germany - AHK - AHKs

GERMANY 

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT 30.09.2012 

Renewable Energy 

Achieving ambitious targets for sustainability 

German Car Makers 

Driven by excellence 

A Healthy Alliance 

German expertise in the UAE 

Rich History of Art & Music 

Culture showcased in year-round festivals

CONTENTS 

4 Banking the German way 

Financial industry capitalises on regional potential 

10 Renewable Energy 

Germany achieves ambitious targets in the quest for 

sustainability 

16 10 Reasons the German Car Industry 

Stays on Top 

Car makers prove their mettle 

24 A Healthy Alliance 

How German expertise is helping to shape healthcare 

in the UAE 

35 Artistic Traditions 

Berlin has more than 400 galleries, spectacular museums and a 

thriving arts culture 

38 Classical Influence 

Wagnerites and Brahmsians alike benefit from 

Germany’s rich musical history 

Produced By Media Republic FZC 

In collaboration with the commercial department of: 

40 Reel Success 

German cinema competes on the world stage 

42 Frankfurt’s Vibrant Landscape 

Rustic village charm meets cosmopolitan style 

44 Quality Stands the Test of Time 

German brands cover the world from head to toe 

DISCLAIMER: 

The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for errors or omissions 

contained in this publication, however caused. 

COVER IMAGE: Essen- Grand piano in front of the Zollverein coal 

mine industrial complex. Photodesigner : Mark Wohlrab. Image 

Courtesy : Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus e.V. 

GERMANY SUPPLEMENT | 03

BANKING 

Banking the 

German way 

The German banking industry in the UAE grew dramatically in size and scope 

before the financial crisis. Today, these resillient firms share how and where they 

continue to find opportunities in the Middle East. - By Sara Hamdan 

From the glossy halls of the Dubai International 

Financial Centre to dedicated space in free zones, 

the German banking industry has gradually 

increased its regional scope over the past five 

years. As trade relations between Europe and 

the Middle East and North Africa grew, most of 

Germany’s banking powerhouses began opening 

branches in the region. 

This accelerated during the boom years of 2006 

and 2007, with most of the prominent banks 

turning to Dubai as a hub to service the rest of the 

Arab world. 

Analysts say that European banks, and German ones 

in particular, have strong growth potential in the 

region. Although the Middle East markets are small, 

fragmented, and still in the process of developing a 

complete financial infrastructure, foreign 

The Middle East has been 

developing significantly over 

the past few years and is now a 

key market for the international 

banking industry. 

- Micheal Cohrs, Head of Global 

Banking, Deutsche Bank 

institutions were intrigued by lucrative opportunities 

in frontier markets characterised by young 

populations, oil revenues and strong fundamentals. 

German banks that were among the first to open 

local branches, including Commerzbank and 

Deutsche Bank, showed that it was possible to 

provide the right services for local clients and 

navigate through financial difficulty during the 

crisis of 2008. 

Deutsche Bank, which has had an office in Dubai 

since 2001, opened another branch in the DIFC in 

2006 in order to take advantage of the growing 

opportunities in the region. The bank soon became 

a founding member of the DIFX, the free zone’s 

stock exchange, and was the first to list products 

when it launched in September 2005. 

“The Middle East has been developing significantly 

over the past few years and is now a key market for 

the international banking industry,” said Micheal 

Cohrs, head of global banking at Deutsche Bank. 

“This is an initial step in the bank’s growth plans.” 

Commerzbank, Germany’s second largest bank, 

opened its DIFC branch a year later in 2007. 

Commerzbank provides banking services for 

institutional investors in the Middle East, as well as 

asset management services through Cominvest, a 

wholly owned subsidiary. 

Aside from offering conventional banking services, 

Commerzbank also became the region’s first 

specialist in international banking for real estate. 

This catered uniquely to the local markets, as 

real estate investing has had a strong tradition, 

particularly in the Gulf region. 

“The addition of Commerzbank to the DIFC’s 

growing number of eminent financial institutions 

will help strengthen ties between this region 

and the markets of Europe,” said Nasser Al Shaali, 

the DIFC Authority’s chief executive at the time 

the bank opened. “Commerzbank is a respected 

and influential force in global banking, and its 

presence in the Middle East will significantly 

invigorate the sector here.” 

As these two institutions made headway in new 

territory, the German banking industry began to 

grow in size as other banks decided to expand their 

presence in the region. In 2008, Landesbank Baden- 

Württemberg, shipping giant HVB, and private 

bank Dresden Bank were among the prominent 

German banks to open branches in the UAE. 

Most of these institutions used Dubai and the 

DIFC as a hub from which to service the rest of the 

region. For Landesbank, the focus of the business 

was to provide consulting and financial services 

to German medium-sized businesses entering the 

regional markets, from Libya all the way to the 

Arabian Gulf. Iran and Pakistan are also serviced by 

the firm’s office in the DIFC. 

Investors are demanding an 

increasing exposure to MENA 

investments, but historically they 

have had little access to these 

opportunities. 

- Nazem Al Kudsi, CEO, ADIC 

04 | GERMANY SUPPLEMENT GERMANY SUPPLEMENT | 05 

“ 

“ 

“ 

“

Other German banks set up outside the DIFC, 

which was the case for BHF Bank, Germany’s 

second largest private bank. Rather than just 

setting up a branch office, BHF launched a 

partnership with Abu Dhabi Investment Company, 

focusing on its asset management business and 

providing advisory services. 

“Investors are demanding an increasing exposure 

to MENA investments, but historically they have had 

little access to these opportunities,” said Nazem Al 

Kudsi, chief executive of ADIC, in a statement. “BHF 

Bank has recognised this gap.” 

During the UAE’s boom days, German banks 

began setting up in the region, one after the 

other, reaching a peak in 2008. In May 2008, the 

200-million-euro German Business Park, based 

in Silicon Oasis, opened its doors to German 

companies. Designed as a hub for German firms 

in the UAE and the Gulf region, the project was a 

joint venture between the Bin Jabr Group, holding a 

majority share of 68 per cent, and the Dubai Silicon 

Oasis Authority, which owns a 32 per cent stake. 

Offering an array of services under one roof, the 

park, which is home to the German Centre Dubai, 

provides office space and business services to 

German companies, including banks. The unique 

project is meant to serve as another bridge for 

German companies and investors interested in 

the UAE. 

When the financial crisis hit in the fall of 2008, 

however, these entities were tested in their ability 

to weather downturns in the economy. Most were 

forced to downsize and run lean operations during 

the ensuing difficult times. They were ready when 

good deals began to flow once more, which was the 

case for Deutsche Bank in April of this year, when 

it arranged the first international sukuk for Saudi 

Electricity Company, the largest utility firm in the 

Middle East alongside HSBC, worth $1.75 billion. 

“The issuance also represents the largest 

international capital markets transaction by 

a Saudi corporation,” said Jamal Al Kishi, chief 

executive officer of Deutsche Securities Arabia, a 

subsidiary of Deutsche Bank Group. “We are proud 

to have contributed to its financing success, which 

we hope will support the Kingdom’s growth at this 

important juncture.” 

Similarly, in July 2012, Commerzbank Dubai 

executed the first trade in a repo loan market in 

the UAE. Clearstream, a financial institution, joined 

hands with Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank to provide 

triparty repo services. This is a significant step in the 

evolution of a Middle Eastern triparty repo market 

and the general sophistication of Middle East 

financial market infrastructure. 

The German banking industry has also given back to 

the community with corporate social responsibility 

initiatives. In April 2012, Deutsche Bank was 

awarded the Patron of the Arts award by Sheikh 

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for the bank’s 

contributions to the local art scene in 2011. Last 

year, the bank sponsored a plethora of art projects, 

including an open air display of 25 balancing 

sculptures dotted across the DIFC and Emirates 

Palace in Abu Dhabi. 

As the German banking industry continues to 

grow and capitalise on regional potential, new 

avenues continue to be explored – ranging from 

the introduction of new funds to creative corporate 

social responsibility programs. 


RENIEWABLE ENERGY 

Renewable Energy 

Germany leads in the race towards a future driven by renewable energy. 

With a global focus on reducing dependency on 

fossil fuels for the world’s energy needs, many 

countries are actively seeking to develop renewable 

energy sources and none more so than Germany, 

described by renewableenergyworld.com as the 

world’s first major renewable energy economy. But 

the country’s efforts in the field are not confined to 

its own borders; German technology and expertise 

is contributing to renewable energy success stories 

all around the world, including here in the UAE. 

One of the first countries to introduce legislation 

regarding renewable energy, Germany created and 

implemented the Renewable Energy Sources Act in 

2000 to provide a framework within which German 

energy providers could work together to decrease 

reliance on fossil fuels and progress towards the 

country’s aim of becoming entirely dependent 

10 | GERMANY SUPPLEMENT 

upon renewable energy. Ambitious targets were 

set, including a goal of 60 per cent reliance upon 

renewable energy by 2050, and excellent progress 

is being made. 

Current statistics published by BDEW - the German 

Association of Energy and Water Industries - 

indicate some 25 per cent of electricity generated 

in Germany in the first six months of 2012 was 

from a renewable source. Wind power tops the list 

followed by biomass, or material acquired from 

living organisms, hydro-electrics and solar energy. 

Production of photovoltaic energy is on the rise, 

leaping 47 per cent from 3.6 per cent in 2011 to 5.3 

per cent in the first half of 2012, as progress is made 

towards decreasing its relatively high production 

cost in comparison to other renewable 

energy sources. 

Alongside these efforts to develop reliance on 

renewable energy within Germany, the country has 

been instrumental in promoting environmentally 

sound energy elsewhere around the world. Perhaps 

one of its most lasting impacts in the field of 

renewable energy has been its pivotal role in the 

founding of IRENA - the International Renewable 

Energy Agency - which aims to facilitate and 

encourage the sharing of knowledge, expertise and 

best practice among its members and signatories. 

According to Federal Environment Minister 

Peter Altmaier, countries must work together 

on such an important task. “Germany is one of 

the pioneers in the global switch to renewable 

energies,” he says. “We must improve coordination 

and co-operation of this process, 

especially among those countries that are in 

the vanguard of the transformation of energy 

systems; this is why IRENA is so important for us 

as the voice, hub and advisory resource in the 

global energy revolution.” 

Night view of the Knowledge Centre at Masdar City, Abu Dhabi 

Image Courtesy: Masdar 

As Germany leads the way in the journey towards 

reliance on renewable energy, it is no surprise that 

the country has been a key partner for the UAE as it 

strives towards reducing its dependence upon fossil 

fuels. Nowhere is German technology more evident 

than at Masdar City, the purpose-built sustainable 

city just outside Abu Dhabi, where major German 

companies are inextricably involved. 

Masdar — the Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy 

company — has linked with German companies, 

such as the powerhouse Siemens, to create a city 

entirely reliant on renewable energy sources, which 

will be home to a host of companies with a focus 

on the environment. According to Masdar, the city 

is intended to become a commercially viable role 

model for other cities around the world, thanks to its 

policy of implementing energy efficiency measures 

such as the use of green concrete. 

Alongside these measures, smart grid and demandside 

management technologies are also being 


“ 

Solargenix CSP Farm USA. Solargenix is a portfolio company of 

Masdar Capital’s Clean Tech fund. Image Courtesy: Masdar 

implemented in partnership with Siemens, offering 

the opportunity for considerable energy and cost 

savings through an integrated grid that tracks 

and influences energy consumption from utility 

Among the approximately 30 German 

companies working with or for Masdar, 

you just have to focus on Siemens as 

an outstanding sample of German 

participation in the UAE energy sector. 

to consumer levels. The grid network comprises a 

number of elements, from appliances, meters and 

sensors to building and distribution management 

systems, with a resulting energy saving of up to 45 

per cent and water consumption saving of up to 50 

per cent. 

The pairing of German companies with the Masdar 

project is entirely understandable, according 

to Ambassador Nikolai von Schoepff, German 

Ambassador to the UAE. “The vision and impact of 

the Masdar project has, from the outset, attracted 

Germany as a leader for renewable energy and 

state-of-the-art environmental technology,” he 

explains, citing the project as a beacon of renewable 

energy in the country. 

“Among the approximately 30 German companies 

working with or for Masdar, you just have to 


“ 

- Ambassador Nikolai von Schoepff 

focus on Siemens as [an] outstanding sample of 

German participation in the UAE energy sector,” he 

continues. “Siemens has concluded, last autumn, a 

long-term strategic partnership with Masdar; [it] will 

implement an innovative power grid combined with 

advanced building technologies in the first phase 

of Masdar City, [which] will serve as both an energyefficient 

power solution and a living research and 

development platform.” 

The Siemens-Masdar partnership also incorporates 

collaboration in the field of carbon capture and 

storage, says Ambassador von Schoepff, which will 

involve research and development with the Masdar 

Institute. “Additionally, Siemens will establish an 

anchor presence in Masdar City, housing their 

Middle East headquarters, a Centre of Excellence in 

Building Technologies and other initiatives including 

a Leadership Development Centre,” he explains. 

Masdar City also involves the invaluable 

contributions of many other German companies. 

SMA Solar Technology AG, a global leader in the 

development, production and sales of photovoltaic 

inverters and an energy management group, 

supplied 16 Sunny Central 560HE inverters for 

Masdar’s 10MW solar photovoltaic plant and Ludwig 

Häußler GmbH, a company that focuses on the 

production of sustainable, energy saving, highquality 

windows and doors, has helped lower the 

electricity consumption at Masdar Institute through 

the installation of their ENERGATE products. 

Given Germany’s robust commitment to achieving 

the ambitious renewable energy targets laid down 

by its government, as well as its credible reputation 

for technology and expertise, it is no surprise the 

country’s impressive influence is reaching as far 

afield as the UAE. 

Excerpts from interview with Federal Environment Minister Peter 

Altmaier courtesy of BMU.de and interview with Ambassador 

Nikolai von Schoepff courtesy of German Embassy Abu Dhabi. 

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P. O. Box 341265, Dubai, U.A.E. 

Tel: (+971) 4 371 2675 

E-mail: info@nolteme.com 

Universal Electrical Equipment Est 

P. O. Box 6809, Dubai, U.A.E. 

Tel: (+971) 4 282 3443 

E-mail: utc@universal-uae.ae 

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P. O. Box 4399, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. 

Tel: (+971) 2 633 5331 

E-mail: utc@universal-uae.ae 

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AUTOMOBILES 

10 Reasons the 

German Car Industry 

Stays on Top - By Tom De Kadt 

SLS AMG GT 

Why are German cars so good? It’s a question 

many have asked. The US car industry, emerging 

from a major slump, is asking it. With Cadillac 

looking to re-establish itself as the world’s 

number one premium car brand, its owner, 

General Motors, will have to come up with some 

pretty good metal to compete with German car 

makers not willing to relinquish their top spots. 

And that top spot is to be the world’s number-one 

premium car brand. 

The likes of Jaguar and Lexus, among others, 

are newly energised, ambitious and keen to be 

number one. To succeed, these car makers must 

replicate the same combination of production 

costs, labour and manufacturing processes that 

combine to make such a formidable industry. And 

let’s not forget: they must also create the sort of 

good quality, attractive and popular motors that 

German car makers do relentlessly. 

What it is that makes the German car industry 

the envy of other car makers – you could call it 

the ‘essence’ of German cars – to keep making 

cars that drivers love to own and drive. This 

question was recently asked by iconic US investor 

magazine, Forbes. And the magazine asked it with 

one eye on its own US car industry which, despite 

the huge volumes that General Motors is once 

again producing, has never quite been able to 

match the mystique which German cars exude. 

First, let’s be clear who we are talking about - 

and there’s more to it than just the fabled rivalry 

between Mercedes and BMW. Mercedes-Benz 

cars is but one component – albeit a very special 

one - of the Daimler AG parent company. Daimler’s 

brands include AMG and Smart, as well as a whole 

host of buses, trucks and parts manufacturers. 

Daimler’s most recent profit was $4.5 billion (Dh 

16.5 billion) in 2010. 

Last year, the conglomerate celebrated its 125th 

anniversary since the invention of the automobile 

on 29 January 1886, by its founding fathers, Karl 

Benz and Gottlieb Daimler. In the Middle East, 

last year saw some of the highest sales figures 

Mercedes has ever achieved. 

BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe, the company’s first 4 Door coupe 

During a global economic downturn, how can 

this be? Perhaps it has something to do with the 

products. These include an upgraded CGI engine 

version of the flagship S-Class; an aesthetically 

enhanced C-Class, the Middle East launch in Beirut 

of the C-Class Coupe, not to mention a new SLK 

Roadster. The icing was blasted off the one-anda-quarter-century 

birthday cake by the ferocious 

BMW i3 and i8 concept car by BMW will go into production in 2013 

convertible version of its breakthrough gullwing 

sports car, the SLS AMG Roadster. In the car-loving 

Middle East, the world’s first car maker’s place 

is assured. 

BMW is unique among German carmakers for 

being a privately-owned company, with the Quant 

family owning more than half of the company. 

Founded in 1916, in 2010, BMW made $3.2 billion 

(Dh 11.7 billion) in profit. Subsidiaries include Mini 

and Rolls-Royce. 

Any talk of BMW, regularly touted as one of the 

world’s most reputable brands, resting on its laurels 

is premature. In February 2011, the BMW Group 

launched its dramatic new sub-brand, BMW i. 

As BMW looks to the future, the i3 and i8 will be 

launched next year and will mark a seismic shift 

in motoring trends. The BMW i8 is an amazing 

combination of looks, fuel efficiency, plug-in 

hybridity and high performance, and with a 

passenger cell made from carbon. The fabled 

rivalry looks set to continue and BMW has some 

world-beating products to take into combat. 

Like its two main competitors, Audi was founded 

more than 90 years ago, but has only recently come 

to rival the other big two, Mercedes and BMW. And, 

in so doing, it is perceived as the new kid on the 

block, so that the old two-way rivalry has become 

a three-way battle for premium car supremacy. In 

2011, Audi made $5.3 billion (Dh 19.5 billion) profit. 

Like Mercedes and BMW, Audi owns a host of 

brands, including Lamborghini, Ducati and design 

house, Giugiaro. By 2015, Audi plans to increase 

16 | GERMANY SUPPLEMENT GERMANY SUPPLEMENT | 17

The Volkswagen Beetle: 75 years old and still going strong 

the number of models in its portfolio to 42. Audi 

Middle East, a fully owned subsidiary, was founded 

in 2005 and the current Middle East model range 

comprises 18 vehicles, including the S5, RS 5, the A5 

Sportback and A5 Cabriolet, the TT Coupe/Roadster 

and TT RS Coupe, the A8 L, Q7, the R8 and the R8 

Spyder V10. 

Audi is currently building the first all-electric Audi, 

the R8 e-tron sports car. A small production run is 

scheduled to hit the roads in late 2012. 

Mercedes, BMW and Audi car products are fighting 

for the top spot, but Audi is a subsidiary of VW, and 

Volkswagen is the true behemoth of German car 

making. 

The VW conglomerate’s 2011 profit was $15.4 billion 

(Dh 56.5 billion). VW subsidiaries include, as well as 

Audi, Porsche, Bentley, Bugatti, Scania, SEAT, Skoda 

and Suzuki, among many others. VW is reportedly 

interested in acquiring Proton-Lotus too. 

In 2011, Volkswagen was named in the top 25 largest 

companies in the world by the Forbes Global 2000. 

Volkswagen’s goal is to be the world’s leading car 

manufacturer by 2018, which it could realistically 

become. With the exciting new models coming 

to the Middle East, VW is truly the people’s car. 

Combine the profits of all German car makers and 

Toyota and GM are left in the rear-view mirror. With 

this as the context, Forbes magazine came up with 

ten things German car makers do to ensure their cars 

are the best. 

1. Be first. Germans have been making cars longer 

than anyone else. 

2. Race. Fortune argues German car makers have 

a glorious racing heritage, in which their cars were 

pushed to their limits, reputations were made and 

where they learnt to improve their cars in the process. 

3. Drive fast. Fortune’s third reason is related to the 

one above. Germany still has, unlike most other 

countries, huge stretches of road without any speed 

limit at all. Any country with 8,000 miles of public 

roads that allow you to pretty much drive as fast 

as you want is likely to turn out motors capable of 

driving under pressure. 

4. Make strong brands. Badges like the Mercedes 

star, BMW’s blue-and-white check and VW are known 

and recognised brands. 

5. Use the latest technology. Technology is even the 

tagline of Audi: “Vorsprung durch technik”, which 

means “advancement through technology.” You could 

apply this moniker to the entire German automotive 

industry. Fortune notes that “Engineers occupy a high 


Concept of the Porsche Boxster presented in 1993 in 

the Detroit Auto Show 

pedestal in a country that prizes technology and 

craftsmanship.” 

6. Make cars people want. Fortune sums it up 

from The Economist: “It’s quite simple, really – 

Germany makes things which people in countries 

with growing economies want to buy.” 

7. Be confident. Or arrogant. Or both. Either way, 

believe in your company and its products. Have a 

purpose and a mission that set you apart or above, 

the rest of the pack. Mercedes’ ads claim “The Best 

Or Nothing.” BMW says they build the “Ultimate 

Driving Machine.” 

8. Be aspirational but affordable (just). The 

price point, and being strategic in pricing and 

marketing, is very nearly the object – overlapping 

with the above point, Fortune says “Sometimes, 

how much you pay for something – as opposed to 

its function – is the point of the exercise.” 

9. Be exclusive and super-exclusive. Anyone with 

$50,000 (Dh 183,500) can buy a 5 Series, but it 

takes an even larger bank account to afford an M5. 

Arguably the world’s most exclusive car brand is 

Bugatti. And it’s German. 


10. Be number one. And therefore put everyone 

else in second place. The tenth reason given for 

German car dominance arguably only repeats 

number seven. Fortune says Audi, BMW, Mercedes 

and Porsche are generally thought of as top 

marques because, well, they say they are. 

There are even more reasons to consider why 

Germany is doing it better than other car makers. 

World war two led to rapid industrialisation of its 

manufacturing base, including the automotive 

industry. German car makers are excellent at 

making premium cars for everyone. 

Anyone, from customers after affordable to hyperexclusive 

cars, and from 4x4, to sedan to supercars, 

can own a German car. And the marketing and 

advertising created by German carmakers and 

their ad agencies is, frankly, brilliant. 

The recent global economic downturn has seen a 

number of carmakers downsize. But the financial 

turbulence has only underlined the durability and 

resilience of German car makers. 

How, many people have asked, can it be that 

Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, Audi and VW pay their 

workers more than twice the salary that US carmaking 

employees receive and produce so many 

more and better quality cars? 

Until all those non-German car makers who are 

clamouring to be number one discover that 

answer, they will remain number two and three. 

What’s clear is that German car makers covet the 

top spot and are going nowhere fast. 

There aren’t 10 elements to being a world-beating 

car maker, there’s just one: be German.

Working in Supply Chain, we don’t have 

direct contact with patients or doctors. 

What motivates me, however, is knowing that my work helps to 

get the right products to the right place and at the right time. 

Coordinating the requirements across 13 countries in the Middle 

East and being able to respond to the different needs quickly and 

pro-actively is challenging but very rewarding. Cross functional 

working is a big part of my role, working with my colleagues in 

different functions to help meet common goals drives me forward 

every day. 

In Supply Chain we live Supply Chain Excellence through a 

strong customer focus and ensuing our most advanced products 

reach the market and ultimately the patients when they are most 

needed, and this is how we live science and transform lives. 

Jill Masters 

Supply Chain 

Middle East 

Merck Serono is a 

division of Merck.

HEALTHCARE 

Image Courtesy: Discover Middle East 

A Healthy 

Alliance 

How German expertise is helping to shape 

healthcare in the UAE. - By Susan Worth 

Germany is known worldwide for its excellent quality of healthcare. Not 

only does it offer some of the highest standards of medical care, but also 

exceptional preventive therapy and rehabilitation, making it Europe’s 

leading destination for medical tourism. 

The number of Arabs travelling to Germany for medical reasons has been 

increasing steadily, with the number of patients from the UAE doubling in 

the last five years. 

The GCC healthcare market is set to triple within the coming years, to reach 

US $55 billion (Dh 2.2 billion) in 2020, according to a report by KFH Research 

Limited. This year-on-year growth of 9 per cent demonstrates the immense 

potential the region has for all aspects of medical provisioning, such as 

knowledge transfer, training, the building of clinics and hospitals and the 

import and export of medical supplies and pharmaceutical products. 

The UAE is among the leaders in promoting private sector investment and 

supporting international investment in the healthcare sector in the country. 

It is also among the world’s Top 20 in healthcare spending per capita. This 

gives hospitals in the UAE the financial leverage to attract the world’s best 

talent and acquire state-of-the-art medical equipment. 

Germany has played an important role in shaping the UAE’s healthcare 

system, working closely with health authorities to put in place systems that 

meet the needs of the changing population. There has been a continual 

increase in the number of qualified medical personnel and technology from 

Germany in the UAE. “You need systems to be developed, and most of the 

health authorities in the UAE are working on this. You need staff capacity 

and, as there is a high turnover of staff across this region, the system can 

become a little destabilized,” says Dr Cornelius Oepen, Senior Business 

Developer Health, GIZ International Services. 


These were the issues recognised by the German 

General Hospital management team in 2005. Their 

work resulted in the Al Rawdah German Medical 

Centre opening in Abu Dhabi in 2009. The success of 

that has led to the planning and now building of the 

German General Hospital in Khalifa City A. 

Dr Hans Poessel-Joachim, Managing Director for Al 

Rawdah German Medical Centre, says: “The German 

expertise across both projects includes the Chief 

Executive Officer, the Managing Director of the 

centre, eight German physicians, the IT Director and 

Project Management Specialists. 

Anyone taking a drive around the Emirates will see 

the blossoming of hospitals and health facilities, but 

there is a huge problem looming. Indian research 

analysis group RNCOS, in its report “UAE Healthcare 

Sector Forecast to 2014”, shows a shortfall of 12,920 

doctors in the UAE required by 2014 to match the 

per capita medical coverage in the US and some 

European countries. 

Image Courtesy: Discover Middle East 

Image Courtesy: ICME Healthcare 

“Because of the demographic development of the 

Arab world, the European medical services will not 

be able to meet their needs,” says Dr Oepen of GIZ. 

“There will be a big issue of partnering to share 

specialist skills. There will be an ageing population 

in the region that has not been seen before and this 

will affect the types of services that will be needed.” 

Approximately 100 Emiratis are currently studying 

for medical specialisations in Germany. Dr Joachim 

Kolb of the German Academic Exchange Service 

(DAAD) says that medicine is one of the most 

popular subjects among students looking for 

opportunities to study in Germany. 

The Germany-based management consulting 

company ICME Healthcare is lead consultant for 

SEHA (Abu Dhabi Health Services Company) and 

advisor to other governmental institutions and 

private entities in healthcare across the UAE and 

the Gulf region. 

The company developed the governmental 

healthcare strategy for Abu Dhabi and continues to 

contribute to the Emirate’s healthcare requirements. 

“In 2011, the German company Fresenius Medical 

Care signed a 10-year agreement with the public 

provider of health services, SEHA, and manages all 

public dialysis facilities in Abu Dhabi,” says Holger 

Micheel-Sprenger, Partner, CFO and Managing 

Director MENA, ICME Healthcare. 

“The joint ventures IFO (ICME, Faust Consult, 

Obermeyer) and ITS (ICME, Tilke SOM) are planning 

and designing the new Al Ain Hospital, the new 


Sheikh Khalifa Medical City as well as the Abu Dhabi 

Medical Rehabilitation Centre and the Special 

Security Hospital.” 

Merck Serono Middle East, a subsidiary of Merck 

KGaA, focuses on the treatment of diseases with the 

highest requirements for medical support: cancer, 

neurodegenerative diseases, infertility, metabolic 

disorders and cardio metabolic diseases. It is also 

proud of its recent partnership with the University 

of Oxford and UAE-based health authorities to run 

national diabetes surveys using a UK-based running 

model for risk and complication assessment. 

“Our main focus in the region is to be a true partner 

to governments and health authorities in healthcare 

and medical access of key therapeutic areas. This 

partnership is achieved through providing the right 

medicine to the right patient at the right cost and 

by ensuring that Merck Serono provides the latest 

medical information and supports continuous 

medical education,” says Dream Samir, General 


Artists Impression of the Vivantes Hospital in Abu Dhabi 

Nizar Maarouf 

CEO 

Vivantes International GmbH 

“ 

We want to bring know-how to 

international projects. Building 

a hospital is important and 

takes skill, but the big issue is 

management and manpower 

- Nizar Maarouf 

Manager of Merck Serono Middle East, which 

is among the fastest growing pharmaceutical 

companies in the Gulf region. 

“ 

Germany’s involvement in the UAE’s healthcare is 

integral to the provision of a modern system. The 

National Health Insurance Company (DAMAN) is 

jointly owned by the government of Abu Dhabi (80 

per cent) and Munich Re (20 per cent). 

Effective health insurance enables a country to 

improve its preventative medicine, particularly 

important in the UAE with such a high prevalence 

of heart disease and diabetes (See box). Prevention 

and forward planning go hand-in-hand, as Nizar 

Maarouf, CEO at Vivantes International GmbH, 

knows very well. 

His company has been master-planning the Vivantes 

Rehab Centre in Abu Dhabi to fulfil another need in 

this country – rehabilitation. The 250-bed centre will 

be unique in the Emirates. 

C 

M 

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CM 

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CMY 

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“Vivantes is the largest state-owned hospital 

group in Germany, with 5,500 beds, nine hospitals, 

100 medical departments and over 40 centres of 

excellence,” says Maarouf. “Vivantes International 

GmbH delivers consulting and management 

services for the international healthcare sector. We 

want to bring know-how to international projects. 

Building a hospital is important and takes skill, 

but the big issue is management and manpower. 

When we start building a hospital, we also masterplan 

the staffing and training,” he says. 

With the need for improvements in overall 

healthcare management and delivery across 

the UAE, these types of projects, incorporating 

everything from the staffing to the structures, 

represent a partnership between the UAE and 

Germany that will reap benefits well into the 

future for both nations. 

ad-a5.pdf 8/7/12 3:40:09 PM 

FOCUS ON DIABETES 

Almost 20 per cent of adults in the UAE have diabetes, 

according to the International Diabetes Federation, 

and it is predicted that by 2030, one in every three 

adults will be living with the condition. 

For people over 60, this figure already shoots up to 40 

per cent. Identified as one of the UAE’s biggest health 

problems, diabetes is a top priority for healthcare 

planning in the country. This focus has inevitably led to 

joint initiatives between Germany and the UAE. 

The UAE Ministry of Health and the Federal State of 

Mecklenburg-Lower Pommerania have created a stateof-the-art 

facility, Klinikum Karlsburg, in north-eastern 

Germany, to focus on diabetes and, in particular, child 

diabetes, one of the Gulf region’s most pressing health 

concerns. 

An important factor in care for diabetics is the sharing 

of knowledge and experience. This is the focus of Bayer 

HealthCare’s “Excellence across Borders” programme, 

which brings together professionals in Middle Eastern, 

African, and European countries. 

The programme held its first symposium, in Dubai, in 

April, with representatives from Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, 

Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. These countries are 

six of the world’s top ten for diabetes prevalence.

A 

Bavaria introduces it self as a health location.

ARTS 

Artistic Traditions 

Germany has a cutting-edge underground arts scene coupled 

with some of the world’s best collections of ancient heritage and 

artefacts, and nowhere is this more evident than in the nation’s 

capital, Berlin. - By Anna Wallace 

Walid Raad. Scratching on Things I could 

Disavow, 2007- ongoing. Mixed media. 

Photo: Anders Sune Berg. 

Tacita Dean. Fatigues. 2012. Chalk on blackboard, 6 panels. Photography by Nils Klinger. 

Germany has long been home to a flourishing arts and design 

scene, evident in its world-class galleries and museums, 

designers, architects and intellectuals. While today it hosts a 

busy calendar of exhibitions and art fairs, Germany also saw a 

Golden Age in the last century, with the Renaissance of arts and 

sciences that took place in the old Weimar Republic (1918–1933). 

It was during this time that Germany was alive with achievers in 

almost every cultural field, from art and literature to philosophy, 

science and technology. 

One of the great influences of that period was the Dada artistic 

movement, originating in Zurich around the time of the First 


World War. It spread quickly 

to New York and Paris and, in 

Germany, to Berlin and Cologne. 

In Cologne artists such as Max 

Ernst flourished, also working in 

Cubism. Other influential artistic 

movements during this time 

included New Objectivism, as well 

as Verism, which was propagated 

by Otto Dix. The Weimar period 

also gave birth to the iconic 

Bauhaus design movement. 

Today, Germany continues its 

artistic traditions, with the capital 

of Berlin, in particular, holding 

a reputation for a renowned 

underground and grass roots arts 

culture combined with worldclass 

museums. While recent 

development booms threaten to 

gentrify much of what was once 

so characteristically gritty about 

the city’s arts scene, there are still 

plenty of underground events to 

be found and, more importantly, 

the city is becoming home 

to top-tier Contemporary art 

galleries, many of them regularly 

taking part in the international 

art fair circuit. Galleries such as 

Johann König, Galerie Christian 

Nagel, Galerie Nordenhake, 

Galerie Thomas Schulte and C/O 

represent but a tiny fraction of 

what is estimated to be nearly 

400 galleries in the city. 

Then there are the big cultural 

destinations – some 18 museums, 

under the umbrella of the Berlin 

State Museums, collect, archive, 

Etel Adnan. Untitled, 1959–2010. 38 untitled paintings. Oil on canvas. 

Photo: Anders Sune Berg. 

preserve and display everything 

from the photography of Helmut 

Newton to ancient Egyptian 

artefacts. Many of these are 

clumped together on what 

is known as Berlin’s Museum 

Island on the Spree river . Here, 

five spectacular museums 

include the Altes Museum (Old 

Museum), Neues Museum (New 

Museum), Alte Nationalgalerie 

(Old National Gallery), the 

architecturally spectacular Bode 

Museum (exhibiting sculpture 

and Antique and Byzantine art) 

and the UNESCO World Heritage 

Site, Pergamon Museum. The 

latter is home to some of the 

world’s greatest historic treasures 

and houses a spectacular Middle 

Eastern collection of heritage 

items, including the Pergamum Altar and Ishtar Gate, 

both from ancient Babylon. 

It is in the Pergamon (completed in 1930), that 

three major collections are housed – the Museum of 

Islamic Art, Museum of the Ancient Near East, and 

a Collection of Classical Antiquities. The museum is 

famous for its superb architectural design, and its 

stunning displays – many of them life-sized, including 

the installation of the Market Gate of Miletus and the 

aforementioned Ishtar Gate, allowing visitors to get 

up close and personal with these ancient structures. 

The museum was badly damaged during the Second 

World War in an air raid on Berlin and it was only in 

the 1950s that many of the objects that had been lost 

through looting or war prizes, were returned. 

The best way to explore the arts scene in Germany is, 

of course, to visit. Festivals, exhibitions and art events 

take place every summer. Such notable expositions 

as Skulptur Projekte Münster and dOCUMENTA take 

place at intervals of ten and five years respectively, 

complementing the annual Art Basel fair in 

Switzerland, and the biannual Venice Biennale. 

From the exhibition ‘In the Light of Amarna. 100 Years of the Find of 

Nefertiti’. Running at the Neues Museum from 7 December 2012 - 13 

April 2013. Color model bust of Queen Nefertiti. Photo: Sandra Rump 

Skulptur Projekte Münster 

Taking place every decade (the last edition was held in 2007), 

this large-scale exhibition sees public art and sculptures 

by international artists take over the city for 100 days. 

Founded in 1977, the last edition saw half a million visitors 

pass through Münster, with artists hailing from 25 countries. 

Notable artists who have taken part include Bruce Nauman, 

Donald Judd, Richard Serra, Claes Oldenburg, Ilya Kabakov, 

Jeff Koons and Rachel Whiteread. For more information, visit 

www.skulptur-projekte.de 

dOCUMENTA 

Taking place in Kassel every five years, dOCUMENTA’s first 

incarnation appeared in 1955. Now in its 13th edition, 

the expansive art exhibition has more than 300 artistic 

practitioners exhibiting in eight venues, including public art 

installations in the city itself. With an events programme that 

includes film, poetry and lectures, dOCUMENTA runs for 100 

days and is timed to coincide with Skulptur Projekte Münster. 

The 2012 edition runs from June 9th to September 6th. For 

more information, visit http://d13.documenta.de/ 

Haus der Kulturen der Welt 

Berlin’s House of the Cultures of the World was designed 

by American architect Hugh Stubbins in 1957, and 

hosted John F Kennedy during his famous 1963 visit to 

the capital. Since then, it has become a centre for non- 

European Contemporary art, hosting exhibitions, dance and 

theatre, concerts, film, book readings and even academic 

conferences. Funded by the federal government, it has 

become a platform for the arts, and exhibitions have 

included Meetings Points 6: Contemporary Art Festival for 

the Arab World; Der Traum vom Fliegen – The Art of Flying 

and Germany’s Muslims and European Islam, alongside 

numerous web projects and outdoor festivals. For more 

information, visit www.hkw.de 

Museum Fur Fotographie 

Before his death in 2004, the famous German photographer 

Helmut Newton donated 1,000 photographs to his 

hometown of Berlin, as well as provisions for the creation 

of a gallery. The result was the Helmut Newton Foundation/ 

The Museum of Photography, housed in a former casino. 

The superb photography museum features two floors of 

Newton’s iconic fashion images, as well as hosting temporary 

exhibitions of works by other photographers. Exhibitions 

have included Newton, Nachtwey, Lachapelle: Men, War & 

Peace as well as Pigozzi and the Paparazzi, among others. For 

more information, visit www.helmutnewton.com 

Useful Links 

www.timeout.com/berlin 

www.berlinartlink.com 

www.smb.museum 


MUSIC 

Classical Influence - By Anna Wallace 

Composers such as Richard Wagner and Ludwig 

van Beethoven have become synonymous with 

the great pinnacles of classical music, as have their 

works, The Ring Cycle and the legendary Ode to 

Joy. Alongside France and Italy, Germany was a 

cradle for some of the Western world’s greatest 

musical talents, witnessing a golden age through 

the Baroque, Classical and Romantic eras, and 

continuing with a thriving classical music scene 

that sees its German heritage celebrated through a 

plethora of musical festivals and concerts. 

One of the most important movements of the 

classical music scene has been the German opera. 

It was in the 17th century that the first Germanlanguage 

opera made its debut (a translation 

of Jacopo Peri’s Italian opera Dafne, by Heinrich 

Schütz). However, it was only with the emergence 

of the prodigal (Austrian) Wolfgang Amadeus 

Mozart that opera, which has been dominated 

by the Italian and French languages, suddenly 

Portrait of Ludwig van Beethoven 

by Joseph Karl Stieler, dated 1820. 

found itself at home in German, leading to the 

emergence of the father of German opera: Wagner. 

What is it then, about German classical music, 

specifically opera, that set it apart from its Western 

counterparts? “There are two main differences,” 

explains tenor, lecturer and singing teacher 

Andrés Hernández-Salazar. “Firstly; the Italians 

were more concerned with the voice, and with 

vocal acrobatics, as it were, with vocal virtuosity 

and melody at the fore, while the Germans were 

more interested in the harmonic construction of 

the music. Secondly, unlike the more international 

scope of French and Italian operas, beginning with 

composers such as Carl Maria von Weber, you have 

this quest of German opera that focuses on the 

German people and its history, psyche and legends 

– this of course culminates in Wagner’s Ring Cycle.” 

Through the 17th and 18th centuries, Germany 

produced Baroque composers (1600–1760) such 

With its rich cultural history and 

diverse musical outpouring, 

Germany remains one of the 

world’s great classical music 

influences, with a wide array of 

musical festivals, concerts and 

events celebrating the lives of its 

composers, both past and present. 

as Telemann, who experimented with the 

opera form, paving the way for the thundering 

composers of the late Classical (1730 -1 820) 

through to the Romantic (1815 -1 910) periods 

– Beethoven, Wagner, Schumann, Mendelssohn, 

Strauss and Brahms perhaps being the most 

famous. Possibly the greatest composer of 

his generation, Beethoven took the opera 

form introduced by his Classical Austrian 

predecessor, Mozart, and used it to create his 

one and only opera, Fidelio, which has gone on 

to become one of the most important pieces in 

German opera. 

And then there is the inimitable Wagner – 

synonymous with great, nationalistic themes, 

expansive choruses and epic four- to five-hourlong 

performances. “The two great figures of 

Romantic German music were, in fact Wagner 

and Brahms,” explains Hernández-Salazar. 

“Wagner was the great innovative, Avant-garde 

composer of his time, harmonically speaking, 

while Brahms, though we see him also as a 

Romantic composer, saw himself as a Classical 

composer, following in the footsteps of Mozart 

and Beethoven. In the second half of the 19th 

century, there were two main camps in German 

music – you were either a Wagnerite or a 

Brahmsian, and these two completely opposite 

sides of modern music making dominated 

music in the second half of the 19th century 

in Germany.” 

Johan Botha and Emily Magee in a production of 

Richard Wagner’s ‘Lohengrin’. Photography by Dan Rest. 


FILM 

Reel Success: German Cinema 

Today, the German film industry is one of the largest in the world, and its history is 

as long and complex as that of the country itself. Germany is home to the influential 

Berlin International Film Festival, as well as its annual Deutsche Filmpreis, the 

German equivalent of the Oscars, with its iconic ‘Lola’ statuettes. - By Anna Wallace 

Germany has contributed a great deal to the world 

stage, including stars Diane Kruger and Marlene 

Dietrich, memorable films, such as Downfall and 

Run Lola Run, and classics Nosferatu and Metropolis. 

Beginning in the 1890s with the Skladanowsky 

brothers Max and Emil, whose invention, the 

‘Bioscop’ fild projector premiered in November of 

1895 at Berlin’s Wintergarten, the Germans were at 

the forefront of cinematic development, ahead of 

the famous Parisian Lumière brothers by nearly two 

months. Since then, German cinema has gone from 

strength to strength, although, like the historical 

Benjamin Herrmann and Florian Gallenberger at the Deutsch Filmpreis. 

Photography © Michael Tinnefeld (API) / DEUTSCHE FILMAKADEMIE. 

changes in the country brought about by two world 

wars, the genre has developed in distinctive styles 

and movements. 

The Berlin International Film Festival (also known 

as the Berlinale) was founded in 1951, in what was 

then West Berlin, and has taken place annually since 

1978. The largest publicly attended film festival in 

the world, it sees nearly half a million admissions 

and some 400 films screened each year, providing 

a comprehensive and incisive look at international 

cinema. Notable for its awards of Gold and Silver 

Bears, it has been headed by Festival Director Dieter 

Kosslick since 2001 and categories include a Jury 

Grand Prix, Best Director, Actor, Actress and Short 

Film, among others. 

Attracting film stars and celebrities from all over 

the world as well as within Germany, the 

Berlinale is divided into seven distinct sections, 

for which films are chosen by a committee. 

These categories comprise Competition 

(feature-length films as yet unreleased outside 

of their country of origin), Panorama (indie 

and art house films), Forum (documentary 

films), Generation (aimed at youth), Perspektive 

Deutsches Kino (focusing on current trends 

in German cinema), Berlinale Shorts (both 

domestic and international) and Retrospective 

(classic films previously shown at the Berlinale) 

as well as other subcategories. 

The 2012 edition of the Berlinale was hailed 

by many as one of the best incarnations in recent 

history, with critics lauding it for its strong content. 

“Everything was just right: there were strong films 

and the film market was the best attended since its 

creation. Ticket sales reached a new record,” wrote 

Peter Zander, a journalist at the German newspaper 

Die Welt. 

The 62nd edition also featured several films related 

to the Arab spring as part of its global remit. 

Held at the same time as the Berlinale, the European Film 

Market (EFM) is a trade fair that acts as a major industry 

meeting point for the international film circuit. Bringing 

together producers, financiers, distributors and other 

key players in the industry, it also features lectures and 

workshops and is partnered with the Berlinale as a forum 

for upcoming and emerging talent. 

For more information visit www.efm-berlinale.de 

Another major player on the German film scene is the 

annual Deutscher Filmpreis, or German Film Awards, 

colloquially known as the Lolas (after its awards 

statuette). With its pot of three million Euros in cash 

prizes, it is the most highly endowed German cultural 

award and, since 2005, has been provided by the 

Deutsche Filmakademie. 

For more information visit www.deutscher-filmpreis.de 

“[The Arab Spring] cuts right across all the sections,” 

festival director Kosslick explained in an interview 

on website for the the Goethe-Institut Australia. 

Meryl Streep receives the Honorary Golden Bear at the 64th Berlinale. 

“Filmmaking from this region is well represented 

and is being discussed at various points. We will 

have many documentaries on the Arab region… 

and there are six Arabic films in the Panorama 

section...” The event also featured panel discussions 

with Arab filmmakers. With press from nearly 90 

countries covering the event, it’s no wonder that the 

Berlinale, with its wide array of international films, 

styles, genres and subject matter, is considered a 

leader in its field. 

62nd Berlin Film Festival 

at a Glance 

Dates: 9–19 February 2012 

Festival Director: Dieter Kosslick 

Jury President: Mike Leigh 

Number of Films: 400 over 953 public screenings 

Theatre visits: 444,402 

Accredited Guests: 15,923 

Jury Grand Prix: Just the Wind, Benedek Fliegauf 

Best Director: Christian Petzold, Barbara 

Best Actress: Rachel Mwanza, War Witch 

Best Actor: Mikkel Følsgaard, A Royal Affair 

Honorary Golden Bear: Meryl Streep 

Website: www.berlinale.de 


Image courtesy Berlinale.

TOURISM 

Frankfurt: A vibrant 

metropolis in the heart 

of Germany 

When you hear the word Frankfurt, you may imagine glittering skyscrapers filled 

with investment bankers. But at heart, this international metropolis is really an 

intimate town that happens to be a financial heavyweight. Those who simply pass 

through Frankfurt’s airport are missing out. This beautiful town in the heart of 

Germany combines German village charm with a cosmopolitan flair. - By Emma Stone 

A perfect day in Frankfurt could start with a walk 

down Mainkai, a wide pedestrian quay that runs 

along the river Main. The street’s name changes 

to aptly titled Schöne Aussicht, or “beautiful 

view”. The Eiserne Steg, a 170 metre-long iron 

footbridge built in 1868, is one of the bridges 

you can use to cross the river Main and pause 

for a photograph as you have a perfect view on 

Frankfurt’s skyline, which will remind you why this 

city jokingly is called “Mainhattan”. 

If you want to see Frankfurt’s historical city centre, 

stroll through Römerberg, the city’s medieval 

heart. In few other places on earth will you see 

half-timbered houses against the backdrop 

of futuristic skyscrapers. The Römer has been 

Frankfurt’s town hall for more than 600 years. The 

Kaiserdom, the cathedral, was, in the Middle Ages, 

the electoral site for kings of the Holy Roman 

Empire. Later on, the German emperors were 

crowned here. 

Though known for glittery highrises, Frankfurt 

also boasts a greenbelt of parks and ponds. Head 

to the sumptuous Bethmann Park and take a 

break amid the bright flowers and shady trees. 

Frankfurt’s public transportation is immaculate 

and efficient. Hop on the subway and head 

to Hauptwache or Konstablerwache and you 

Roemerberg - historical city centre 

will be on Zeil, Frankfurt’s famed shopping 

promenade. If you prefer it more luxurious, head 

to Goethestrasse – here you’ll find all the upscale 

labels, such as Armani and Gucci. 

For those who are culturally interested, Frankfurt 

offers a big museum landscape ; some of the 

best museums in Germany can be found along 

the museum embankment. The excellent 

Deutsches Architekturmuseum showcases 

the best of European architecture, while the 

comprehensive Deutsches Filmmuseum is a 

terrific introduction to German cinema. The 

Städel ranks among the world’s most illustrious 

museums of art. 

Close to the museum embankment you can 

easily reach Old Sachsenhausen, Frankfurt’s cosy 

left bank. If you head south to the intersection 

of Textorstrasse and Schweizerstrasse, you will 

find cafés and restaurants frequented by locals. 

Try some of the regional specialities, such as 

Goethe’s favourite dish, Grüne Soße, a refreshing 

green sauce made of seven herbs. 

Opera Square Festival 

Frankfurt skyline 

Take advantage of Frankfurt’s perfect location in 

the middle of Germany. You can easily go on an 

excursion - by rent-a-car or train you will reach 

the romantic Rhine Valley with its fairytale castles 

within one hour. Alternatively you can go on a 

one-day boat excursion to the Rhine Valley. 

Further information can be found at: 

www.frankfurt-tourismus.de 


At the River

BRANDS 

Quality Stands the Test of Time 

German brands still cover the world from head to toe. - By Emma Stone 

Certain names are so familiar, so tightly woven 

into the fabric of our lives, that they take on a 

meaning of their own. We never stop to think of 

their origin. 

When you hear the name Oscar Mayer, for 

instance, you probably think of hot dogs and, 

if you’re of a certain age, may remember a little 

boy singing in one of the cutest commercials 

ever to be aired on television. Ray Ban is 

synonymous with sport sunglasses. Bayer is 

aspirin. Levis are the best jeans on the planet. 

Volkswagen and Mercedes are icons of quality 

auto engineering. Heinz means ketchup and 

Birkenstocks are, well, Birkenstocks. As it turns 

out, Germans are behind all of these household 

names, and many more. 

One of the most famous names in pianos, 

Steinway, originated in Seesen in Lower Saxony. 

Heinrich Engelhardt Steinweg, (who later 

became Henry E. Steinway when he moved to 

the US), began working as a carpenter at age 15 

and eventually built his first piano as a gift for his 

wife Juliane. He made the first grand piano in his 

kitchen a year later . He eventually emigrated to 

the US, settled in New York, and established, with 

his four sons, the piano production company 

Steinway and Sons. 

Adidas, one of the most recognisable names in 

athletic shoes, and now clothing, was founded 

in 1948 by Adolf Dassler, following the split of 

Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik between Adolf 

and his older brother Rudolf. The elder of the two 

went on to establish Puma, another well known 

sports shoe and clothing company. Both Adidas 

and Puma are based in Herzogenaurach. 

Another well known name in apparel, Hugo 

Boss, started his clothing company in 1924 in 

Metzingen, a small town south of Stuttgart, 

but a bad economy drove Boss’s company into 

bankruptcy. In 1931 he reached an agreement 

with his creditors and started up his business 

again with his six remaining sewing machines, 

eventually building it into a profitable fashion brand. 

He died in 1948 but his business survived and 

thrived, and is today still based in Stuttgart. 

The Nivea skincare brand traces its roots back 

to 1890, when Dr. Oscar Troplowitz bought the 

Hamburg-based Beiersdorf company from its 

founder, Paul C. Beiersdorf. Troplowitz’s scientific 

adviser, Prof. Paul Gerson Unna, introduced him to a 

new emulsifying agent called Eucerit, which means 

“beautiful wax”. Eucerit became the basis of the 

world’s first stable oil-and-water-based cream, which 

they called Nivea (from the Latin term for snow), due 

to its pure white colour. 

The cream also contained glycerin, citric acid, oil 

of rose and lily of the valley. Even though the well 

known Nivea product has been updated to keep 

pace with scientific developments, the essence 

of the recipe is the same after almost 100 years. 

Yet another German-originated household word, 

often heard through the fog of a headache, Aspirin 

was first created by chemist Felix Hoffmann, who 

synthetised a stable form of acetylsalicylic acid 

(although the compound had been discovered 

much earlier). The company Hoffman worked for, 

Bayer AG, was founded in Barmen, Germany, in 1863 

by Friedrich Bayer and Johann Friedrich Weskott. 

By 1899, Bayer owned the worldwide trademark 

for Aspirin. During WWI the US confiscated Bayer’s 

US assets and trademarks and the term Aspirin 

gained widespread usage as the word for all brands 

of acetylsalicylic acid. “Aspirin” lost its trademark 

status in the US, France and the UK. However, it is 

still a registered trademark of Bayer in more than 

80 countries, including Canada, Mexico, Germany, 

Switzerland and the UAE, where the word must be 

spelled with a capital “A”. 

What kitchen cupboard is complete without at least 

one yellow container showing the brand name 

Knorr? The company has a vast portfolio of food and 

ingredients and is a staple in many households. The 

brand Knorr was founded in 1838 by Carl Heinrich 

Theodor Knorr. 

The company, with headquarters in Heilbronn, 

Germany, is probably best known for its line of 

bouillon products, which form the basis of many 

international dishes. The company has expanded its 

offerings, acquiring a line of products previously sold 

under the Lipton brand. Today, Knorr is Unilever’s 

best-selling brand, with annual sales of more than 3 

billion Euros (Dh 13.5 billion). 

When you think of luxury kitchen cabinets, one of 

the top brands that comes to mind is Poggenpohl, 

the oldest kitchen brand in the world and one of the 

leading names in international kitchen design. Based 

in Herford, Germany, the brand was established by 

Freidemir Poggenpohl in 1892 as a white lacquer 

furniture company. 

In 1923, Poggenpohl presented The Ideal; a 

free-standing commodious cupboard, which 

was adopted by Kitchen Maid, a US cabinet 

manufacturer. Poggenpohl has continued to create 

new products and hone techniques and remains one 

of the top international luxury kitchen brands today. 

As the world moves toward quickly made, cheaper 

products, Germany has consistently stood apart as 

a country that produces products of the highest 

quality and value. And as the originator of so many 

of the world’s best inventions and brands, German 

products continue to fill our vocabulary and our 

homes with our favourite things. 


ADVERTORIAL 

Dr Peter Goepfrich 

CEO of AHK 

The German Emirati Joint Council for 

Industry & Commerce (AHK) in the UAE 

offers various services in the fields of 

business development, trade fairs, law, 

education and vocational training to 

German and UAE companies. It serves 

as a networking platform to facilitate 

the building and strengthening of 

relationships between German and 

local business. 

Dr Peter Goepfrich, CEO of AHK says: 

“The UAE has become the top market for 

German exports and investment within 

the MENA-Region, with German exports 

AHK - Helping Foster 

German-UAE business ties 

to the UAE reaching a yearly amount 

of around Dh 35 billion. Trade relations 

have been continuously improving and 

currently there are an estimated 800 

subsidiaries of German parent companies 

in the UAE. Many of them are based in 

the free-zones, especially in Dubai and 

the Northern Emirates, thus processing 

there and/or using the UAE as a trade 

and distribution hub for serving the 

surrounding regional markets in the GCC, 

Asia and Africa. Increasing numbers of 

Emirati companies and individuals are also 

using Germany as the gateway to Europe, 

and many of them are also purchasing 

property there, especially in Bavaria. For 

the future, the UAE will surely remain at 

the forefront of German business interests 

in the Middle East.” 

The German Emirati AHK is part of the 

worldwide German AHK network, which 

operates in more than 120 offices in 

more than 80 countries. AHK derives its 

legitimacy and strength from its members, 

who are prominent and distinguished 

businessmen and businesswomen from 

both countries. Thus its advocacy role in 

both governments is strong; its voice is 

heard in both countries. 

In close cooperation with the AHKs in 

other Middle East countries, the AHK UAE 

not only promotes vertical business flows 

between Germany and the UAE but it also 

works horizontally, assisting to integrate 

the economies of the MENA-Region and 

linking it with Germany and Europe. 

However, the AHK’s most important role 

is to provide a forum where members 

from the UAE and Germany can meet, 

discuss, join forces, create joint ventures 

and establish joint projects, contributing 

to a bright future for UAE-German 

business relations. 

ADVERTORIAL 

Let Berlin take care of you 

The German capital is booming – not just 

as a trend-setting metropolis but also as a 

destination for health tourism. 

In the morning there’s a medical check-up, 

in the afternoon it’s a shopping spree and 

in the evening a Mozart opera is on the 

agenda. A day might look as good as this 

for a medical tourist in Berlin. 

The city offers innovative and top quality 

medical care in the most fascinating centre 

of well-being in the world. Berlin has been 

a particularly popular destination for 

visitors from the Gulf states for a long time. 

In the first half of 2012 there were 51 per 

cent more visitors from these countries 

compared to the previous year. Berlin is very 

well equipped for dealing with international 

patients: 18,000 doctors in more than 80 

clinics treat visitors from all over the world. 

Pioneers of this trend are the Vivantes 

teaching hospitals, including nine clinics, 

5,500 beds, more than 40 highly specialised 

centres of excellence and 120 medical 

professors. In addition there are “comfort 

clincs” with nearly 200 beds. Service 

standards include Arabic-speaking staff, 

WLAN, Arabic TV channels and Halal food. 

Vivantes provides plenty of private space 

and security services to cater for foreign 

state visitors. The International Department 

of the Vivantes Hospital Group cares 

explicitly for foreign patients; it organises 

appointments with the medical professors, 

visas and accommodation for family 

members. Further details are available at 

vivantes-international.com. 

Airberlin guarantees a relaxing outward 

and return journey for every healthcare 

trip. Germany‘s second-largest airline 

operates direct flights from Abu Dhabi to 

Berlin daily and pampers its passengers 

with outstanding service. In business 

class, passengers are provided with fully 

automatic lie-flat seats, a gourmet menu 

and accompanying wines from the 

famous Sansibar Restaurant on Sylt. Flight 

attendants serve Halal food, of course, if 

it is ordered in advance. Complimentary 

limousine service ensures that business 

class passengers arrive at their destination 

in the capital city in comfort. 

With its unique cultural scene Berlin 

has long been Germany’s leading city 

destination. A wide range of shopping 

venues, first-class gastronomy and green 

spaces in the city centre ensure a high 

quality of life. The city also has a high 

concentration of luxury accommodation 

with 25 five-star hotels. Nowhere else can 

guests combine lifestyle and luxury as 

perfectly as they can in Berlin. Visitors can 

get an overview of what Berlin has to offer 

in terms of health, beauty and well-being at 

health.visitBerlin.com.

Deutsche Bank’s commitment in the 

Middle East and North Africa region is 

more than a century old, beginning with 

the bank’s financing of the construction of 

the Baghdad railway. 

Deutsche Bank opened its first office in 

Cairo in 1959, followed in the early 70s 

by an office in Bahrain. In 1999, Deutsche 

Bank embarked on a regional expansion 

drive across the GCC, which began with 

SELEX 

LEADER IN 

WEATHER RADAR 

SYSTEMS 

Worldwide, Germany based Selex Systems 

Integration GmbH, occupies a leading 

position in the design, manufacture, 

sales and service of weather radar 

systems, sensors and system solutions 

for meteorology, hydrology and aviation. 

With its METEOR product line, Selex 

Systems Integration GmbH spearheads 

THE REGENT EXPERIENCE 

ADVERTORIAL ADVERTORIAL 

DEUTSCHE BANK - COMMITTED TO THE MIDDLE EAST 

the opening of an office in the UAE’s 

capital Abu Dhabi, followed by two 

offices in Dubai: a representative office 

inaugurated in 2001 and a branch at 

the Dubai International Financial Centre 

(DIFC) in 2005. 

In April of 2006 Deutsche Bank opened a 

branch in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 

in the capital Riyadh. In November 

of 2007, Deutsche Bank opened its 

branch in the Qatar Financial Centre 

in Doha. In December 2007, Deutsche 

Securities Saudi Arabia was incorporated. 

In September 2008, Deutsche Bank 

established Deutsche Securities and 

Service, an on-shore branch in Dubai to 

render custody business. In February 2010 

Deutsche Bank opened a second branch 

in Abu Dhabi. 

Deutsche Bank in the MENA region 

offers the full range of investment 

banking, asset management, private 

the weather radar industry, serving a wide 

base of international customers including 

aviation authorities, national weather 

services, military services, hydrological 

institutions and research agencies. 

The company focuses on providing 

customised system and turnkey solutions 

TAIPEI I SINGAPORE I BEIJING I BERLIN I ZAGREB I TURKS AND CAICOS 

www.regenthotels.com 

wealth management, and global 

transaction banking services. Deutsche 

Bank is recognised for its leading role in 

some of the most prestigious regional 

transactions. 

The bank is the recipient of several 

regional and international awards in 

recognition of its achievements in 

investment banking and Islamic finance in 

the region, including: 

- Euromoney’s “Best Risk Management 

House in the Middle East 2012” and “Best 

Investment Bank in Saudi Arabia 2012” 

- EMEA Finance magazine’s “Best Foreign 

Investment Bank in The Middle East 2011” 

and “Best Foreign Investment Bank in 

Saudi Arabia 2011” 

- Islamic Finance News “Project Finance 

Deal of the Year 2011” and “Saudi Arabia 

Deal of the Year 2011” 

that reflect a deep concern for the 

individual customer. More than 50 years 

of experience, reliability and a professional 

approach to challenges have contributed 

to the company’s excellent reputation 

among experts in the meteorological field. 

A haven of 

tranquil elegance 

in the vibrant brant city 

of Berlin. . 

BASF - Chemistry for a Sustainable Future 

As the world’s leading chemical 

company and one of Germany’s main 

contributors to the international 

markets, BASF’s portfolio ranges from 

chemicals, plastics, performance 

products and crop protection products 

to oil and gas. 

A Legacy of Conservation 

The company’s economic success, 

social responsibility and environmental 

protection are achieved through science 

and innovation, enabling its customers 

to meet the changing needs of society. 

BASF has a legacy of products and system 

solutions that help to conserve the world’s 

resources, ensuring a future that includes 

healthy food and nutrition and a better 

quality of life. 

Nolte - a Group for Life 

Nolte, one of the leading manufacturers 

for kitchens as well as bedroom and 

living room furniture, has assembled 

a powerful team of furniture and 

kitchen experts and has launched their 

regional office in Dubai Silicon Oasis 

HQ. Nolte Middle East is responsible for 

The company’s corporate purpose, “we 

create chemistry for a sustainable future” 

sums up the organisation’s commitment 

to conserving the environment for the 

next generations. 

Growth Through Innovation 

Innovation plays a key role in the growth 

strategy for BASF, as the company works 

toward an impressive target. In 2020, BASF 

aims to generate 30 billion Euros (Dh139 

billion) of its sales and seven billion 

Euros (Dh32 billion) of its EBITDA with 

innovative products that will have been 

on the market for fewer than 10 years. 

In 2011, BASF had more than 111,000 

employees and 73.5 billion Euros (Dh340 

billion) in sales. BASF is a public company 

representing the Nolte Group products 

in the GCC and Lebanon markets. 

With more than 85 years in the furniture 

industry, Nolte represents the tradition 

and quality signified by: “Made in 

Germany”. Nolte is considered a leader 

in innovation, setting high standards in 

manufacturing and service. It is known for 

its consistent stream of stunning design 

ideas that are exceptionally functional at 

the same time. Linked up production units, 

more than 3,000 highly skilled employees 

and state-of-the-art machinery make 

Nolte one of Europe’s major furniture 

companies. Nolte produces in Germany 

exclusively, exporting to well over 40 

countries worldwide. 

Along with its long-standing UAE partner, 

Universal Trading Company, Nolte Middle 

East aims at becoming the leading interior 

products provider in the Middle East. 

Universal Trading Company is part of the 

industry conglomerate Universal Group 

and they have two kitchens and domestic 

and its shares are traded on the Frankfurt, 

London and Zurich stock exchanges. More 

information on the company can be found 

at www.basf.com. 

appliances showrooms, located in Dubai 

and Abu Dhabi. 

Nolte Middle East represents a wide 

portfolio of interior solutions and 

products that include Nolte Kitchens, 

Nolte Furniture, Express Kitchens, Express 

Furniture and CS Schmal Furniture. 

All products from the Nolte Group are 

manufactured to high standards of quality 

and with a keen sense of responsibility. 

Nolte Group holds PEFC certification 

and is also one of the first in the industry 

to receive the FSC® label. Both are 

internationally recognized certification 

systems with a hallmark that is only given 

to products from socially compatible and 

environment-friendly forest management. 

For the Nolte Group, “Made in Germany” 

is more than just a slogan – it sets the 

standard to be met. 

For more information: 

www.nolteme.com 


ADVERTORIAL 

The bold new 

M-Class 

Performance 

meets 

Sophistication 

Mercedes-Benz Middle East and 

Levant ignited its 2012 ‘Year of the 

SUV’ strategy with the launch of a 

completely redesigned and powerful 

new M-Class, setting a new benchmark 

in the premium segment. With dynamic 

AMG sports styling as standard, three 

potent engine options, unparalleled ride 

comfort and cavernous, high-quality 

luxury interiors, the bold new M-Class 

confidently conveys intent to meet 

performance with sophistication. 

Available across the region in ML 350 

and ML 500 variants, a new generation 

of BlueEFFICIENCY petrol engines boast 

306 hp and 408 hp respectively, and 

reach triple figure km/h from a standstill 

in just 7.6 and 5.7 seconds. Permanent 

all-wheel drive delivers excellent driving 

dynamics on both sand and tarmac, while 

innovative handling controls and a new 

chassis ensure excellent safety. 

For those craving the sonorous notes of 

Affalterbach’s sinister creations, a highperformance 

250km/h (electronically 

limited) ML 63 AMG variant is also 

available. Packing the fierce AMG 5.5 litre 

V8 bi-turbo engine made famous by the 

award winning CLS 63 AMG, driven by 

525 horses and 700 Nm of torque the ML 

63 AMG thunders from 0-100km/h in a 

sports-car-beating 4.8 seconds. 

The design of the new M-Class with its 

GCC-standard sports styling exudes 

self-confidence, athleticism and power. 

The front of the vehicle is dominated 

by a central three pointed star, while 

from the side, elongated lines and a rear 

sloping roof line give sporty appeal and 

emphasise the on-road credentials of the 

new SUV. 

AMG body styling adds high-gloss black 

louvres under the radiator grille, and 

two outer air intakes, while LED running 

lights as standard deliver a sporty scowl 

underlined by the front apron’s matt 

silver chrome trim strip and a wider 

appearance. The headlamps cut a 

particularly high-quality and exclusive 

figure in combination with the optional 

Intelligent Light System (ILS). The athletic 

front apron is integrated with the 

distinctive front wings, made wider on 

either side in order to accommodate the 

20-in (50-cm) light-alloy wheels in elegant 

fashion. Dynamically profiled side sill 

panels establish a visual link between the 

front and rear of the vehicle. 

The striking rear apron with simulated 

black air outlet openings further 

emphasise the vehicle’s width in addition 

to trim strips in matt silver chrome, which 

cite the design of the front apron and 

frame the sports exhaust system. Two sets 

of chrome twin tailpipes deliver a throaty 

grumble from the M-Class engines. 

Inside delivers the sort of comfort 

normally the reserve of Mercedes-Benz 

flagship saloons. Seats have been 

designed to offer high long-distance 

comfort and optimum lateral support, 

and the spaciousness boosted by a 

panoramic sliding roof and three tone 

ambient lighting. 

Further information from Mercedes-Benz 

is available online at: 

www.mb-me.com 

Q&A with 

Passavant Roediger’s MD 

Dr. Mazen Bachir 

Dr. Mazen Bachir is the Managing Director 

of Passavant-Roediger GmbH, a subsidiary 

of Drake & Scull International PJSC, Dubai. 

The German company offers a designand-build 

service and an operation and 

maintenance service for water, wastewater, 

sludge and waste treatment, as well as 

participation in financing, on occasion. 

The environmental technologies 

Passavant-Roediger offers are highly 

regarded in the industry, and your 

company is executing projects on a 

global level. What products and services 

does it provide? 

Passavant-Roediger offers comprehensive 

systems for the re-use of water and 

sludge resources. Built up over 170 years 

of experience, our portfolio covers a wide 

range of waters and wastewaters under 

extreme and moderate climactic, logistic 

and geographic conditions. Whilst we are 

able to act as General EPC contractors, 

with our know-how allowing us to 

incorporate and integrate technologies 

available on the market, we also have our 

own in-house high value technologies. 

Of course we also provide operation and 

maintenance services. 

When it comes to sustainability, which 

technology should be implemented and 

what are the benefits? 

Sludge is the main by-product of municipal 

wastewater (sewage) treatment. Anaerobic 

sludge digestion – Passavant-Roediger’s 

core competence, for which it is known 

globally as the world leader – is the most 

recommendable method to reduce sludge 

and render it harmless to environmental 

discharge. The process takes place in 

enclosed tanks, in the absence of oxygen, 

where the sludge is stored, mixed and 

allowed to react. 

Biogas is released from it and recovered, 

using CHP units to produce heat and 

electricity that are re-used in the plant 

operation. In addition to the tank 

geometry, the mixing system is most 

important to not only ensure proper 

digestion but extract the maximum 

amount of biogas possible. Our company 

has developed a specialized Sequential 

Gas Lance Mixing System, second to none 

today on the market. 

How are your company’s Middle East 

operations faring? 

Whilst the local market was recently 

still driven mainly by capital cost, a new 

holistic development takes into account 

whole lifecycle costs. Clean water has 

become very scarce worldwide, so that 

there is a huge demand for seawater 

and groundwater treatment solutions – 

another part of our comprehensive scope. 

As Passavant-Roediger’s focus is strongly 

on the re-use of resources and the 

company is present locally with its own 

subsidiary, the market is well aware of the 

innovative technologies we offer. Having 

successfully completed the wastewater 

treatment plant Fujairah in the UAE and 

the waterworks Al-Hunayy in Saudi-Arabia, 

and with ongoing projects in Qatar, Saudi- 

Arabia and Jordan, we are well-established 

in the region and definitely expecting 

further market growth. 

We have always been met with open 

arms in the Middle East, and the local 

clients trust our established name and 

brand. Passavant-Roediger brings about 

German quality products and services that 

match the clients’ technical and financial 

expectations in a very competitive way. We 

cater to their needs and market constraints 

without compromising quality. 


ADVERTORIAL 

Partners for Better Health 

“Our main focus in the region is to be a true partner to governments 

and health authorities in healthcare and medical access of key 

therapeutic areas. This partnership is achieved through providing the 

right medicine to the right patient at the right cost and by ensuring 

Merck Serono provides the latest medical information and supports 

continuous medical education.” 

Dream Samir 

General Manager 

Merck Serono Middle East 

Merck is a global pharmaceutical and chemical company with 

total revenues of 10.3 billion euros (46.4 billion dhs) in 2011, a 

history that began in 1668, and a future shaped by more than 

40,000 employees in 67 countries. Merck’s operating activities 

come under the umbrella of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, 

in which the Merck family holds an approximately 70 per cent 

interest and free shareholders own the remainder. 

Merck Serono Middle East, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, focuses 

on the treatment of diseases with high unmet medical needs: 

cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, infertility, endocrine, 

metabolic disorders and cardio metabolic diseases. Merck 

Serono makes a difference through focused innovations in its 

core therapeutic areas along with novel, patient-friendly drug 

delivery systems. 

“We provide the market with pharmaceutical products in 12 

countries,” explains Dream Samir, General Manager of Merck 

Serono Middle East, which is among the fastest growing 

pharmaceutical companies in the Gulf region, ranking first in 

unit sales in Kuwait and second in the UAE. The company’s 

achievements in the region are attributed to its strong 

foundation which has been built over many years. The 

dedication of highly professional and cohesive teams, ensuring 

a great place to work and close customer relationships, are key 

success factors for Merck Serono. 

In 2011 and 2012, Merck Serono Middle East was the only 

pharmaceutical company to win a top 10 rank in “Great Places to 

Work” and is proud to be considered by the ministries of health 


in UAE, Kuwait and Lebanon for key business ventures such 

as local production of pharmaceutical products and ensuring 

medical access to neighbouring countries. Merck Serono Middle 

East is also proud of its recent partnership with the University 

of Oxford and UAE-based health authorities to run national 

diabetes surveys using a UK-based running model for risk and 

complication assessment. 

“Our main focus in the region is to be a true partner to 

governments and health authorities in healthcare and medical 

access of key therapeutic areas. This partnership is achieved 

through providing the right medicine to the right patient at 

the right cost and by ensuring Merck Serono provides the 

latest medical information and supports continuous medical 

education,” says Samir. 

The Middle East today suffers from various non-communicable 

diseases, including diabetes. Merck Serono focuses on the 

treatment of such diseases as one of its core deliverables. 

“We have several exciting new innovations in the pipeline for 

neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s and multiple 

sclerosis. Also, several exciting Phase III clinical trials are in place 

for oncology treatments with several promising indications 

for colon cancer, gastric cancer, glioblastoma and cancer 

immunotherapy,” he adds. 

Merck Serono Middle East aims to be among the top five 

pharmaceutical companies in the region by providing state-ofthe-art 

therapies and practices and by exceeding standards and 

providing added value for patients. 

Abu Dhabi top selling market for BMW 

Group Middle East with record sales in first 

half of 2012 

Abu Dhabi Motors has maintained its 

leading position as the best performing 

BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce dealer in the 

Middle East for the first six months of 2012, 

the most successful first half in Abu Dhabi 

Motors‘ history. 

The BMW Group importer and sole Rolls- 

Royce dealer in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain 

registered a 39 per cent growth in BMW 

and MINI sales, and a 24 per cent increase 

for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars compared to the 

same period last year. 

Arno Husselmann, General Manager of 

Abu Dhabi Motors, said: “Operating in 

a dynamic industry such as Abu Dhabi, 

where customer expectations continue 

to evolve and rise, means that we have to 

plan with meticulous attention to detail 

in order to exceed all expectations, which 

includes continued investment in our 

facilities and staff. It is with great pleasure 

that we can now say that our investments 

have supported our customer satisfaction 

objectives as well as increased our 

market share.” 

Sales for BMW grew by 39 per cent with a 

record 3,131 cars delivered to customers. 

This figure was boosted by a surge in 

sales for BMW’s Sports Activity Vehicle, the 

BMW X5 , which witnessed a 307 per cent 

sales increase (1,585 cars), followed by the 

popular BMW X6 Sports Activity Coupé 

(564 cars). 

The MINI brand also continues to grow 

with 126 cars sold during the first half of 

the year, an increase of 21 per cent and an 

impressive achievement for a market that 

favours large, luxury vehicles. 

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars continue to exceed 

expectations in the capital with a 24 per 

cent sales increase. Not only was Abu Dhabi 

Motors the best performer in terms of Rolls- 

Royce bespoke cars in the Middle East, but 

it also achieved the highest Rolls-Royce 

sales across the region. 

MER_125x180mm Anzeige.indd 1 19.09.12 10:56

ADVERTORIAL 

A HAVEN OF TRANQUIL 

ELEGANCE IN THE VIBRANT 

CITY OF BERLIN 

Regent Berlin is desirably located directly 

at the beautiful Gendarmenmarkt square 

in the historical centre of the capital 

and is certain to satisfy visitors with its 

remarkable view of the two 18th-century 

cathedrals and the old Concert Hall. The 

most important museums, luxurious 

boutiques, the famed Friedrichstrasse 

shopping mile and several of the 

most significant sights – including the 

Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag and opera 

– are only a stroll away. 

The hotel has 156 luxurious guest rooms, 

which are among the largest in Berlin, 

and 39 suites, as well as a presidential 

suite on the top floor of the building. 

Moreover, many of the rooms, which 

Committed to Tradition 

Ulrich Scheller, Export Manager 

Merkur products have been in 

production for almost 100 years and 

are renowned for their craftsmanship 

and outstanding quality, in keeping 

with the German reputation for 

excellence in technology. 


combine classic elegance with high 

technology, also have balconies. The 

tasteful banquet and seminar rooms, 

which offer an intimate ambiance for up 

to 250 people, and the exclusive fitness 

area add considerably to the comfort 

of this exceptional establishment. 

According to the Gold List published in 

the January 2012 edition of Condé Nast 

Traveler Magazine, the Regent Berlin is 

Germany’s best hotel. 

At the gourmet restaurant Fischers Fritz, 

chef de cuisine Christian Lohse offers 

delicious fish and seafood specialities. 

The critically acclaimed chef has been 

delighting diners with his exquisite 

signature creations for years. In the fall 

The company is committed to this long 

tradition as it continues to develop 

and produce warranted, durable high 

quality products for its customers in the 

following segments: 

• Electrotechnology 

• Lighting 

• Metering 

• Power Distribution 

• Climatisation 

• Renewable Energy 

of 2007, Lohse’s dedication to his craft 

and relentless pursuit of perfection 

placed him firmly at the forefront of 

Berlin’s culinary world, when he became 

the first Berlin chef in 13 years to merit 

2 Michelin stars. He has maintained 

his crown as Berlin’s 2-Michelin-starred 

chef, for his classic French cuisine with a 

contemporary twist, for five consecutive 

years, and topped it all off with 18 Gault 

Millau points. 

More information can be found at 

www.regenthotels.com/berlin and 

www.fischersfritzberlin.com 

or at info.berlin@regenthotels.com 

Merkur clients worldwide rely on 

the company’s vast experience and 

unmatched service, as well as its 

commitment to help its customers 

and partners succeed in their markets. 

By offering authorised distributors 

competitive prices, Merkur helps them 

to compete in the market. The company 

also assists contractors who are bidding 

for public utility tenders. 

Merkur is a reliable partner with a 

tradition of providing individually 

tailored products and solutions in 

accordance with customers’ needs. 

For more details about the company’s 

products and services, email: 

mail@merkur-hamburg.de 

Cold Confidence - What is your Standard? 

Safe cooling or freezing is an essential 

component of modern everyday life 

and the key to success in the catering 

business, trade and industry, whether 

it’s for meat, dairy, fish, bakery, drinks or 

pharmaceutical products. For decades 

Viessmann Kältetechnik AG cold rooms 

and deep-freezing rooms have been 

demonstrating their excellence worldwide 

as a result of their multi-functional cooling 

and exceptional quality characteristics. 

As the German market leader Viessmann 

pays the highest attention to hygiene 

in general and thus developed a new 

standard used for its cold rooms. 

The antimicrobial powder coating 

(SilverProtec®) offers long-term protection 

from harmful bacteria and microorganisms, 

even into the joint areas 

that are difficult to reach for common 

cleaning processes. Food hygiene and 

safety is a top priority for Viessmann and 

AZ Middle East Report_Layout 1 03.09.12 11:28 Seite 1 

it shares that responsibility with the local 

government. Viessmann has partnered 

with Dubai Municipality in its initiatives 

to enhance food safety and, along with 

its expectations, always strives to keep its 

standards high. Visitors to the latest Dubai 

International Food Safety Conference (Feb. 

2012) and the Food Chain Conference 

(May 2012) had the chance to see some of 

the outstanding products that Viessmann 

has in the market. 

Thanks to German construction quality, 

high flexibility and easy assembly, 

Viessmann cold and deep freezing rooms 

meet the various requirements of trade 

and industry with individual, custommade 

solutions without compromise. 

With almost 500 employees Viessmann 

Kältetechnik AG is one of the most 

important manufacturers in the region of 

Hof (Bavaria). The company’s philosophy 

is strongly focused on long-term 

relationships with all its partners. 

In order to provide the Middle East 

customers with excellent products and 

competent service GCC-wide, Viessmann 

established its own subsidiary in the UAE 

in 2008. 

With access to the highest standards in 

cold room technology, customers can 

feel confident that they will always be 

advised in a manner expected from a 

market leader. 

www.viessmann-coldrooms.ae

germany - AHK - AHKs

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