Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia), the Kingdom’s national carrier, joined in UNESCO festivities to mark “World Arabic Language Day” at key events in Paris on Dec. 18 and 19.
Saudia was the main sponsor of the events. The airline’s cabin crew were in Paris to represent the brand and its hospitality to the guests.
The United Nations Educational Scientific, and Cultural Organization has dedicated World Arabic Language Day to highlight the links between Arabic and science and the potential of new technologies for the dissemination and learning of the Arabic language.
The events consisted of concerts and round tables at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris and worldwide, to stimulate linguistic research and the development of Arabic dictionaries
Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, said: “The Arabic language is a pillar of the cultural diversity of humanity. It is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, used daily by more than 290 million people.
“In the diversity of its forms, classic or dialectal, from oral expression to poetic calligraphy, the Arabic language has given rise to a fascinating aesthetic, in fields as varied as architecture, poetry, philosophy and song. It gives access to an incredible variety of identities and beliefs and its history reveals the richness of its links with other languages.”
In his speech during the event, Ibrahim Al-Refai, Saudia’s operations manager to France and Switzerland, said: “Saudia proudly supports UNESCO’s efforts in honoring Arabic Language Day with these special events, and we look forward to continued collaboration.”
Saudia currently flies 26 flights per week from and to Paris Charles de Gaulle. The route is operated with the airline’s new Boeing 777-300ER in a tri-class configuration, including the latest product — “First Suite,” which operates to 89 destinations across four continents and has more than 550 departures daily — set to double to more than 1,000 by 2020.
The airline has been awarded the “World’s Most Improved Airline of 2017” by Skytrax at the Paris Air Show in June, earlier this year.
Saudia supports UNESCO’s ‘World Arabic Language Day’ in Paris
Saudia supports UNESCO’s ‘World Arabic Language Day’ in Paris
LuLu opens first store in Makkah, 250th globally
Lulu Retail launched its first store in Makkah, located close to Masjid Al-Haram, in Jabal Omar on Ibrahim Al-Khalil Street. This highly anticipated opening marks a significant milestone, as it also represents Lulu’s 250th store globally, highlighting the retailer’s remarkable growth and expansion across the Middle East and beyond.
The new Makkah store is strategically positioned to serve both the local community and the millions of pilgrims who visit the holy city each year. With its prime location near the Holy Mosque, the store provides a top-quality shopping experience for visitors and residents alike, making it easier for them to access essential products and services.
The store was inaugurated by Zaher Abdulmajeed Khan, leasing manager at Jabal Omar Development Company, and Samer Sabra, chief asset management officer at Jabal Omar Development Company. Dignitaries who attended the launch event included Ashraf Ali M.A., executive director of Lulu Group; Shehim Mohammed, director of Lulu Saudi Hypermarkets; Rafeek Mohammed Ali, western region director of Lulu Hypermarkets, and other officials.
“We are proud to open our new store in Makkah, and are committed to providing high-quality services and products to pilgrims and local communities. This store is a reflection of our dedication to supporting the growing needs of the community, particularly those traveling to this holiest city. We are pleased to contribute to making their visit more convenient by offering a wide range of products tailored to their needs. This opening marks an important milestone in our long-term expansion strategy across the Kingdom,” said Ashraf Ali.
The Makkah store features a variety of offerings, including an express supermarket, a fresh food section, Lulu Connect for mobile accessories, digital electronics and services, and a fashion store showcasing a wide range of collections.
The store operates 24 hours a day, allowing customers to shop whenever they need, whether for everyday essentials or during the busy pilgrimage seasons.
The opening of Lulu’s first store in Makkah is part of a broader expansion strategy, with plans to open more outlets in both Makkah and Madinah over the coming months.
Lulu’s growth in Saudi Arabia continues to gain momentum, with plans to open 100 stores across the Kingdom within the next three years.
New Murabba launches training program for young Saudis
New Murabba — a PIF Company — has announced the launch of its inaugural Graduates Program, a strategic initiative designed to cultivate and empower the next generation of Saudi leaders. The program welcomed its first cohort, marking a significant milestone in New Murabba’s commitment to developing exceptional talent and contributing to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals.
Through a rigorous selection process, New Murabba has identified exceptional graduates who embody the program’s values. This immersive program will equip these individuals with critical skills in construction, engineering, project management, artificial intelligence, and other key areas, ensuring they are prepared to contribute to building the world’s “largest and most transformative downtown.”
“Aligned with Saudi Vision 2030, New Murabba is dedicated to investing in the nation’s future by providing unparalleled opportunities for its youth,” the company said in a statement. “This program exemplifies the company’s commitment to education, training, and workforce localization. Participants will embark on a transformative journey that seamlessly integrates structured on-the-job training with targeted learning courses.”
Mamdouh Al-Quraishi, chief corporate services officer, said: “By cultivating the next generation of leaders, New Murabba aspires to build a brighter tomorrow for our nation. We are confident these graduates will shape the future of our community and drive innovation on a global scale.”
The New Murabba Graduates Program represents a significant investment in the future leaders of Saudi Arabia. This initiative, along with other upcoming efforts, will lay the foundation for a new generation of skilled professionals who will remarkably support the continuous development taking place in the Kingdom.
A software-defined future for the automotive industry
Modern vehicles are packed with advanced software and electronics, enhancing performance but also changing how manufacturers assess benefits and risks. To stay competitive in today’s market, automakers must embrace digital transformation, moving from mechanical to software-defined vehicles. This industry shift is driven by three trends: the rise of EV powertrains, the spread of semi-autonomous driving capabilities, and the expansion of digitalization into manufacturing. As hardware and software converge in products, so too must design, manufacturing and maintenance evolve for a digital age.
Revolutionizing Collaboration for Success in EVs
Electrification has pushed automakers to rethink traditional automotive design and manufacturing. Companies now have to reconsider the information needed by EV drivers and how vehicle software and E/E systems are architected. Meanwhile, the future of battery electrification hinges on advancements in battery technology and charging infrastructure. This includes new battery management system software to extend battery life by learning drivers’ charging behaviors. Comprehensive integrations across supplier networks are essential for managing the interdisciplinary architectures of EVs.
Digital threads facilitate this integration by establishing a structured data flow across the product lifecycle, enabling every design discipline to access relevant data for optimized product design. Digitalizing development allows real-time, two-way exchanges with suppliers, ensuring updated requirements and understanding part availability. Strong connections in the digital twin from design to manufacturing ensure a smooth transition between these domains, enhancing traceability and enabling accurate over-the-air updates throughout a vehicle’s lifetime. Companies that can leverage software to innovate and adapt to this dynamic market will gain a competitive edge.
Updating Development Workflows for Autonomy
While EVs are still gaining traction, autonomous vehicle features are becoming standard, with many manufacturers offering Level 3 capabilities. However, achieving higher autonomy levels requires closer integration of mechanical, electrical, electronic, and software systems, increasing development complexity and cost. This stems from the verification and validation challenges of dynamic city streets.
Streamlined interdisciplinary collaboration is crucial for making autonomy a viable business strategy. The digital twin helps engineers uncover potential issues during early simulations, allowing for problem-solving within the context of a digital twin of the entire vehicle. A fully digital solution enables greater design exploration across all domains. But breaking down traditional silos between these domains requires defining and communicating system requirements digitally. A digital process helps manage the complexity and cost implications of increased electronics and software.
Delivering system requirements dynamically to suppliers allows for early validation of subsystems in conjunction with connected systems. For example, sensors for autonomous capabilities can be validated against control boards, mechanical interfaces, and software-in-the-loop tests early in the process. The comprehensive digital twin provides traceability and data accessibility, mitigating risks and ensuring a rigorous workflow without slowing development.
Digitalization also adds value once a vehicle is on the road. A digital feedback mechanism between the factory and the vehicle allows OEMs to update and improve software-based functionality. Data from vehicles in the field can improve the digital twin and provide over-the-air updates, enhancing existing and future vehicles. This continuity of data offers the flexibility and scalability needed to implement new autonomous technologies, driving innovation and improving safety.
Delivering Products Faster with Smart Manufacturing
The complexity of building autonomous features and overhauling powertrains for electrification extends to manufacturing as well. OEMs are adopting smart manufacturing technologies to achieve flexible, efficient, and sustainable operations. Faster implementation on the factory floor allows businesses to pivot quickly when facing supply chain issues.
A digital twin of production also enables manufacturers to optimize production virtually, exploring all configurations and commissioning machine operations with minimal downtime. Connecting design and manufacturing through the comprehensive digital twin helps businesses optimize time while meeting quality, sustainability, and time-to-market goals. Digitalization streamlines data flow between these worlds, fostering adaptability and innovation.
Cross-functional collaboration powered by the comprehensive digital twin enables flexible operations, advanced automation, and proactive sustainability. Merging the real and digital worlds brings new mobility generations to market successfully, with actionable insights before physical commissioning and throughout production. This shift-left approach drives high-quality and sustainable manufacturing in SDVs.
A Software-Defined revolution through digitalization
Designing and manufacturing a software-defined vehicle for tomorrow requires greater collaboration across engineering domains, automotive manufacturers, and the global supply chains they rely upon. A digital transformation of automotive design and manufacturing is the solution for addressing the increased cost, time, and risk software and electronics bring to the automotive industry. Creating a comprehensive digital twin of the SDV and a robust digital thread between all the key disciplines helps ensure that the overall system requirements are met and validated. Digitalization provides the framework and accessibility to make success sustainable for the next big transition in the automotive industry.
- The writer is Nand Kochhar, vice president of Automotive and Transportation at Siemens Digital Industries Software.
Lulu expands in Saudi Arabia with 2 new stores
Lulu continues its ambitious expansion in Saudi Arabia, marking another milestone with the opening of its latest store at Sahara Mall in Riyadh.
This state-of-the-art outlet is designed to provide a modern and efficient shopping experience, reflecting Lulu's commitment to offering high-quality products and exceptional service.
The grand opening was attended by Ziad Al Rugaib, managing director of Al Rugaib Holding, and Shehim Mohammed, director of Lulu Saudi Hypermarkets, along with Hatim Mustansir, regional director of Lulu Hypermarkets, and other key officials.
Spanning an area of approximately 25,000 square feet, the new Lulu Express store offers a convenient and user-friendly shopping environment.
The store is equipped with four checkout counters, including self-checkout options, to provide a smooth and hassle-free experience for customers.
The layout is designed to meet the evolving needs of shoppers, with 11 diverse sections offering a wide range of products including groceries, fresh produce, meat and fish, bakery items, health and beauty products, and mobile accessories.
In addition to the well-organized layout, the store features ample parking facilities with space for over 500 vehicles, ensuring convenience for shoppers and making it easy for customers to access the store.
Located within the popular Sahara Mall, Lulu Express is strategically positioned to serve both mall visitors and the surrounding community.
During the inauguration, Shehim Mohammed emphasized Lulu’s dedication to providing a seamless and high-quality shopping experience.
“The Lulu Express Sahara Mall represents our continued commitment to expanding our reach in Saudi Arabia and offering our customers a shopping experience that combines quality, convenience, and value. This store reflects our dedication to meeting the unique needs of the local community,” he said.
The store will operate daily from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m., providing a world-class shopping experience for customers across the region.
Lulu is offering exclusive inaugural promotions, providing customers with exceptional savings on a variety of products.
The offers further highlight Lulu’s focus on delivering high-quality products at competitive prices.
Meanwhile, Lulu is set to open its first store in the holy city of Makkah on Saturday, located at Ibrahim Al-Khalil Street.
This highly anticipated opening marks a significant milestone, as it also represents Lulu’s 250th store globally, highlighting the retailer’s remarkable growth and expansion across the Middle East and beyond.
The new Makkah store is strategically positioned to serve both the local community and the millions of pilgrims who visit the holy city each year.
With its prime location near the Grand Mosque, the store aims to provide a top-quality shopping experience for pilgrims and residents alike, making it easier for them to access essential products and services.
LuLu signs MoU to serve Indonesian Hajj pilgrims
LuLu Hypermarkets Saudi Arabia has signed an agreement with the Indonesian Hajj board to welcome Indonesian Hajj pilgrims with service and care. This landmark agreement highlights LuLu’s commitment to fostering international collaborations and delivering high-quality products and services to global audiences.
The MoU was signed by Shehim Mohammed, director of LuLu Hypermarkets, Saudi Arabia, and Harry Alexander, member of executive board, Hajj Fund Management Agency of Indonesia, known as BPKH. Other dignitaries present at the signing ceremony included Saleem V.I., chief operating and strategy officer/ executive director, LuLu Group International; Rafeek Mohammed Ali, regional director, LuLu Hypermarket, western region, Saudi Arabia; and Bagas Haryotejo, head of the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center in Jeddah.
“This new partnership will enable LuLu Hypermarkets to serve the needs of Indonesian pilgrims during their Hajj journey,” the retail giant said in a statement. “With its extensive network of hypermarkets across Saudi Arabia and its reputation for quality, affordability, and excellence, LuLu is well-positioned to provide tailored solutions that cater to the unique requirements of Hajj pilgrims.”
Saleem said: “We are honored to join hands with the Indonesian Hajj board to serve the needs of pilgrims during one of the most important journeys of their lives. This MoU reflects our commitment to excellence and underscores LuLu’s role as a trusted partner in the global retail industry. We look forward to supporting Indonesian Hajj pilgrims with the highest standards of service and care.”
Meanwhile, Alexander said: “Partnering with LuLu Hypermarkets, a brand synonymous with quality and reliability, is a significant step toward ensuring that Indonesian pilgrims have access to the best services during their pilgrimage. We are confident that this collaboration will set new benchmarks in meeting the needs of our pilgrims.”
