November sales surge sets BMW on course for full-year record

November sales of cars made by the BMW group rose by 2.7 percent compared with a year earlier, reaching 174,996 vehicles worldwide, the auto maker, which is based in Munich, announced on Tuesday.

#link:17092708:The result# boosted sales between January and November to 1.77 million cars, BMW said, which was 6.8 percent more than over the first 11 months of 2012.

Noting that the carmaker was on target for a new annual sales record in 2013, BMW marketing chief Ian Robertson said: 'We expect continuing positive sales in the month's ahead, despite challenging conditions especially in European markets.'

In 2012, BMW set its last sales record with deliveries of 1.85 million cars over the year. This year, demand for the group's brands, which include #link:17095180:BMW# and Rolls Royce luxury cars as well as the new Mini, was especially high in the United States and China, the company said.

Sales in China rose 19.7 percent between January and November, and 9.2 percent in the US. In Europe, they slipped 0.3 percent on the back of a #link:17092708:major slump# in the first half of the year.

BMW said that it was confident that it would remain the world's leading seller of premium cars in 2013.

Young French people boost exports in Germany

Back home in France Olympe Lanzarotti would be starting an internship about now. The 24-year-old just finished her marketing studies. 'I belong to a generation which does a lot of internships,' she says in fluent German. 'You're six months in a company and then a successor takes your place. You're not important.'

But Lanzarotti is important to her employer. Her mission is to conquer the German market for the small company Miage, of Lyon. The ten people working in the company produce covers for containers in waste management.The young woman has been trying to find new customers from her office in Cologne since March.

Alexandre Vanpoulle's situation is similar. His employer, Solisysteme, is not much bigger than Lanzarotti's. The 25 employees in the western French city of Poitiers produce bioclimatic pergolas that protect terraces from sun and rain. Alexandre also has an office in Cologne, he also speaks fluent German, and his job is also to boost the company's business in Germany.

'I started at the beginning. Six months months in and I'd found a number of trade partners for our company,' he said. 'We will see the results next year, because roofs for terraces are only important in spring and summer.'

The government helps

Solisysteme and Miage are too small to afford their own branches in Germany. Even proper marketing staff would be too expensive for them. Lanzarotti and Vanpoulle are on a so-called VIE (Volontariat International en Entreprise), an international in-house volunteer service. The French government bears a part of the costs - hoping it will promote French exports.

France and Germany are the two biggest economies in Europe, and they are each others' most important trading partners. But their relation is not equal. For years Germany sells far more goods to France than it buys. Last year the trade surplus amounted to 40 billion euros ($55 billion), more than with any other country in the world.

German companies have an advantage over their French competitors, says Christophe Kühl, a lawyer who counsels companies in both countries. In France there are relatively few large-scale enterprises, but a large number of very small companies with a turnover in the single-figure millions. 'Obviously these companies, which often have only five to ten employees, do not export as much as German medium-sized companies with 250 employees and a turnover of 50 million euros a year,' said Kühl.

Different business structures

A few years ago, Kühl and a partner founded the Villa France in Cologne to help small companies gain access to the German market. Villa France offers offices, secretary services, and economic and legal advice. The demand is high – partially because the French economy is down and the sales dropping. Villa France alone has some 40 interns who try to find new customers for their companies.

'It is not easy for any of us,' said Vanpoulle. 'Germany is a very specific country, a country of engineers. It takes a long time to achieve things.'

Kühl agrees that technical details and numbers play an important role in Germany, while business relations in France are more personal. 'First you have to win over a French person - not with arguments and prices but with your personality and your plans,' he said.

Vanpoulle has no problems with the German mentality. 'I already told my employer that I won't be coming back to France. I feel good here and I want to stay,' he said. If everything works out well, his employer could continue to employ him after the end of the sponsored internship.

Helpful clichés

Thomas Wolter is another young Frenchman on an export mission in Germany. Until the end of school he lived in Germany, where his father came from. Then he studied in France. Now he works from Cologne for knife manufacturer Opinel, a household name for folding knives in France, which are exported throughout the world.

'It helps that I'm half German. Because of my accent my customers immediately realize that I'm from France and ask me about it,' he said. It mostly relaxes the conversation and eases the task of selling a part of France's everyday culture. 'It would be best if I visited my customers with a baguette and a bottle of red wine.'

But it remains unclear whether Wolter and the other French interns can help to reduce the German trade surplus - especially as Villa France also helps German companies to enter the French market.

HH Sheikh Mohammed’s Inspiring Book ’My Vision; Challenges In The Race For Excellence’ Launched In Malayalam

The Malayalam edition of My Vision; Challenges in the Race for Excellence, one of the best-selling and inspirational book, authored by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, was launched at a special event in Dubai.

The Malayalam language version of My Vision; Challenges in the Race for Excellence, follows the successful launch of the book in Arabic, English and Mandarin.

The book examines the UAE’s exceptional development and the ways in which this young country is making every effort to achieve excellence and upgrade its status from a regional economic centre into an international hub.

The UAE prides itself on its unique mix of cultures, its world-class infrastructure and its clear vision for the future, all of which the Indian community has played a unique role. Publishing My Vision; Challenges in the Race for Excellence, in Malayalam shares His Highness Sheikh Mohammed’s personal philosophy and political and economic vision and success with a greater number of people.

HH Sheikh Mohammed holds Dubai up as a shining example of extraordinary development based on excellent leadership, management, teamwork and timely decision-making.

First published in 2006 in Arabic, the book explores ways in which Dubai is striving to excel in services, tourism, the knowledge economy and creative human resources in order to realize its ambitious development goals.

The Malayalam edition of My Vision; Challenges in the Race for Excellence will present the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed to a wide audience of over 570,000 Malayalis, from the south Indian state of Kerala, who live and work in the UAE.

As per the latest official statistics by the Government of Kerala, with nearly 35 per cent of the total overseas Malayalis living in the UAE, they form the largest population of expatriate Keralites. Malayalis have a strong cultural link with the Arab world, with trade and cultural relations existing between the two regions as early as the 7th Century AD.

A discerning and soulful poet, HH Sheikh Mohammed has published several poetry books, including Poems from the Desert (2009) and 40 Poems from the Desert (2011). Flashes of Thought, which expanded on the thoughts and ideas shared during his interactive question and answer session at the Government Summit in February 2013, was published earlier this year.

Flashes of Thought, which features a foreword by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, develops HH Sheikh Mohammed’s leadership and governance ideas, and offers exceptional insight into his vision for the UAE.

The Malayalam edition of My Vision; Challenges in the Race for Excellence will be available soon at all leading book stores in the UAE

Qatar reveals major project to be completed by 2021

Qatar announced one of the country’s largest infrastructure projects on Monday, comprising three bridges interconnected by subsea tunnels, to be completed before the soccer World Cup finals in 2022.

The Sharq crossing project will include three bridges spanning between 600 metres and 1,310 metres, which will link Doha’s new Hamad International airport with the city’s cultural district of Katara and the central business area of West Bay.

“Construction of the project will start in 2015 and completion will be by 2021,” Nasser Ali Al Mawlawi, the president of Qatar’s Public Works Authority, Ashghal, told reporters at a press conference.

No value was given for the project.

The tiny, gas-rich country plans to spend as much as $140 billion on infrastructure projects, including a new airport, stadiums, roads and railways, as it prepares to host the World Cup tournament.

It awarded contracts worth $8.2 billion in June to international and local contractors for the construction of phase one of the Doha Metro project.

Al Mawlawi said in an interview with Reuters that Ashghal plans to spend more than 100 billion riyals on its projects over the next five to seven years.

“The project that was unveiled today will be paid for by the government of Qatar,” he added.

The bridges on the Sharq project were designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava and inspired by the image of flying fish, Ashghal said in a statement, adding that one of the bridges will have a two-deck structure incorporating a recreational park accessible via an elevated walkway and a funicular railway.

Asked if Ashghal was behind schedule in delivering projects for the World Cup, Al Mawlawi said there were no delays and downplayed challenges in completing projects on time.

Faced with the challenge of completing big construction and infrastructure projects before the World Cup, the Gulf state has an increasing number of its estimated 1.8 million foreigners working on projects related to football’s showcase event.

In recent months Qatar came under attack from the international community as reports of labour rights abuses surfaced. Al Mawlawi said that the issue of labour rights is being taken very seriously by the government.

“In Qatar we have very fair labour laws and I think it’s the responsibility of Ashghal to insure that these labour laws are being implemented by the contractors,” he said.

Under the current system, employees cannot change jobs or leave the country without the permission of their sponsors, who are often labour supply companies or wealthy Qataris who provide workers to businesses for personal profit.

Want to invest like a billionaire? Now you can

A quick fix way of increasing your fortunes is making rounds. You too can invest in stocks in which top billionaires have been investing and can reap the benefits. New York Stock Exchange and iBillionaire have come up with iBillionaire index. This index lists the blue chip stock holdings of some of the top billionaire investors.

These include Dan Loeb, David Einhorn and Warren Buffett among a host of others. 30 large cap equities in which these billionaires have put in their stakes find a mention on this list.

This listing according to iBillionaire will provide the investors with a smarter way of investing their money and gaining from the experience of these billionaires. It is worthwhile to mention here that iBillionaire index has been created by Raul Moreno who has co founded Kinetik. However, financial analysts have a word of caution for the investors. Billionaires have a distinct risk temperament and they invest in these funds with a set objective. Blindly following these billionaire investors can land you in trouble.

Follow your instinct and invest wisely. You never know when you could gain a big bet in the bargain.

Neymar contract discord

Neymar's transfer to Barcelona is set for controversy. The deal has been a very cloak and dagger affair from the start, falling under the cover of the confidentiality clause the Culé management signed with the other parties involved. The Sonda group and Barcelona member, Jordi Casas, are now suing the club over the transfer.

Depending how the judges rule, Barcelona may have to pay €142 million for signing the Brazilian, taking into account the sum it has already paid, the performance-related add-ons and the outcome of the legal action, which would amount to €70 million.

Barcelona has openly reported the transfer fee to be €57.1 million. Of that amount, €17.1 million went to Santos and the other €40 million was paid to the Neymar & Neymar company, jointly owned by the player and his father.

There are other payments also linked to the deal. Another €7.9 million goes to Santos for preferential rights on three young up-and-coming players. Plus there is a friendly match to be played, for which Barcelona would have to pay €4.5 million in compensation in the event it is not able to fulfil the commitment. And if Neymar is one of the three Ballon d'Or finalists for any year while at the club, it will have to shell out another €2 million to Santos.

To this, everything that the Sonda group - in disagreement over transfer percentages - is demanding, the legal action launched by club member Jordi Casas for misappropriation of funds involving Sandro Rosell, etc must also be added.

Fancy Abayas from Studio 8 for UAE’s National Holiday

At this time of year, the United Arab Emirates get ready for their national holiday celebrations by turning everything Black, White, Red, and Green. Studio 8 got in on the UAE frenzy and are currently showcasing a fancy abaya collection in the flag colors to represent Emirati culture with a modern twist. The famous concept store Studio 8, Sarah BelHasa's brain child, is an international multi-brand boutique based in Dubai, UAE. Bringing together some of the most respected names in design from Asia and the Middle East, Studio 8 is an emporium of style and sophistication. Brand list includes:

Manish Malhotra, Neeta Lulla, Gaviin Miguel, Archana Kochhar, Nandita Mahtani, HSY, Pria Kataaria Puri, Babita Malkani, Joy Mitra, Aiisha Ramadan, Hatem Alakeel, Sweety Exclusive, Ekta Singh, Dorris Dolce, Montaha, Khulood Bin Arab,Beauty Queen, Indulge by Divya,Ramashka, Omar Ponsot, Élan by Khadijah Shah, Mina Hasan, Ayesha Farook Hashwani, Sublime by Sara, Nickie Nina, Zara Shahjahan, Body Focus – Iman, Faiza Samee, Nomi Ansari, House of Zunn & asifa & nabeel.

Accessory designer: Love Sparkle