Mastering the art of diplomacy

By YM Sreekrishna Bhat   »   Diplomatically-speaking, the Turkish Ambassador to Bahrain has earned a niche for himself in the art circles of Bahrain. Artistically-speaking, Engin Turker represents the best of Turkey in the Pearl of the Gulf. For him, art and diplomacy come naturally and his canvas unlimited.

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Making a dream come true

By Reem Antoon   »   Whoever said dreams don't come true? Saleh Al Kowary still remembers imagining himself in the chief executive officer's chair at BritishBank which he had just joined.

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How top banker's career took flight

By Kirstin Stocker   »   A carefree childhood in a loving family, which viewed integrity as foremost among a list of values, has stood Osman Morad in good stead during his successful career in banking.

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Many Twists in this tale

By Roy Kietzman   »   Few youngsters start off with so many hard knocks in life before successfully climbing a career ladder as Mustafa Al Sayed did.

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Years of toil reap reach reward

By Kirstin Stocker   »   At the age of seven, he braved storms and the threat of pirates as he 'crewed' on vessels buying pearls throughout the Gulf. By 11, he was managing the family finances while his father was away on months-long trading trips. And at 15, he was already taking the first definitive steps to fulfilling his passion - designing jewellery that, simply put, were works of art.

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Work is fun for ad chief

By Paul Cleaver   »   If you love what you do for a living, you will never work a day in your life. Famous words those, and going by that adage, top Arab advertising personality Khamis Al Muqla has had the pleasure of never having to work.

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Master of his own destiny

By Archie D'Cruz   »   Many people might consider that being born into a rich and famous business family is formula enough for success. Khalid Al Zayani was born to just such a family, one which built a business empire that was the envy of the Gulf. Yet when there was a falling out between father and uncles, it led to anger, acrimony and eventual disintegration of the business.

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Family business a balancing act

By Paul Cleaver   »   A schoolboy athlete, a pioneer in Abu Dhabi when there was nothing there but sand, and now a prominent business leader, Khalid M Kanoo is one of the most refreshing personalities you could ever come across.

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Engineering a path to success

By Paul Cleaver   »   What does it take for someone to make it to the exalted position of a government minister, in charge of an important portfolio, at just 36? In the case of Fahmi bin Ali Al Jowder, it took natural ability, determination and an unswerving dedication to work.

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The man who wouldn't give up

By Archie D'Cruz   »   Ambition, it is said, is the driving force behind every human endeavour but success is reserved for those who try with determination, diligence and devotion. And they don't come any more determined than Jamil Amin Wafa, chairman and chief executive of the Unitag Group.

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The luck of the brave

By YM Sreekrishna Bhat   »   Success follows those who dare. And if luck smiles...the sky is the limit. From a small-town boy to an international banker, Iqbal Mamdani's story is of calculated risks and an unending desire to go further.

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Rrise of a farmer's son

By YM Sreekrishna Bhat   »   Ataba, Ataba. Step-by-step. That is how Haji Hassan describes his progress from a seven-year-old boy pulling his vegetable-laden donkey through the shallow waters separating Manama and Sitra to his position today as one of Bahrain's leading businessmen.

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Driven by a passion for cars

By YM Sreekrishna Bhat   »    As a child, Farouk Almoayyed had a fascination for cars. Hardly an uncommon passion for a young lad, you might say. But while other children pictured themselves behind the wheel, Farouk's head was planted under the hood, so to speak. He was intrigued by the processes that made the car run and dreamt of one day becoming an auto mechanic.

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Thinking big pays rich dividends

By Reem Antoon   »   As a youngster, Faisal Jawad always dreamed of becoming either a doctor or a pilot. He was a bright student, and after finishing his Secondary School Certificate, he applied for a course in medicine. He was accepted. But on the day he received his acceptance letter, young Faisal changed his mind.

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Al Dossary's success no accident

By YM Sreekrishna Bhat   »   "This candidate has no background in the hotel industry or HRD, but has great potential. It will be good to hire him". That was how the then general manager of the Regency Inter-Continental described Ebrahim Khalifa Al Dossary, who had applied for the post of assistant manager at the human resource department in 1983.

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How toy seller turned hotel baron

By Archie D'Cruz   »   The start of the teenage years are when most children have just grown out of toys. It was the age when Mohammad Dadabhai discovered them.

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Audacious move that paid off big

By YM Sreekrishna Bhat   »   It was a brazen act that helped Gulf Hotel's top executive Mohammed Buzizi break into the industry. After 10 years in jobs he was less than happy with, he was ready for something he could make a career of. When a friend suggested he apply at the Hilton, which was then just set to open its doors in Bahrain, Buzizi became interested.

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Recipe for a life of success

By Valerie Franchi   »   When I was first introduced to Karlheinz Aumann, the general manager of Bahrain Sheraton Hotel, he was hosting a luncheon for the hotel's taxi drivers. It's an annual event now, ever since he started the tradition back in 1983.

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'Life is my university'

By Paul Cleaver   »   Even as a youngster, it was apparent that Abdul Rahman Morshed was a born leader. He was always captain of the team when he played soccer with his friends on the hot dusty fields near his home in Muharraq. Off the field, he was leader of the pack. At university, he was elected head of the Bahraini Students Union, and later in life, many other honours would follow including being named Rotary Club president.

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The fruit of life's labours

By Archie D'Cruz   »   As a young boy, Abdulnabi Al Sho'ala could be seen at the football field like any other child. But while the other children were out playing, young Abdulnabi was waiting for them to take a break so he could sell them the peanuts he had roasted after school.

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