Wateen sponsors CIO Summit 2014
LAHORE (PR): Leading converged service provider, Wateen Telecom participated in the recently concluded CIO SUMMIT 2014. The aim of the summit was to bring together top influencers and leaders from the IT industry to discuss solutions for Pakistan’s IT needs and companies to showcase their products and services. The theme for the summit was ‘Solutions for Tomorrow’, which integrated with various sessions and panel discussions on Big Data Analytics for Better Decision Making, Information Security: a Continues Challenge, Enterprise Mobility Management, and Cloud Migration for Cost Savings. Wateen Telecom was co-sponsor of this summit.
The CIO SUMMIT attended by international and local dignitaries, CIOs, IT Heads, decision makers, and influencers from banking, finance, telecom, energy and manufacturing.
 Mohammad Azeem, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Wateen Telecom with other dignitaries from public and private sector including Mohammad Zubair, Minister of State for Privatisation and Chairman, Privatisation Commission, Government of Pakistan, Prof. Atta-Ur-Rahman, FRS Former Federal Minister of Science & Technology, Dr Frank Harper Principal and Chief Innovation Officer, Intelligent Systems, USA, Nadeem A. Malik Director – Enterprise Business Group, Huawei Technologies and Adnan Qazi Chief Information Officer (CIO)Toyota were also part of this summit.
Mohammad Azeem, CTO Wateen Telecom expressed his thoughts about the Security of data, highlighting Wateen’s largest fiber network presence in the country. He emphasized on much needed 3G technology which will create so many opportunities for all and also demonstrated about the challenges we have to deal with the arrival of 3G technology.  
The two day summit was attended by over 5,000 delegates providing them with a framework to adapt to the upcoming technologies and available solutions.

HBL, Alinma Bank sign remittance agreement
KSRACHI (PR): HBL, Pakistan’s largest bank, and Alinma Bank Saudi Arabia recently signed a remittance services agreement. A signing ceremony was held to mark the occasion at Alinma Bank’s head office in Riyadh. Fahad Al-Semari, General Manager of Retail Banking at Alinma Bank, Hassan Raza, Head Structured Credits and Global Remittance Business HBL, along with other executives from both banks were present at the occasion. The agreement aims to promote remittances from KSA to Pakistan.
“By entering into this agreement with Alinma Bank, we have opened the doors to a mutually beneficial partnership that we hope shall flourish over time,” said Hassan Raza. He added “This remittance service would be available through HBL’s extensive network of branches across Pakistan. HBL, by virtue of being Pakistan’s largest bank with a vast network of 1,594 branches,also offers a wide range of products which aid the bank’s vision of becoming the preferred financial partner for institutions like Alinma Bank.”
Fahad Al-Semari noted the importance of establishing strong partnerships and said, “The notation of a partnership is integral to Alinma’s business approach. We even refer to our customers as partners, which highlights how valuable these relationships are to us.”

Programme for UOL students at Roots Ivy Int’l
RAWALPINDI (PR): To constantly maintain the highest and up-to-date academic standards, Roots College International Ivy flagship university campus Rawalpindi organised a two weeks intensive Revision Programme for all University of London International students from 23rd March 2014. High caliber professors and lecturers from all over the world were invited to conduct the revision week classes.
Roots College International Ivy flagship university campus Rawalpindi has been offering the University of London International Programmes for over a decade and is specialized in producing high achievers and the best professionals acknowledged by the local and international market. Most graduates are currently serving in globally renowned multinational and multilateral organizations as consultants and analysts.
Roots College international Ivy Campus has a reputation for excellence in higher education. Veera Mani Ramasami from Singapore, who is globally recognized as an Accounting and Finance guru for grooming Finance students, was invited to undertake a crash revision programme for the Accounting & Finance students of University of London International Programmes from 23rd March to 31st March 2014.  This indeed has added an international flavor to the programme. A large number of students from Islamabad and Faisalabad attended the revision week and enjoyed the benefits in terms of foreign exposure while staying in their own home country.
The students at the revision week expressed their unreserved applause on this initiative of Roots College international IVY Campus to provide them not only with  Highly reputed lecturers from around the globe but to expose them to unconventional and innovative ideas and practices of teaching. Khadija Mushtaq CEO Roots Ivy International encouraged all the students to explore their innovative abilities instead of retaining the theoretical knowledge and that advantage of such to become highly educated and desirable assets for any work place and the leaders of tomorrow.

Najam named Standard Chartered Bank’s acting CEO
KARACHI (PR): Najam Siddiqi has been appointed acting CEO for Standard Chartered Bank Pakistan Ltd., subject to regulatory approval. This appointment follows the departure of Khalid Elgibaly who has decided to leave the bank to pursue other opportunities.
Najam Siddiqi is the current Chief Financial Officer of the Bank in Pakistan. Najam joined Standard Chartered Bank in 2008 from Samba Bank Limited where he was the CFO and has over 14 years of rich experience spreading senior level finance and risk management positions in various financial institutions.
He is a Certified Public Accountant (USA), a Fellow Member of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan, Certified Internal Auditor (USA), has a degree in law and diploma in Islamic Banking and Insurance (UK).
Najam Siddiqi’s effective appointment date is April 12, 2014.
As CEO of Standard Chartered Bank in Pakistan and previously as Regional Head of Consumer Banking for the Middle East, Khalid Elgibaly played an important key role in developing the Bank’s Consumer Banking business and we wish him success in his future endeavours.

Shareholders of Soneri Bank approve annual accounts
KARACHI (PR): The annual financial statements of Soneri Bank Limited for the year ended 31 December 2013 were approved by the shareholders of the bank in its 22nd AGM held on Friday. The meeting was presided over by Alauddin Feerasta, Chairman of the Bank.
Bank declared Rs.1,036.86 million after tax profit for the year ended 31 December 2013.During the year bank declared 10 percent bonus shares amounting to Rs.1,002.24 million increasing the paid up capital to Rs.10,023.28 million (net of discount), thus complying with the Minimum Capital Requirement of State Bank of Pakistan.
The Chairman briefed the shareholders that the annual results reflect sound growth in all areas of Bank’s operations. Total deposits as reported in the annual audited accounts, reflected a sound growth of 16.58 percent to close at Rs.140,579.91 million while the net advances at the end of the year 2013 amounted to Rs.97,179.03 million, which is up by 26.49 percent over 2012. Resultantly, the net assets closed at Rs.13,282.64 million thus translating into a growth of 7.71 percent from the 2012 level.
The Chairman informed the shareholders that the Bank continued its focus on the core business area and managed to record appreciable growth in overall trade volumes handled during the year 2013.
Presenting the results, he said that key reasons for successful performance in 2013were the increased focus on core area of activity, advances, deposits and trade which allowed the Bank to enhance its earnings from both investments and foreign exchange sources.