out sessions will feature business critical issues such as reshaping the datacenter, reshaping the workplace, and Cloud Computing.

Supporting quote
Farid Al-Sabbagh, Managing Director - Middle East, Fujitsu Technology Solutions.
"We are kicking off our financial year for 2012 (FY2012) with the Fujitsu IT Future Roadshow 2012 as one of Fujitsu's two major annual customer events in the region. This is an ideal way for us to effectively communicate our market insights, strategy, products, and solutions for the year to our customers and partners in the Middle East. We are bringing our global experts to showcase our latest technology solutions for data centers, workplaces, mobile computing and cloud computing, among others."

Online resources
- For further information on the Fujitsu IT Future event series, please see: http://www.fujitsu.com/fts/itfuture
- Fujitsu blog: http://blog.ts.fujitsu.com/
- Follow Fujitsu on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Fujitsu_TS
- Fujitsu on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/face2fujitsu

For regular news updates, bookmark the Fujitsu newsroom: http://ts.fujitsu.com/ps2/nr/index.aspx

About Fujitsu
Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Over 170,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.5 trillion yen (US$54 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2012. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com

About Fujitsu Technology Solutions
Fujitsu Technology Solutions is the leading European IT infrastructure provider with a presence in all key markets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, plus India, serving large-, medium- and small-sized companies as well as consumers. With its Dynamic Infrastructures approach, the company offers a full portfolio of IT products, solutions and services, ranging from clients to datacenter solutions, Managed Infrastructure and Infrastructure as a Service. Fujitsu Technology Solutions employs more than 13,000 people and is part of the global Fujitsu Group. For more information, please see ts.fujitsu.com/aboutus.

All other company or product names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Information provided in this press release is accurate at time of publication and is subject to change without advance notice.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/10/2012 -- The National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD), the Number One Bank in the UAE, has added a new feature to its Arrow service, allowing customers to instantly transfer funds to any bank in India at a lower price through Federal Bank, one of the leading private sector banks in India.

This is the first time a bank has introduced a real-time international account to account money transfer service via mobile phones anywhere in the world.

By adding a remittance corridor to the Federal Bank in India through its Arrow mobile service in the UAE, NBAD gives mobile users greater security and instant control of their money across borders.

NBAD Arrow, the mobile based SMS payment service powered by Luup mobile payment technology, already allows users to send money to over 256,000 MoneyGram locations in 192 countries by two simple SMS messages. The new feature enables NBAD and non-NBAD customers to pay AED12 for their remittance to bank accounts in India. Money transfer times are cut to just seconds compared to the 2-3 days with standard mobile banking applications, giving users greater security, convenience and control.

"Indian nationals make up the largest expatriate group in the UAE and offering this service at such a low rate compared to the usual market price for their remittances adds a valuable saving to our customers," says Ahmed Al Naqbi, the Head of Direct Banking & E Development at NBAD. "We are proud to be the first UAE bank to offer this real-time special bank-to-bank mobile service and allow customers to transfer funds using the bank's competitive exchange rates and remittances fees."

He added: "In addition to Arrow clients, NBAD Mobile Application users can also benefit from the new service to send money anywhere at anytime."

The Federal Bank is the fourth largest private sector bank in India with branches across all states and additional remittance outlets via the Indian Bank Network (NEFT).

Launching the Service, Mr. Shyam Srinivasan, Managing Director & CEO, Federal Bank said, "Through this new tie up NBAD, one of the largest banks in UAE offering state of the art remittance services, families of Indian expatriates can receive money realtime within seconds through Federal Bank. The Bank's alliance with NBAD boosts Federal Bank's never ending commitment to its customers and Indian expatriates. We are continually working to make new channels available to our customers and well wishers to access banking services so that they can meet their money transfer requirements hassle free.

"Federal Bank is the 4th largest private sector commercial banks in the country and is the largest traditional private sector Bank in Kerala. The Bank enjoys the trust and confidence of more than 8 Lakhs NRI customers across the world, which will be further enhanced with the availability of the NBAD Arrow Service. Federal Bank is having very strong presense in the remittance market and more than 7% of pan India remittance was routed through us last year."

The Arrow services and award-winning1NBAD Mobile Applications are powered by Luup, NBAD's global mobile payments partner. They offer customers full control over their account allowing them to transfer funds including remittance transactions, pay utility bills, make donations, and view all their accounts using their device.

Recently, the bank has enhanced its Mobile Phone Application services and extended them to all smart phone users. The enhanced application offers financial and non-financial services such as locating NBAD branches and ATMs and information about products and services. In addtion, NBAD Mobile App users can send their feedbacks and queries or even talk to NBAD representatives through email and call centre services that are built into the application.

"The market is constantly looking for reliable and inexpensive means to meet their banking and financial needs. This is why we continue to develop services, add more valuable benefits and employ advanced techonology to offer our customers utmost convenience when banking with us," said Mr. Al Naqbi.

To benefit from this feature, customers should register with the Arrow service. NBAD online account holders can register by visiting https://arrow.nbad.com. Non-NBAD customers can link to Arrow by obtaining a prepaid card at any NBAD branch. Smart phone users can enjoy the new feature through downloading the NBAD Mobile Application for free.

1 In 2011, Arrow, the UAE's first mobile phone money transfer and international remittance service, was named the best Mobile Payment Application and Best International Mobile Money Transfer programme.

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Representatives of the shipping and bunker supply industry in the Red Sea and Gulf region convene to improve services in one of the world’s busiest shipping routes

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/10/2012 -- Bunkering, the supply of fuel for ships, is a major industry in the Red Sea and Gulf region, as international freight passes through the global shipping artery of the Suez Canal. With the UAE's Fujairah Port alone being the second largest refueling port in the world, many other ports in the region are also boosting their services to meet international demand.

RESCON, the Red Sea and Gulf Bunkering Conference, is the pioneering meeting of professionals drawing bunker and shipping experts from across all countries in the region to actively debate how they can improve services and operations in the industry.

Bunkers are the largest cost to any ship owner or operator and so pricing strategies along with many other elements such as more stringent global sulphur regulations, piracy prevention, advances in technology, specific port improvements and hedging strategies to reduce risk in the market will all be discussed by the region's specialists.

Speaking at the conference is Jan Jacobsen, CEO of Monjasa, supplier of oil products worldwide and Headline Sponsor of the event.

"The bunkering sector is an important, dynamic, driving factor which is a strong industry to any country's import and export activities. But the real benefit is job opportunities that it gives to those in the region, the ability to serve big shipping lines and community developments through education in international shipping," said Jacobsen.

The recent sanctions on Iran will also be considered and how the industry has adapted to it.

"The Bunker Market is growing day by day and more participation from international players is making it competitive global market for the rest of the world. Bunkering is a requirement of every ship and due to the cost impact, ships refuel at the most competitive ports which the Middle East is able to offer currently," said Kalrav Dixit, group trading manager at Gulf Petrochem, also one of the speakers at RESCON 2012 and Industry Support Sponsor.

RESCON the Red Sea and Gulf Bunkering Conference will take place at the Moevenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach, Dubai on May 21 until May 23. Other speakers include Lars Robert Pedersen, Deputy Secretary General, The Baltic and International Maritime Council, Saher Tahlawi, Director General, Jeddah Islamic Port, Saudi Ports Authority, Tamer Masoud, Harbour Master, Port Of Fujairah, Julius Rodrigues, Operations Manager, United Arab Chemical Carriers, Morten Dehn, General Manager Bunker Department, Mur Shipping, Abdulla Al-Hayyas, senior manager at the Dubai Maritime City Authority, and many others.

About RESCON
The Red Sea and Gulf Bunkering Conference is a comprehensive gathering of bunker professionals focused specifically on the Red Sea and Gulf region. The conference taking place in the UAE for the very first time breaks down each component impacting the bunker business to give detailed and specific guidance, advice and strategies for issues that are challenging the industry. Delegates can forge lucrative commercial partnerships and gain insight from peers. Topics for the event include bunker pricing, economic impacts, risk management, piracy, future contracts, port spotlights and many more. Sponsors include Monjasa, Bakri International Energy Co., IBCO and Gulf Petrochem. Supporters of the event include Dubai Martime City Authority and The International Bunker Industry Association. For more information visit http://www.iirme.com/rescon

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The sky's the limit for cashU, as it launches a new partnership with Jazeera Airways to provide an alternative online payment method for customers

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/04/2012 -- cashU, a leading secure online payment provider, and award-winning Kuwait-based airline Jazeera Airways, today announced a new partnership that enables Jazeera Airways passengers that do not have a bank account or a credit/debit card to securely complete transactions on jazeeraairways.com using cashU's prepaid cards and services.

cashU's prepaid cards are available at retailers in all countries served by Jazeera Airways. With the Middle East being the main concentration of the cashU user base and Kuwait being in the top three of this base, the partnership is beneficial to both parties.

"More customers will now be able to book online for their next vacation from the comfort of their home. With cashU, they will definitely have access to a secure, flexible and convenient payment method that enhances their planning and booking experience on jazeerairways.com," said Jazeera Airways Vice President of Sales Rafik Boghdady.

Jazeera Airways operates a two-class cabin comprising a Business Class and an Economy Class, and serves 19 destinations in the Middle East. In 2011, the airline carried 1.2 million passengers in total across its network that includes high-demand business, religious, leisure, family, and weekend destinations such as such as Dubai, Bahrain, Beirut, Alexandria, Amman, Damascus, Istanbul, Sharm El Sheikh, Assiut, Aleppo, Deir Ezzor, Luxor, Mashhad, Sohag, Jeddah, Riyadh, Cairo and Najaf. Jazeera Airways is an IATA-member airline and operates one of the youngest Airbus A320 fleets across the Middle East and North Africa.

"Airlines are generally prone to last minute abandoned sales. This deal will reduce the chances of this happening because if a customer doesn't have a bank account or is unable to pay using a debit or credit card, they can use this payment option," said Martin Waldenstrom, CEO, cashU.

Research conducted by cashU shows that the most popular and convenient way of topping up larger amounts of money for online accounts is through exchange houses such as UAE Exchange. As a result travelers can now top up their accounts with up to USD1,000. This is an added benefit as the user will be charged less on larger top up accounts.

"Both Jazeera Airways and cashU will enjoy extensive exposure through this deal, not only among their existing customers but also potential ones. Having cashU integrated as a payment method will provide users with access to a whole new category, in which they can use their accounts to make safe and secure online transactions. This indicates the importance of having a pre-paid online payment option besides the traditional methods available," added Waldenstrom.

Part of Jabbar Internet Group, cashU was launched in July, 2002 as the region's first prepaid online payment gateway. cashU is available in 35 countries around the world and is used on more than 4,500 merchant websites which specialize in offering the services of online gaming, online shopping, dating & matrimony, IT services, FX trading and much more.

About cashU
cashU established in 2002 by Maktoob (now Yahoo) is a Payment Service Provider (PSP) with a focus on Internet payments across the Middle East and North Africa. Today, cashU process 400 million online transaction each month. Headquartered in Dubai, the company serves global and regional online merchants with a complete suite of payment solutions custom built to cater for local culture and the Arabic online buying habits and trends.

The company's management team is the region's most experienced online payment experts with a solid background from regional and international banking, credit card processing, alternative payment solutions and online monetization and marketing industries. cashU is built upon, and encapsulates the most sophisticated and up to date fraud prevention and AML systems reducing the risks associated with online payments for both buyers and sellers which all allows for wider, safer and faster consumer participation in e-commerce.

About Jazeera Airways
Established in 2005, Jazeera Airways Group is a Kuwait Stock Exchange-listed company with over 12,000 shareholders. The company has 12 fully-owned Airbus A320s in operation, distributed between its airline business, Jazeera Airways (six aircraft), and its fully-owned leasing business, Sahaab Aircraft Leasing (six aircraft). Sahaab has assets placed with Virgin America, SriLankan Airlines, and Jazeera Airways.

To date, the airline has flown over 8.8 million passengers since commencing operations in October 2005. In 2011, the airline carried 1.2 million passengers across its network that includes today high-demand business, leisure, family, and weekend destinations such as Dubai, Bahrain, Beirut, Alexandria, Amman, Damascus, Istanbul, Sharm El Sheikh, Assiut, Aleppo, Deir Ezzor, Luxor, Mashhad, Sohag, Jeddah, Riyadh, Cairo and Najaf.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/29/2012 -- SanDisk, the global leader in flash memory cards, is gearing for its participation in DISTREE Middle East 2012. The premier annual event unites vendors, distributors, retailers and e-tailers from more than 14 countries in the Information Communications Technologies (ICT) and Consumer Electronics (CE) channel. Using DISTREE as a platform, SanDisk will identify new avenues to market its products while networking with the industry's leading players.

"DISTREE Middle East is an opportunity for us to meet customers in a captive environment without it being a constraint. It also offers an ideal stage for quality networking. DISTREE has a certain level of success predictability that other events do not have and we are pleased to be part of it," said Tareq Husseini, SanDisk's Regional Sales Director, Middle East and Africa (MEA).

DISTREE attracts senior executives from ME's digital device and ICT products retail channel. Discussing industry trends SanDisk will highlight some of their latest products at the event, including the high-performance solid state drive Extreme SSD. It is over 5 times faster than a 7,200 RPM hard disk drive1, enabling computer users to boot their PC in less than 16 seconds.

"Computer wait times are becoming a thing of the past thanks to SSDs," said Stephen Duignan head of corporate marketing & PR EMEA, SanDisk. "Our SanDisk Extreme SSD delivers virtually instant boot and shutdown times along with faster application launches. It's a huge improvement to the computing experience."

SanDisk's product portfolio addresses all market segments-from smartphones and cameras to notebooks and tablets, ranging from entry level to professional. With more than 1300 employees worldwide SanDisk products are sold through more than than 250,000 retail storefronts worldwide.

About SanDisk
SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK) is a global leader in flash memory storage solutions, from research and development, product design and manufacturing to branding and distribution for OEM and retail channels. Since 1988, SanDisk's innovations in flash memory and storage system technologies have provided customers with new and transformational digital experiences. SanDisk's diverse product portfolio includes flash memory cards and embedded solutions used in smart phones, tablets, digital cameras, camcorders, digital media players and other consumer electronic devices, as well as USB flash drives and solid-state drives (SSD) for the computing market. SanDisk's products are used by consumers and enterprise customers around the world.

SanDisk is a Silicon Valley-based S&P 500 and Fortune 500 company, with more than half its sales outside the United States. For more information, visit http://www.sandisk.com.

About DISTREE EVENTS
DISTREE EVENTS, is a Paris based research and communication company. Its expertise lies in the IT sector in the emerging markets. DISTREE Event's customers are leading vendors in both B2B and B2C technology products focused on increasing their sales and presence in today's hottest emerging markets.

DISTREE Events provides its clients with an unparalleled opportunity to meet face-to-face with high-level buyers from key target markets in a productive atmosphere. Its events combine the breadth of an exhibition with the depth of a conference, creating unparalleled networking opportunities. For more information, visit http://www.distreevents.com.

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79% of all managers find project accountability unclear, showing a lack of direction and goals

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/28/2012 -- In 2012 companies will lose millions of dollars due to poor strategy execution. However Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) business leaders have been challenged not to be part of this daunting statistic. Strategy execution guru and bestselling author, Jeroen De Flander discussed research conducted by the Performance Factory , which incorporated both local and global companies.

"If business strategy is executed poorly it could spell disaster for companies. There needs to be a great strategy plan from the start and it needs to integrate the organisation and employee's performance. We need strategy execution heroes," said De Flander who spoke to a packed room of CEOs and business leaders at the Balanced Scorecard Forum recently in Dubai.

The BSC is a popular management tool, used not only in GCC region but around the world. It works to ensure the full alignment of an organisation using strategic objectives to achieve desired goals.

"We drew on data from 25,000 managers and CEOs from around the world, including the GCC region. Research showed that 49% of all strategy initiatives were poorly budgeted and 79% of all managers found project accountability unclear, showing a lack of direction and goals," he continued.

Although De Flander said that growth in the region was moving at a phenomenal pace, informing leaders that they had the potential to execute well-planned strategies that could lead to successful breakthroughs in their companies.

"There is a huge potential for growth here. This region operates on a different gear which allows it to move at its current pace. Dubai has the internal capabilities to grow even more and while there will always be challenges, they have the ability to take over the world," said De Flander.

He challenged UAE businessmen to "think outside the box" drawing on popular companies such as Ikea and Nespresso that have used marketing campaigns and innovative ideas to gain a competitive edge.

About Balanced Scorecard Forum
Featuring the iconic inventors of the Balanced Scorecard, Dr Robert Kaplan and Dr David Norton, and their famous Masterclass, the Balanced Scorecard Forum 2012 is a unique opportunity for the region's leaders and strategy/performance practitioners to get a comprehensive update on the latest essential tools for successful strategy execution. Running at The Address Hotel, Dubai Marina on 21-26 April 2012, this year's event features the famous two day Kaplan Norton Masterclass, an exceptional line-up of leading strategy practitioners, brand new strategy guru Jeroen de Flander and six new hands-on strategy and risk management workshops. For the full line-up, go to http://www.iirme.com/bsc

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Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/21/2012 -- In keeping with its steadfast commitment towards enhancing the quality of healthcare practices in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Medogy has recently partnered with Pharma Quality Europe (PQE), a comprehensive quality solutions provider headquartered in Italy, specialized in rendering complete quality, validation and engineering design services in the domain of life sciences and pharmaceuticals.

This collaboration comes as the latest in a series of successful and productive alliances concluded by Medogy, and aimed at advancing medical practices, improving patient outcomes and bolstering the quality of healthcare in the region. It enables PQE to extend its quality one-stop services to MENA, thereby assisting pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, medical and research laboratories meet rigorous industry standards, particularly in the areas of engineering design and validation services.

"We are excited about teaming up with one of the most renowned quality service providers in Europe; indeed the World," said Mr. Issam Marzouqa, Founding Partner & CEO at Medogy. "We very much look forward to rendering an even more diversified portfolio to the healthcare sector, and strongly believe in continuing our legacy of raising the standards to comply with Good Manufacturing Practice (GDP), Good Distribution Practice (GDP), Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), and Good Clinical Practice (GCP) in the MENA region."

Manufacturers looking to export their products to the MENA region, the United States or Europe are required to comply with stringent requirements based on standards set by the likes of U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Union regulators. They can now do so, thanks to this partnership, which allows PQE to render its quality services through Medogy.

"This constitutes a valuable opportunity for PQE to continue doing what it has excelled at," stated Mr. Francesco Amorosi, General Manager, PQE, "namely bringing effective and innovative know-how, technologies and capabilities to leading players in the life sciences industry across the globe. We are pleased to collaborate with Medogy in fulfilling this objective and hope that this partnership meets with every success."

GMP and GDP have become legislated as mandatory practices in many countries around the world today, and constitute a series of general principles that must be maintained throughout the manufacturing and distribution process of medications and medical devices. They are centered on the concepts of safeguarding the health of individuals and upholding the standards of pharmaceutical products.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Expands product footprint into Kuwait, Qatar and Lebanon; Saudi presence bolstered to 15 new kiosks

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/20/2012 -- VIPERA COSMETICS, the award winning European cosmetics brand, announced today that it has expanded its operations further into the GCC and Levant regions of the Middle East. To that end, VIPERA entered into a partnership agreement with Maison De Prince to retail VIPERA COSMETICS products exclusively in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Lebanon.

"We are thrilled to partner with Vipera Cosmetics and look forward to growing the brand in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Lebanon. We believe the products will be a great success among customers in these regions," said Mr Ali Ahmad Al Harthi chairman and owner of Maison De Prince.

VIPERA sells its products through high-end kiosks located in high-traffic areas within major malls and shopping areas. This strategy, which has proved very successful in the UAE, delivers high brand visibility and easy access for customers to test VIPERA's products and interact with its experienced beauty consultants.

"Our partnership with Maison De Prince, which comes on the heels of our recent expansion into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Oman, is another milestone for us on the road to market expansion across the Middle East Region" said Amit Gandhi, Director of VIP Ventures, VIPERA COSMETICS's Middle East master franchisee.

"With this move we have not only gained economies of scale in our distribution to multiple markets, but have also added value to our brand equity and broadened our customer base. All of these factors positively affect our bottom line." continued Gandhi.

The strength of VIPERA COSMETICS is the overall 'package' it offers – a combination of vast product range, incredible array of colours, excellent quality and value for money. In particular, VIPERA has one of the largest colour offerings of any cosmetics brand.

In addition to its novel kiosk concept, VIPERA COSMETICS also offers a 'shop-in-shop' concept, which again capitalises on high-traffic, high-yield shopping stores, as well as distribution through multi-branded stores and hypermarkets.

In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and within just one month of the first kiosk opening, the Zain Gulf Group has already signed up 15 kiosk locations across various malls given the positive market response to VIPERA's unique product ranges.

About VIPERA COSMETICS
VIPERA COSMETICS is an international brand, established for more than two decades, with more than 4,000 points of sale across 14 European countries. VIP VENTURES partnered with VIPERA COSMETICS with the vision of launching the brand across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The UAE, and particularly Dubai with its high tourism and international trade links, provided an excellent base for this expansion strategy.

Research clearly shows a high demand for beauty products in the Gulf. This, coupled with a strong mall culture and high disposable income levels, has ranked beauty spending per capita among women in the Middle East as the highest in the world.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/27/2012 -- Business organisations in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region are gearing up to hear the most pressing business challenges in the industry. CEOs and high profiled businessmen and women will gain insight into strategy execution successes from 1400 companies and new management concepts.

This pertinent topic will be discussed at the IIR Middle East Balanced Scorecard Forum 2012 to be held on 21-26 April 2012 at The Address Hotel, Dubai Marina, Dubai. One of the highlights of the forum will be strategy guru, Jeroen de Flander's presentation on "why companies fail to execute their strategy successfully", which draws on research with over 1400 companies.

"The forum is a unique opportunity for the region's leaders and strategy performance practitioners to get a comprehensive update on the latest essential tools for successful strategy execution. This popular management tool, used not only in companies in the GCC region but around the world, works to ensure the full alignment of an organisation behind its strategic objectives and helps organisations achieve their goals," said Vanessa Heywood, Conference Director, IIR Middle East.

Pioneers of the Balanced Scorecard, Dr Robert Kaplan and Dr David Norton will present their famous Masterclass sessions in which they will discuss the latest innovations in strategy mapping, alignment and linking strategy to operations. Valuable insights will emerge as Dr Kaplan takes on the topic of strategy execution, discussing best practice cases. Here he will demonstrate how Volkswagen do Brasil (VWB) grew revenue by 80% in four years, doubled employee engagement, and improved internal processes through the organisation's implementation of a sustainable strategy management system. Speakers at this year's forum include, Michel Ayat, CEO, AW Rostamani, UAE, Amir Al Janahi, Corporate Controller, DUBAL, UAE and Saeed Al Kaabi, Director of Strategic Planning and Performance Management, Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, UAE among many others. The Forum is sponsored by Ernst and Young, Palladium, Addima Consulting, Iycon, QPR and Connecting People 2 Strategy.

About Balanced Scorecard Forum
Featuring the iconic inventors of the Balanced Scorecard, Dr Robert Kaplan and Dr David Norton, and their famous Masterclass, the Balanced Scorecard Forum 2012 is a unique opportunity for the region's leaders and strategy/performance practitioners to get a comprehensive update on the latest essential tools for successful strategy execution. Running at The Address Hotel, Dubai Marina on 21-26 April 2012, this year's event features the famous two day Kaplan Norton Masterclass, an exceptional line-up of leading strategy practitioners, brand new strategy guru Jeroen de Flander and six new hands-on strategy and risk management workshops. For the full line-up, go to www.iirme.com/bsc

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

To fuel Faisal Islamic Bank’s expansion plans in Egypt; ETHIX-Financial Solutions was selected due to its full compliance with Sharia and Central Bank of Egypt requirements

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/22/2012 -- The largest and first bank of its kind in Egypt, Faisal Islamic Bank of Egypt, today signed a phased agreement with ITS (International Turnkey Systems) Group, a leading solutions provider for both Islamic and conventional banks, to deploy ETHIX-Financial Solutions, the leading banking technology solution from ITS. The solution is being deployed as part of Faisal Islamic Bank's aggressive expansion plans in Egypt, a market that is set to witness exponential growth in the Islamic banking sector.

"The deployment comes as a part of our expansion plan in Egypt which is a fertile ground for Islamic banking services. Being the largest and first Islamic bank in Egypt, we are taking a pioneering step and investing in cutting edge technology to provide high quality products and services to meet the growing demand in Egypt," said Dr. Ismail Al Malwany, IT general supervisor at Faisal Islamic Bank of Egypt. "We are expanding our footprint across Egypt and we believe that the ETHIX technology platform is key to enabling and developing our services offering."

"There is no doubt that the cooperation with ITS will strengthen the bank's performance and improve our Islamic banking services that will offer more advanced Islamic solutions that strictly comply with Shari'a Law," Al Malwany continued.

ITS competed with 11 global and regional companies to win the project. The power of the ETHIX-Financial Solutions solution, along with the fact that ITS fully owns the entire ETHIX-suite platform of services, which was developed in Egypt and is fully customisable to customer specific requirements, was enough to close the deal. ETHIX-Financial Solutions is also in full compliance and fulfils the requirements of the Central Bank of Egypt.

"This agreement represents the new partnership between ITS and Faisal Islamic Bank, an institution that has a reputed history among its peers in Egypt," said Khalid Faraj Al Saeid, managing director and general manager of ITS Group. "The partnership is the result of strong competition with global and regional leaders in the field. This is what makes it unique and confirms that ITS advanced services and products for Islamic banks are leaders in their field."

The ETHIX technology solution is an innovative solution that provides banks and financial institutions with pre-defined models for Islamic finance or investment. Other solutions offered as part of the ETHIX technology suite include: ETHIX Core banking solution, ETHIX Branch, ETHIX Net, ETHIX-LC/LG, ETHIX-Fund, ETHIX-Portfolio, ETHIX Sukuk, ETHIX Retail Finance, ETHIX-Corporate Finance and ETHIX-Profit (Calculation & Distribution).

"With more than 35 years of experience, ITS responsibility is not only limited to technical solutions. The group considers itself the best strategic partner, standing by their clients from beginning to end, with a common interest in mutual cooperation. The Egyptian market is considered as one of the largest and most competitive markets in the region," added Samer Saber, director of banking from ITS.

About ITS Group
Founded in 1981, the ITS Group is a leading solution provider for both Islamic and conventional banks. ITS has been ranked as one of the top three companies worldwide that are considered T1 Islamic Solutions providers. The ITS ETHIX financial solutions are a certified Islamic Finance Module and comply with AAOIFI standards. ITS is also the only company globally to convert banks from conventional to Islamic systems, as noted in the "Gartner Report" of July 2010. For more information, please visit http://www.its.ws.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Evaluation Based on Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/22/2012 -- Gartner places SonicWALL in Leaders Quadrant of its UTM Magic Quadrant.

SonicWALL meets and exceeds Gartner's definition criteria for UTM security appliances

SonicWALL, Inc., the leading provider of intelligent network security and data protection solutions, today announced that Gartner (Nasdaq: IT) has positioned SonicWALL in the leaders quadrant of its 2012 Magic Quadrant for Unified Threat Management.

"We firmly believe our position in the 'Leaders' quadrant confirms our ability to execute in the marketplace and underscores the strong and stable commission of our business," said Patrick Sweeney, vice president of product management and corporate marketing at SonicWALL. "We have consistently delivered innovative and competitively disruptive solutions that have shaped and transformed the market. SonicWALL TZ and Network Security Appliance (NSA) Series UTM firewalls help our customers secure their network environments with intelligent solutions that adapt as threats continue to evolve. We invest heavily in hardware and product development and continue to receive vital industry certifications such as IPv6 Phase 2, ICSA, FIPS and Common Criteria EAL4+. Beyond even UTM, our feature sets go further by incorporating granular Application Intelligence, Control and Visualization capabilities."

The evaluation is based on completeness of vision and ability to execute. In their report, Gartner analysts John Pescatore and Greg Young analyze the importance of UTM firewall deployments for businesses with up to 1,000 employees generating up to $1bn in revenue. They emphasize the importance of features such as built-in secure wireless LAN support and browser-based management, which don't appeal to large enterprises, but are highly valued by SMBs in this market.

According to the authors, the UTM Firewall market was worth approximately $1.28bn in 2011 and is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15% through 2017.

SonicWALL UTM firewalls tightly integrate and exceed the key functions defined by Gartner as required to meet the security needs of businesses.

In the report, Gartner identifies required functions for UTM products as:
- Standard network stateful firewall functions
- Remote access and site-to-site virtual private network (VPN) support
- Web security gateway functionality (anti-malware, URL and content filtering)
-Network intrusion prevention focused on blocking attacks against unpatched Windows PCs and servers

The Gartner report defines UTM market leaders as "vendors at the forefront of making and selling UTM products that are built for midsize business requirements. The requirements necessary for leadership include a wide range of models to cover midsize business use cases, support for multiple features, and a management and reporting capability that's designed for ease of use. Vendors in this quadrant lead the market in offering new safeguarding features, and in enabling customers to deploy them inexpensively without significantly affecting the end-user experience or increasing staffing burdens. These vendors also have a good track record of avoiding vulnerabilities in their security products. Common characteristics include reliability, consistent throughput, and a product that's intuitive to manage and administer."

For more news on Dynamic Security and Next-Generation Networks, follow SonicWALL on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

About the Magic Quadrant
The Magic Quadrant is copyrighted March 5, 2012 by Gartner, Inc. and is reused with per-mission. The Magic Quadrant is a graphical representation of a marketplace at and for a specific time period. It depicts Gartner's analysis of how certain vendors measure against criteria for that marketplace, as defined by Gartner. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in the Magic Quadrant, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors placed in the "Leaders" quadrant. The Magic Quadrant is intended solely as a research tool, and is not meant to be a specific guide to action. Gartner disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About SonicWALL Inc
Guided by its vision of Dynamic Security for the Global Network, SonicWALL develops advanced intelligent network security and data protection solutions that adapt as organizations evolve and as threats evolve. Trusted by small and large enterprises worldwide, SonicWALL solutions are designed to detect and control applications and protect networks from intrusions and malware attacks through award-winning hardware, software and virtual appliance-based solutions. Visit http://www.sonicwall.com/

Copyright © 2012 SonicWALL, Inc. All rights reserved. SonicWALL® is a registered trademark of SonicWALL, Inc. and all other SonicWALL product and service names and slogans are trademarks or registered trademarks of SonicWALL, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/20/2012 -- Corodex Electromechanic Co. LLC/Roediger Vacuum GmbH is celebrating after winning the "Water Reuse Project of the Year for UAE" in the prestigious MEED Quality Awards for Projects 2012, the only awards programme in the GCC to recognise completed quality projects.

Corodex Electromechanic Co. LLC, "we are proud on being recognized as the National winners in our category (Water Reuse) along with our partners Roediger Vacuum, however we are even more proud that the UAE and our client is willing to invest in such technology to address the water scarcity issues that exist in the region", said Mohanned Awad, Director of Business Development for Concorde-Corodex Group.

Marc Lyachenko, Regional Manager of Roediger Vacuum GmbH ,"The technology that was installed will provide the end user with water savings and a light carbon foot print during the operational lifetime of the equipment, while the contractor and architect have already enjoyed the advantages of the flexible arrangement for the piping network unlike the conventional technology", he also adds" Our partnership in the Middle East with Corodex has provided our common client base a trusted supplier for all the Vacuum Sewer and Sanitation Solutions".

Judged by an independent panel consisting of representatives from each GCC country and experts in the projects industry, the winners were selected on the basis of their economic, social and environment impact, as well as innovations and achievements in design, engineering and construction.

Edmund O'Sullivan, Chairman of The MEED Quality Awards for Projects said "The Awards' ultimate purpose is to support and salute the architects, engineers, builders, financiers and clients through a comprehensive Awards programme which provides a platform to recognise best practise in Projects throughout the region."

The GCC winners will be announced at the annual MEED Quality Awards for Projects on May 21, 2012 at The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa, UAE.

For more information
The Concorde- Corodex Group, a part of M.H Al Mana Group of Companies, has served the Middle East region and its economy for over 35 years.

The group was one of the first companies in the region to offer Fire Protection, Water & Waste Treatment and Environmental Services. The Group, since its inception, has never looked back and has today achieved the milestone of being the largest Group offering a wide range of services which include a complete kit of water treatment services, fire fighting equipment & marine and industrial chemical cleaning to name a few. Among the reputed client list of the group include names like Dubai Electricicty and Authority, Abu Dhabi Electricity and Authority, Abu Dhabi Sewerage Services Company, Haya Water(Oman), Asghal, Qatalum, Qatari Diar, Nakheel, Aldar, Emaar and other elite commercial ventures in the related industry. In order to specialize and meet the rising customer demand the Group diversified itself into 17 individualcompanies, each excelling in their respective field of expertise and operating as an independent entity. These business units collectively comprise the strength of the group and enjoy an asset worth of USD 90M.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2012 -- Corodex Electromechanic Co. LLC and Roediger Vacuum GmbH are geared up to introduce their award-winning and environmentally friendly Vacuum Sanitation Systems to Qatar this week. The system aims to decrease the dependence on water by using air.

Christian Ruester, director, Vacuum Sanitation Systems, Roediger Vacuum, and Mohanned Awad, director, Concorde – Corodex Group will deliver their presentation on the benefits of the system at MEED - Qatar Stadium Build Conference from April 16th to the 17th. They will discuss indoor vacuum sewer systems and its ability to save water over conventional systems.

Hoping to break into the Qatar market, Ruester and Awad will inform delegates that the innovative system uses air as a medium instead of water, and as such, requires only one litre of water per flush. Other advantages include an easy installation process. Several stadiums worldwide have already adopted this technology.

The system has been such a success that it won the coveted, "Water Reuse Project of the Year" in United Arab Emirates at the MEED Quality Awards for Projects 2012, the only awards programme in the GCC to recognise completed quality projects.

Corodex and their partner Roediger Vacuum GmbH supplied the Indoor Vacuum Sewage Collection System to Al Ain Wildlife Park and Resort.

"We are proud on being recognised as the national winners in our category (Water Reuse) along with our partners Roediger Vacuum, however we are even more proud that the UAE and our client is willing to invest in such technology to address the water scarcity issues that exist in the region", said Awad of Concorde-Corodex Group.

"The technology that was installed will provide the end user with water savings and a light carbon foot print during the operational lifetime of the equipment, while the contractor and architect have already enjoyed the advantages of the flexible arrangement for the piping network unlike the conventional technology," said Marc Lyachenko, Regional Manager of Roediger Vacuum GmbH.

"Our partnership in the Middle East with Corodex has provided our common client base a trusted supplier for all the Vacuum Sewer and Sanitation Solutions," he added.

Judged by an independent panel consisting of representatives from each GCC country and experts in the projects industry, the winners were selected on the basis of their economic, social and environment impact, as well as innovations and achievements in design, engineering and construction.

Edmund O'Sullivan, Chairman of The MEED Quality Awards for Projects said, "The Awards' ultimate purpose is to support and salute the architects, engineers, builders, financiers and clients through a comprehensive awards programme which provides a platform to recognise best practise in projects throughout the region."

The GCC winners will be announced at the annual MEED Quality Awards for Projects on May 21, 2012 at The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa, UAE.

For more information:
The Concorde- Corodex Group, a part of M.H Al Mana Group of Companies, has served the Middle East region and its economy for over 35 years.

The group was one of the first companies in the region to offer Fire Protection, Water & Waste Treatment and Environmental Services. The Group, since its inception, has never looked back and has today achieved the milestone of being the largest Group offering a wide range of services which include a complete kit of water treatment services, fire fighting equipment & marine and industrial chemical cleaning to name a few. Among the reputed client list of the group include names like Dubai Electricicty and Authority, Abu Dhabi Electricity and Authority, Abu Dhabi Sewerage Services Company, Haya Water(Oman), Asghal, Qatalum, Qatari Diar, Nakheel, Aldar, Emaar and other elite commercial ventures in the related industry. In order to specialize and meet the rising customer demand the Group diversified itself into 17 individual companies, each excelling in their respective field of expertise and operating as an independent entity. These business units collectively comprise the strength of the group and enjoy an asset worth of USD 90M.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/18/2012 -- SonicWALL, the leading provider of intelligent network security and data protection solutions, announced that it has won the prestigious VAR (Vendors and Resellers) 2011 Choice of Channel Award in the 'Security Appliance Brand of the Year' category. VAR Magazine, a B2B publication for the IT market in the Middle East region recognises companies that have made a significant contribution to the region's channel during the year.

The Choice of Channel Award is given to the company with the highest votes as voted by readers in an online poll. SonicWALL emerged victorious in their category, beating four competitors.

"Winning this award is a gratifying experience and we are very proud and hon-oured. The award is a testimony to our company's commitment to our customers and partners," said Shahnawaz Sheikh Regional Director - Middle East, Africa & Turkey, SonicWALL.

"It shows just how successful SonicWALL is in the region and how much it is appreciated. It also illustrates our continuous determination to be at the top of our industry," continued Sheikh.

The Choice of Channel Awards, launched in 2006, honours individuals and companies for outstanding achievements in various categories.

Founded in 1991, SonicWALL, Inc. offers comprehensive network security with next generation firewalls, secure remote access, Web and e-mail security, backup and recovery, WAN Acceleration, Wireless Security and policy and management solutions. The company also offers appliance, Virtual Appliance and software-based products as well as value-added subscription services.

For more news, follow SonicWALL on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

About SonicWALL Inc
Guided by its vision of Dynamic Security for the Global Network, SonicWALL develops ad-vanced intelligent network security and data protection solutions that adapt as organizations evolve and as threats evolve. Trusted by small and large enterprises worldwide, SonicWALL solutions are designed to detect and control applications and protect networks from intrusions and malware attacks through award-winning hardware, software and virtual appliance-based solutions. Visit http://www.sonicwall.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/16/2012 -- In the current economic climate it is vital for companies in the GCC region to not only understand how to manage risk, but to also strategically implement plans so that growth can take place. These critical issues are just some of the topics which will be discussed during the IIR Balanced Scorecard Forum (BSC) 2012, to be held on April 21 and 26 at the Address Hotel, Dubai.

High profiled businessmen, CEOs and managers will descend on Dubai Marina for the forum, in order to engage, inform and educate each other on practices of BSC. The popular management tool, used in many companies around the globe, deals with focus and alignment and helps organizations achieve these goals through quick response, adaptation and the immediate execution of decision.

"We used BSC over the past three years and we have had a steady profitable growth, despite the turbulent times regionally and globally," said Constantin Salameh, Abdulla Al Masaood & Sons (AMS) CEO.

Utilizing the popular Balanced Scorecard approach, AMS believes that the methodology equips the group to better handle risk. Salameh said if a company goes off-track on key areas, the BSC is able to track the reasons and would be able to highlight areas of business risk by red flagging the areas of concern.

"One of the main benefits of the BSC approach is that it highlights the key areas and the key performance measures related to the main business processes for the group," he added.

Scheduled to deliver his presentation at the forum, Mazen Dauleh, strategy consultant for the State Audit Bureau, Qatar, will discuss the beneficial effects of implementing BSC in Government organizations. Using his client as an example, Dauleh, will argue how BSC implementation will enable the State Audit Bureau to audit more than 120 government ministries and entities for strategy execution, hence enabling the State of Qatar to ensure that its National Development Strategy gets actually implemented.

"BSC is a necessary tool for Government organizations, just like it has been for commercial companies; because it is a way for them to improve performance and deliver on their strategies. BSC started in 1993 as a performance measurement tool. Today in 2012, it remains to be the best corporate performance management tool around," said Dauleh.

About Balanced Scorecard Forum
Featuring the iconic inventors of the Balanced Scorecard, Dr Robert Kaplan and Dr David Nor-ton, and their famous Masterclass, the Balanced Scorecard Forum 2012 is a unique opportunity for the region's leaders and strategy/performance practitioners to get a comprehensive update on the latest essential tools for successful strategy execution. Running at The Address Hotel, Dubai Marina on 21-26 April 2012, this year's event features the famous two day Kaplan Norton Masterclass, an exceptional line-up of leading strategy practitioners, brand new strategy guru Jeroen de Flander and six new hands-on strategy and risk management workshops. For the full line-up, go to http://www.iirme.com/bsc

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

New TZ 215 Offers Security, Real-Time Application Traffic Visualization, Network Productivity and Broadest Mobile Platform Support

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/29/2012 -- As network usage and the number of devices accessing the Internet continue to increase both at home and in the office, network performance is often adversely affected by legacy firewall solutions that struggle to keep up with new threats while still allowing productive workflow. When faced with a choice between enforcing security and paralyzing the network, many SMBs will risk scaling back on security to facilitate productivity. In answer to this challenge, SonicWALL, Inc., the leading provider of intelligent network security and data protection solutions, today introduced the new SonicWALL® TZ 215 – the most secure, highest performing Unified Threat Management (UTM) firewall available on the market today for small, retail and branch offices. The TZ 215 delivers the most effective anti-malware, intrusion prevention, URL filtering and application control capabilities along with the broadest mobile platform support for laptops, smartphones and tablets.

With today's evolving threat landscape, SMBs need a firewall that does not force a trade-off between advanced security and network performance. The new TZ 215 is a dual-core high performance application-aware firewall with comprehensive protection against viruses, Trojans, key-loggers and application layer attacks. The TZ 215 also integrates rich networking functionality, including IPSec and IPSec and SSL VPN remote access, a 7-port gigabit switch, dual-band 802.11n wireless with guest access and centralized management for simplified network administration. Additionally, it is the only UTM firewall on the market that provides SSL VPN client remote access for Apple® iOS and Mac OS®, Google® Android™, Microsoft® Windows®, and Linux. For businesses concerned with failover and high availability, the TZ 215 supports multiple-ISP failover, failover to 3G connections via USB and hardware failover between two firewalls.

The TZ 215 is ideal for a distributed office environment, capable of replacing small appliances that can no longer handle the networking needs and traffic requirements of growing branch locations. Branch office firewalls are often taxed beyond their capabilities as businesses push security services and application control features to the periphery.

"The unfortunate reality is that many SMBs still opt for performance over compre-hensive security," said Dmitriy Ayrapetov, product line manager network security at SonicWALL. "As the number of reported network breaches continues to increase, we believe that businesses should no longer be forced to choose between network performance and actually protecting themselves. With the introduction of the TZ 215, they can have the necessary full deep packet inspection security, such as intrusion prevention and anti-malware, while enjoying the full capacity of the high-speed connections available on the market today."

Just like enterprises, small businesses need protection against sophisticated mal-ware and intrusion attempts that pass through traditional stateful firewalls, targeting PCs and mobile devices when users browse the Internet, send or receive email or download files. In addition, as business-critical applications move to the cloud, small organizations need to ensure that bandwidth is available so that employees can quickly and easily access vital data. SonicWALL's patented Reassembly-Free Deep Packet Inspection® engine, powered by a multi-core architecture, efficiently protects traffic at all network layers to prevent threats from coming into the network. SonicWALL's Application Intelligence and Control ensures that bandwidth for business-critical applications is always available, while throttling productivity-draining applications. The TZ 215 offers drill-down visualization, making it the only firewall in its class to offer advanced application traffic analytics for deep insight into bandwidth utilization and security threats. These capabilities use both real-time and historical data, enabling fast troubleshooting and forensics.

For more news on Dynamic Security and Next-Generation Networks, follow SonicWALL on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/28/2012 -- Addis Ababa - Magnetic Emission Control AS (MEC AS), a leading Norwegian company that develops groundbreaking emissions reduction and fuel efficiency technology, today inked a dealer agreement with QOPH Engineering Enterprise (QOPH) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Under the terms of the agreement, QOPH will target long haul trucking businesses, earth-moving and construction equipment, bus and taxi fleets.

"Our move into Ethiopia comes as a part of our larger expansion plans into the Middle East and Africa region," said Bjorn Skjervold, CEO of MEC AS. "We have found that emerging markets, that require consuming energy to grow economically, are very attracted to our technology. We hope to be able to assist them in achieving their objectives, both in a costs effective and environmentally friendly manner."

MEC AS is a Norwegian company that works to optimize combustion processes, and for that reason, save fuel, money and the environment. Company executives came to the region last September looking to market a unique, Norwegian patented technology that when utilized leads to increased torque, reduced fuel consumption and significant reduction in emissions.

When attached to fossil fuel combustion engines, anything from cars, lorries and trucks to ships, gas turbines, oil field flares and coal burning power plants, the fuels in them burns more efficiently.

"This results in two outcomes. For the same distance and effort, less fuel is burnt and less CO2 and soot particles are emitted into the atmosphere," continued Skjervold. "On average soot emissions are reduced between 50 and 80 percent, which means less money spent on maintenance and longer engine utilization periods."

MEC AS is engaged with companies in various sectors including land and marine transportation, gas turbines, asphalt and cement production, open flare oil field production and coal burning industries.

MEC AS works in North America through Omega-Tec, MEC AS's strategic partner for defense and the automotive after-market. Currently, MEC AS has more than 20,000 satisfied customers in Europe and the United States, many of whom reported fuel savings of more than 12 percent per year.

About Magnetic Emission Control (MEC) AS
Magnetic Emission Control AS (MEC AS) is a Norwegian company that works to optimize combustion processes and, as a result, saves fuel, money and the environment. MEC AS is engaged with companies in various sectors, including land and marine transportation, gas turbines, asphalt and cement production, open flare oil field production and coal burning in-dustries.

About Magnetic Emission Control in USA
MEC AS works in North America through Omega-Tec, MEC AS's strategic partner for defense and the automotive after-market. Currently, MEC AS has more than 20, 000 satisfied cus-tomers in Europe and the United States of America (USA). However, MEC AS officials believe that the biggest opportunity for increased fuel efficiency and reduced carbon emissions is with combustion engine manufacturers, who can now incorporate the technology into their manufacturing process.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/22/2012 -- VIPERA COSMETICS, the award-winning European cosmetics brand, announced today that it has expanded its operations into the Sultanate of Oman by entering into a partnership with Future Brands Investments, LLC. In its initial phase, the agreement will see eight VIPERA COSMETICS kiosks opening in Oman's major cities, including Muscat, Sohar, Nizwa and Salalah.

"It is very rare to find a brand that can offer the overall combination that VIPERA COSMETICS has developed for Arab women," said Harith Al-Brashdi from Future Brands. "Our partnership will bring VIPERA's trendy beauty products to Oman, along with VIPERA's exciting retail strategy and competitive pricing model."

VIPERA sells its products through high-end kiosks located in high-traffic areas within major malls and shopping areas. This strategy, which has proved very successful in the UAE, delivers high brand visibility and easy access for customers to test and interact with VIPERA's products.

In addition, VIPERA COSMETICS offers a 'shop-in-shop' concept, which again capitalizes on high-traffic, high-yield women's shopping stores, as well as distribution through multi-branded stores and hypermarkets.

"In the second phase, we plan to roll out VIPERA COSMETICS outlets using our 'shop-in-shop' format to penetrate Oman's other cities and towns," said Amit Gandhi, director of VIP Ventures, VIPERA COSMETICS's Middle East master distributor. "Omani women will now have access to a vast and competitively priced range of cosmetics that keeps pace with the latest fashion and beauty trends."

Following the opening of the first VIPERA COSMETICS outlets in the UAE and Saudi Arabia last year, and now in Oman, VIP VENTURES is in discussions with potential partners in several other territories in the Middle East.

VIPERA COSMETICS is an international brand, established for more than two decades, with more than 4,000 points of sale across 14 European countries. VIP VENTURES partnered with VIPERA COSMETICS with the vision of launching the brand across the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The UAE, and particularly Dubai with its high tourism and international trade links, provides an excel-lent base for this expansion strategy.

Research clearly shows a high demand for beauty products in the Gulf. This, coupled with a strong mall culture and high disposable income levels, has ranked beauty spending per capita among women in the Middle East as the highest in the world.

About VIPERA COSMETICS
VIPERA COSMETICS entered into a partnership with VIP Ventures FZC in 2010 to promote the brand across new in-ternational markets. The brand is available across the UAE, which include Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain and Ajman. VIPERA COSMETICS has an incredible array of colours ranging from over 300 colours of nail polish to over 310 shades of eye shadow. For more information, visit http://www.vipera-me.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Among Recommended Vendors, SuperMassive E10800 Provides Highest Overall Protection, Highest Performance in Next-Generation Firewall Group Test

Dubai, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/14/2012 -- SonicWALL, Inc., a leading provider of intelligent network security and data protection solutions, announced that NSS Labs, the recognized leader in independent security product testing, gave the SonicWALL® SuperMassive™ E10800 its highest rating of 'Recommend.' To achieve this ranking, SuperMassive excelled in one of the industry's most comprehensive, real-world tests of next-generation firewalls and secured a leadership position in NSS Labs' Security Value MapTM (SVM).

Tweet This: SonicWALL's SuperMassive E10800 is the highest overall protection Next-Generation Firewall to earn the NSS Labs "Recommend" rating.

The NSS Labs Next-Generation Firewall Product Analysis showed that the SonicWALL SuperMassive E10800 running SonicOS 6.0 is the highest overall protection next-generation firewall to earn the NSS Labs 'Recommend' rating.

"Those that consider the SonicWALL brand to be associated with SMB UTM products will need to reevaluate their opinion," said Vikram Phatak, chief technology officer at NSS Labs. "For high-end multi-gigabit environments looking to upgrade defenses from their current firewall to a next-generation firewall, the advanced architecture of the SonicWALL SuperMassive E10800 running SonicOS 6.0 provides an extremely high level of protection and performance."

"There's no two ways about it: SuperMassive E10800 had the best combination of performance, effectiveness and value of any firewall tested," said Patrick Sweeney, vice president product management and corporate marketing at SonicWALL. "We're throwing down the gauntlet and establishing SonicWALL as the leader in enterprise, data center, service provider and government deployed next-generation firewalls!"

NSS Labs designed the test to focus on the following four areas:
- Security effectiveness
- Performance
- Stability
- Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

The SuperMassive E10800 was measured by NSS Labs at 18.9 Gbps of inspected throughput. Additionally, the SonicWALL device yielded the highest level of real-world HTTP Connections per Second (CPS), ranging from 55,000 to 238,000 CPS for session lengths spanning 44KB to 1.7KB. The E10800 exhibited less than 30 microseconds of latency under UDP test traffic conditions.

According to the NSS Labs Next-Generation Firewall Product Analysis, the SonicWALL SuperMassive E10800 "offer[s] some highly evolved features suitable for large enterprises and multi-tenant / service provider deployments, making it straightforward to apply complex policies in a targeted manner across multiple nested groups of firewalls in large-scale deployments."

Designed to meet the needs of large enterprise, government, university and multi-tenant / service providers, the SonicWALL SuperMassive E10000 Series delivers scalability, reliability, and deep security at multi-gigabit speeds. Utilizing SonicWALL's Reassembly-Free Deep Packet Inspection® engine to scan every byte of every packet, this single integrated solution delivers full content inspection of the entire stream and superior intrusion prevention, malware protection, application intelligence, control and real-time visualization, and inspection for SSL encrypted sessions while ensuring high performance and low latency.

For more news on Dynamic Security and Next-Generation Networks, follow SonicWALL on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

About SonicWALL Inc
Guided by its vision of Dynamic Security for the Global Network, SonicWALL develops advanced intelligent network security and data protection solutions that adapt as organizations evolve and as threats evolve. Trusted by small and large enterprises worldwide, SonicWALL solutions are designed to detect and control applications and protect networks from intrusions and malware attacks through award-winning hardware, software and virtual appliance-based solutions. Visit http://www.sonicwall.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

SonicWALL Provides the Most Secure Access for Smartphone and Tablet Users

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/04/2012 -- SonicWALL, Inc., the leading provider of intelligent network security and data protection solutions, today launched its Mobile Connect™ client app for Google® Android™ smartphones and tablets. The app is available as a free download via the Android Market. It provides users of Android-based smartphones and tablets with superior network-level access to corporate, academic and government resources over encrypted SSL VPN connections. With the app installed, mobile users can access these resources across SonicWALL appliances, including SonicWALL® Aventail E-Class Secure Remote Access (SRA), SRA for SMB and SonicWALL Next-Generation Firewalls.

While mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, keep vital business infor-mation flowing, they can also introduce malware, either inadvertently or intentionally, into the network. When deployed with or alongside a SonicWALL Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) the Mobile Connect app creates a Clean VPN™ to decrypt traffic while the NGFW decontaminates threats, viruses and malware from smartphones or tablets over SSL VPN before they can enter the network. SonicWALL Clean VPN delivers critical dual protection to secure VPN access and traffic by combining SSL VPN and high-performance next-generation firewalls. Additionally, network administrators can utilize SonicWALL Application Intelligence and Control functionality to identify which apps should receive critical bandwidth. This assures performance for key business, education and government applications, while throttling down other bandwidth intensive applications not deemed important.

As smartphones and tablets enter the internal corporate perimeter and connect via Wi-Fi networks, a SonicWALL Next-Generation Firewall scans traffic to ensure Android devices adhere to organizational security, application control and content filtering policies. With this capability, Android users can now experience enterprise-class security and control outside the network utilizing Mobile Connect and inside the corporate network via SonicWALL Clean Wireless™.

A key feature of the Mobile Connect app is End Point Control™ (EPC), available only on the SonicWALL Aventail E-Class SRA Series. For Android-based smartphones and tablets running Mobile Connect, EPC identifies specific device attributes and enforces they are met before allowing the device to connect to the network. EPC can also determine if an Android device has been jailbroken, thereby removing Android's built-in security enforcement, so that connections from compromised devices may be rejected or quarantined.

"Android tablets and smartphones are commonplace tools for today's mobile work-force. Companies must have tools to manage security for those devices both inside and outside the corporate network," said Patrick Sweeney, vice president of product management and corporate marketing at SonicWALL. "With Mobile Connect, enterprise, educational and government institutions can maintain stringent security standards while their employees travel outside of the protected perimeter, thus enabling greater workforce productivity."

Now, with the Mobile Connect app for Android, users and organizations can also be protected while traveling and accessing networks from public hotspots or over 3G/4G connections.

The SonicWALL Mobile Connect app for Android app is available immediately as a free download from the Android Market. Learn more about Mobile Connect app for Android.

SonicWALL also offers the Mobile Connect app for iOS, iPhone and iPad, available on the App Store.

For more news on Dynamic Security and Next-Generation Networks, follow SonicWALL on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

About SonicWALL Inc
Guided by its vision of Dynamic Security for the Global Network, SonicWALL develops advanced intelligent network security and data protection solutions that adapt as organizations evolve and as threats evolve. Trusted by small and large enterprises worldwide, SonicWALL solutions are designed to detect and control applications and protect networks from intrusions and malware attacks through award-winning hardware, software and virtual appliance-based solutions. Visit http://www.sonicwall.com/

Copyright © 2012 SonicWALL, Inc. All rights reserved. SonicWALL® is a registered trademark of SonicWALL, Inc. and all other SonicWALL product and service names and slogans are trademarks or registered trademarks of SonicWALL, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

To promote the technology across Jordan, India, Pakistan and the Far East

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/29/2012 -- Magnetic Emission Control AS (MEC AS), a leading Norwegian company that develops groundbreaking emissions reduction technol-ogy, today inked a contract making Sytech Projects Co. LTD its national dealer in Sudan.

With growing concerns about the continued increase in carbon emissions worldwide and with Sudan producing 12.95 million metric tons in 2009, there is a need for technology that reduces carbon emissions and save money by burning fuel more efficiently.

Elaborating on the partnership, Bjorn Skjervold, CEO of Magnetic Emission Control AS (MEC AS) said: "It is important for MEC to establish an entity in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and then expand toward several African countries that are struggling with increasing oil prices. Plans are also underway to expand to India, Jordan, Pakistan and the Far East."

The partnership will see Systech work in close cooperation with MEC AS to develop the market in Sudan with a strategic network of sub-dealers. MEC AS, on its part, will offer Systech training about the mechanics, providing sufficient competencies to succeed in the region.

As part of its setup strategy, MEC AS is of the opinion that the target for the initial year would be around 2,500 – 3,000 vehicles fitted with the technology. "Our target will initially be owners of fleets of trucks and busses, among others. The mining and shipping industries are also important targets in Sudan," concluded Skjervold.

Currently, MEC AS has more than 20,000 satisfied customers in Europe and the United States, many of whom reported fuel savings of more than 12 percent per year.

Company executives expect to sell over 20,000 MEC products in 2012 with a growing market in Europe and the United States.

However, MEC AS officials believe that the biggest opportunity for increased fuel efficiency and reduced carbon emissions is with combustion engine manufacturers who can now incorporate the technology into their manufacturing process.

About Magnetic Emission Control (MEC) AS
Magnetic Emission Control AS (MEC AS) is a Norwegian company that works to optimize combustion processes and, as a result, saves fuel, money and the environment. MEC AS is engaged with companies in various sectors, including land and marine transportation, gas turbines, asphalt and cement production, open flare oil field production and coal burning in-dustries.

About Magnetic Emission Control in USA
MEC AS works in North America through Omega-Tec, MEC AS's strategic partner for defense and the automotive after-market. Currently, MEC AS has more than 16,000 satisfied cus-tomers in Europe and the United States of America (USA). However, MEC AS officials believe that the biggest opportunity for increased fuel efficiency and reduced carbon emissions is with combustion engine manufacturers, who can now incorporate the technology into their manufacturing process.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Dubai, UAE -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/29/2012 -- SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), a global leader in flash memory storage solutions, today announced it has developed the world's smallest 128 gigabit (Gb)* NAND flash memory chip currently in production. The semiconductor device can store 128 billion individual bits of information on a single silicon die 170mm2 in size – a little more than a quarter of an inch squared, or smaller than the area covered by a U.S. penny.

The use of NAND flash memory in high tech equipment like smartphones, tablets and solid state drives (SSDs) allows advances in the full function, small form factor devices that are highly valued by consumers. Shrinking the size of NAND flash memory allows smaller, more powerful computing, communications and consumer electronics devices to be built while keeping costs low.

SanDisk built the 128Gb NAND flash memory chip on the company's industry-leading 19 nanometer (nm) process technology. A nanometer measures one-billionth of a meter, meaning that 19nm circuit lines are so small that about 3,000 of them could fit across the width of a human hair. The chip also employs SanDisk's three-bit per cell (X3) technology that allows the company to build NAND flash memory products with the ability to read and write three bits of information in each memory cell.

At 19nm, SanDisk is deploying its ninth generation of multi-level cell (MLC) NAND products and fifth generation of X3 technology. This combination of manufacturing and technical expertise helps SanDisk pack more information into each memory cell making it possible to create a smaller, denser NAND flash memory chip.

"Building a 128Gb NAND flash memory chip with this level of complexity is an incredible achievement," said Mehrdad Mofidi, vice president, Memory Design. "This innovation allows SanDisk to continue to be a leader in helping our customers deliver smaller, more powerful products capable of doing more at lower cost."

In addition to reduced size, the 128Gb semiconductor device has an industry-leading X3 write performance of 18 megabytes (MB)** per second. This level of performance is achieved using SanDisk's patented advanced all bit line (ABL) architecture and means that X3 technology could be extended to certain product categories that use MLC NAND flash memory. A technical paper outlining the breakthrough will be presented at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) in San Francisco today.

The 128Gb NAND flash memory chip was developed jointly by teams from SanDisk and Toshiba at SanDisk's Milpitas campus. The effort was led by Yan Li, director of Memory Design at SanDisk. Products based on the 128Gb three-bit per cell technology began shipping late last year and have already started to ramp into high volume production. SanDisk has also developed a derivative product based on the success of the 128Gb chip – a 64Gb, X3 NAND flash memory chip that is compatible with the industry-standard microSD™ format. The company has also started to ramp production of this additional chip technology.

NAND flash memory is the technology behind the high reliability, small form factor stor-age solutions that SanDisk sells to OEM customers for use in a wide variety of products such as smartphones, tablets and Ultrabooks. It is also the technology used in products SanDisk sells through its retail channel in the form of imaging and mobile cards, USB drives and mp3 players.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm