Pacific Rubiales is working on two big technological innovations. STAR – Synchronised Thermal Additional Recovery – could increase the recovery factor in heavy oil reservoirs from 15 to 45 percent. Llanomulsion could significantly reduce the costs of pipeline transportation. José Arata discusses the company’s progress and the positive implications for its bottom line.
Year: 2012
Michael Konnaris on retail forex | easy-forex | Video
Currency volatility, the single dominant factor driving the forex market, has been one of the key features of 2011, as every day the world speculates on the future of Europe as a whole and its member countries individually. Michael Konnaris discusses the growth of the market, and how easy-forex is capitalising on increased retail interest – especially in Asia.
Dimosthenis Arhodidis | Eurobank EFG Private Banking
Greece is rarely out of the news right now, with new debt negotiations and austerity measures announced every week
Kim Fournais on brokerage | Saxo Bank | Video
Saxo Bank is a brokerage heavyweight, providing multi-asset trading services to countless end-users, via more than 100 clients of its white label business. This year Saxo Bank will be 20 years old, and today white labeling for online retail brokers represents 40 percent of its business – but looking back, says Kim Fournais, the bank didn’t realise just how important the internet would become in its services.
Markos Kashiouris on forex innovation | IronFX | Video
IronFX is committed to technological innovation and maintaining its impressive growth in retail foreign exchange traders. The company is making strikes on the tech side, with 10 platforms, including for all major mobile devices – but where can it turn for growth? To the Far East, says Markos Kashiouris, where the company is taking on native account managers to capture the virgin market.
GCC Investment & Development Awards 2012
Best Private Equity Firm
Amwal International Investment Company
Best Conventional Investment Advisory
Capital Growth Management
Best Development Fund
Abu Dhabi Fund for Development
Best Real Estate Development Project
Capital Centre, Abu Dhabi
Best Sport & Entertainment Project
Dubai World Cup
Urban Planning Excellence Award
Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council
Best Tourism Development Agency
Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority
Best Industrial Development Company
National Industries Group (NIG) Kuwait
Best Leisure Development
Ferrari World Abu Dhabi
Best Hotel Development
Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi
Best Infrastructure Development Project
Ras Al-Zour Power and Desalination Plant
Best Shopping Malls Development
Al Qasr Mall
Best Passenger Transport Development Project
Dubai Metro
Best Air Cargo Company
Emirates SkyCargo
Best Airport Facility
Doha International Airport
Best Industrial Hub
Mesaieed Industrial City
Best Holding Company
Kuwait Projects Company (KIPCO)
Best Bond Issuer
Almana Group
The Environmental Concern Award
Port of Salalah
Major Regional Philanthropist
Juma Al Majid Center
Best Securities Dealing Services
MENACORP
Best Sharia-Compliant Investment Advisory Company
Muthanna Investment Company
Best Asset Management Company
Muthanna Investment Company
Best Fund Management Company
Alistithmar Capital
Best Free Trade Zone
Jebel Ali Free Zone
Foreign Exchange Awards 2012
Best Broker, Africa
LiteForex
Best Broker, Asia
FBS
Best Broker, Australasia
Vantage FX
Best Broker Canada
InvestTechFX
Best Broker, Central & Eastern Europe
Tadawul FX
Best Broker, Northern Europe
HY Markets
Best Broker, Southern Europe
TFI Markets | Watch the award presentation
Best Broker, Western Europe
Ava FX
Best Broker, Middle East
EXNESS
Best Broker, Russia
EXNESS
Best Broker, Latin America
FXCM
Best Broker, USA
FXDD
Most Transparent Broker
MIG Bank
Best Trading Platform
IronFX
Fastest Growing Provider
IronFX
Best Institutional Provider
Commerzbank
Best Liquidity Provider
Commerzbank
Best Newcomer
UFXMarkets
Best Execution Broker
WHOTRADES
Best White Label Solution Provider
Saxo Bank
Best Mobile Trading Platform
Saxo Bank
Best Global Professional Trading Platform
Ava FX
Best Trade Executions
FXDD
Best Mini Account Provider
HY Markets
Best ECN/STP Broker
FxPro
Best Introductory Programme
Alpari
Best Media Resource
Forex Factory
Best Education Provider
Knowledge to Action
Best Affiliate Programme
eToro
Best Social Trading Network
eToro
Best Trading Software Provider
Fair Trading Technology
Best Trading Order Management
OANDA
Best Islamic Provider
InstaForex
Best Micro Broker
FXCM
Best Dealing Room
Forex Club
Mark Schmitz and George Lambros | Alghanim Industries
Alghanim Industries is a cross-sector, $2bn turnover business, operating across some of the world’s highest-growth geographies: from south-east Asia, through Vietnam and India, to the Middle East and Turkey. Mark and George explain why a company’s governance journey must start with the “tone at the top” – and how Alghanim’s excellent standards and controls have helped it expand three-fold in 10 years.
Martin Litwak on Uruguay | Litwak & Partners | Video
As opportunities dry up in Europe, private equity investors are turning to emerging economies in Latin America to profit from these countries’ entrepreneurial spirits. Martin Litwak discusses Uruguay’s growing industries and the safest way for international investors to establish themselves in the region.
Tiberiu Urdăreanu on security | UTI Holdings | Video
Founded in 1990 as a security system developer, UTI has synergistically expanded into a number of complementary fields: first IT, as communications became a vital component of the security sector; followed by installation and construction as part of a vertical integration strategy; then facility management. Tiberiu Urdareanu discusses the company’s past growth and his ‘Farming, Hunting, Targeting’ strategy for the future.
Is the Apple hype justified?
The well oiled hype machine that is Apple Inc. has kicked into overdrive in recent weeks with salivating analysts eagerly jumping aboard the share price target train to la la land. Yes, the company has confirmed it’s returning an initial $10bn of its $100bn cash pile to investors and yes, it posted record sales for its iPhone in Q4 and strong numbers for its latest iPad offering.
But does Apple – currently trading at $636 – justify a 12-month price target of $1001 recently set by Brian White of Topeka Capital Markets. Or $1000 by 2014, from Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray?
Ed Zabitsky, an analyst with Toronto-based ACI Research, certainly doesn’t buy into the Apple story and maintains a ‘sell’ recommendation.
Setting a $270 price target back in January (at a time when Apple was trading over $450) Zabitsky advised investors to ‘sell short’ arguing the strength of the iPhone won’t last forever, given Google’s Android 4.0 operating system will eventually become a major rival.
Zabitsky also believes the development of HTML5 and 4G will improve the access and functionality of web apps, which in turn will see the existing system Apple employs of forcing users to buy and download from the company’s App store become less relevant. Content is set become king and made available everywhere – not just from Apple – as true mobile broadband Internet levels the playing field for other vendors.
Time will tell if Zabitsky is right. A more tempting thought in the meantime is to liken Apple’s natural customer base to extras out of the famous George Romero film Dawn of the Dead.
Holed up in a suburban shopping mall with zombies attempting to break in, one local asks another what they’re attempting to achieve, to which his colleague replies that they went there while they were alive and simply don’t know any better, even though they’re now dead. In other words, it’s business as usual.
So, the next time you see hordes of customers gathered overnight outside your local Apple store ahead of the next major product launch, just think of George Romero.
Revaz Beridze, David Eristavi | Eristavi Law Group | Video
The World Bank Doing Business survey has identified Georgia as a top reformer, ranking it 16th for doing business and seventh for starting a business. Legislators have been working hard to remove bureaucratic requirements and reduce tax complexity, but businesses still require an expert local partner. Revaz and David from Eristavi Law Group discuss the recent growth areas for FDI.
José Morgado on the euro crisis | Inapa Group | Video
Inapa is a specialist in paper, packaging and visual communication, based in Portugal but with most of its sales coming from the rest of Europe. As such it has been particularly at risk from ongoing austerity and the eurocrisis – but with José Morgado’s leadership it has successfully developed its client relationships, improved efficiency and tightened its resource management to beat the downturn.
Alan Gandelman on equities | ICAP Brazil | Video
Brazil’s fortunes have been rapidly improving for the last five years, and the country was recently recognised as the world’s fifth largest economy. But that’s not the end of the story, says Alan Gandelman of ICAP Brazil: with a stable economic and political landscape, everyone is investing in the country’s equity market, from the US and Europe to Asia and the Middle East.
José Francisco Arata and Jairo Lugo | Pacific Rubiales Energy Corp
Pacific Rubiales is responsible for nearly a quarter of Colombia’s oil output – and sustaining, if not growing, this marketshare is vital for the company and the country. Senior VP of Exploration Jairo Lugo outlines the firm’s plans to invest an additional $1.3bn in exploration over the next five years, evaluating a potential 4.4 billion barrels of oil.
