As part of Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) efforts to enhance the role of investor relations in listed companies and the continuous collaboration between the Exchange and companies in adopting best global practice, ADX held a workshop for listed companies on enhancing relations between the company and investors and the role of investor relations manager in this regard and enhancing this role in line with international best practice. The workshop was attended by investor relations managers of listed companies.

At the beginning of the workshop, it was highlighted to the audience that the investors in the companies are the basis of the formation of these companies. They have put their money and savings to contribute to the development of the economy and to obtain returns from their investment. Investment in listed companies in the securities markets gives the investor many rights as stipulated in the legislation regulating the capital markets. The Exchange has always been keen to continuously educate the investors about these rights and to identify them fully.

The most important of these rights is to provide effective communication with shareholders, provide them with adequate information in a timely manner and involve them in key decision making with ease. In addition, there are many rights that the company must provide and make available to all investors regardless of the number of shares they own and within the framework of legislation and law.

Companies must commit to providing all the information and delivered to the shareholders. This workshop is aimed at clarifying how to work collectively to strengthen the relationship between companies and investors in this regard and determine the role of the investor relations manager in addition to clarifying the shareholders' rights stipulated by the law.

Main objectives of the workshop were clarifying the relationship between the company and investors, underlining the role of the investor relations manager in this regard, raising the level of consistency and quality in responding to external inquiries received from analysts and investors, as well as enhancing the degree of knowledge of stakeholders and their understanding of the performance of companies data.

It was explained that the workshop objectives would be achieved through the application of the best ways of communication and presentation on the website of the company and improve the level of summary reports provided as well as find a more sophisticated and efficient approach to the company's interaction with the Exchange’s requirements, investors, and analysts.

It was then clarified to the attendees that the general framework in the appointment of the Investor Relations Manager and the functions of this manager is Article (35) of the decision of the Chairman of the Securities and Commodities Authority No. (7 / R.M) for the year 2016 Concerning the Standards of Institutional Discipline and Governance of Public Shareholding Companies. This article obligates the listed companies to appoint an investor relations manager according to specific conditions, such as the ability to write and speak in both Arabic and English languages, and to have a scientific qualification in addition to practical experience related to the fields of business, accounting or public relations of investors and to be aware of the legal and legislative requirements as well as having the ability to use different channels of communication, also to have the skills to communicate with investors in addition to other conditions.

The workshop also discussed with the companies the need to establish a special page for investor relations on the company's website so that it is constantly updated and maintained in line with international standards. The page should include data and means of communication in the investor relations department such as a dedicated phone number and e-mail address, and should provide financial results data whether archived or published, , including the dates of publication of financial results data, minutes of meetings of the General Assemblies, and any other important events. To establish the necessary procedures to provide all data and information to the investor relations employee, including the decisions of the Board of Directors as soon as they are issued, in addition to the periodical and annual financial statements once approved by the Board of Directors, to enable the investor relations employee to carry out his duties specified in the aforementioned Article.

Finally, in the workshop, the attendees were informed of the rights of the investors and shareholders that the investor relations managers and the listed companies should provide to them. These rights have been included in the legislation regulating the capital markets. In general, the shareholder has the right to obtain all the information that enables him to exercise his rights to the fullest extent and without discrimination between him and other shareholders. Among these rights are, the right to review the company’s performance through the financial data by viewing the company’s budget, the loss and profit accounts, board of directors reports, auditor reports of the company of the previous fiscal year. The shareholder is also entitled to apply for access to the company's books and any documents relating to the transactions with the related parties and the right to sue to obtain all the information and facts that help to uncover the truth of these deals and the right to see the minutes of the meeting of the general assembly and many other rights.

H.E. Khalifa Salem Al Mansouri, Acting Chief Executive of ADX, said that the Exchange is keen to support and assist companies in enhancing the role of investor relations managers as well as enhancing relations between the company and investors.

H.E. stressed that the Exchange will soon continue with the companies to work on the implementation of the most important recommendations of this workshop with the need for all companies to appoint an investor relations managers and to provide an electronic page or platform containing all the important information of interest to investors as stipulated in the aforementioned Article 35 and finally review the websites to verify the implementation of what has been agreed after giving the companies a specific time limit for the implementation of these recommendations.

Source: https://www.menaherald.com

Mike Nadolski, Vice President Communications and Public Affairs, Bombardier talks about innovation in the Canadian aerospace industry. 

Last week, I was fortunate to be able to attend Aviation Week’s Annual Laureate Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. It was a great event, in part, because Bombardier’s Global 7500 was named the Grand Laureate winner in the Business Aviation category. 

The award ceremony was held at the National Building Museum. If you’ve never been, it’s a wonderful space of classic design and dramatic proportion, built in 1888 to host U.S. presidential inaugural balls and other grand soirees. The grandeur and history of the building got me thinking about the great minds and brave souls in aviation history who got us to where we are today. 

In Canada, a good starting point is John Alexander Douglas McCurdy. On February 23, 1909, McCurdy flew the Silver Dart for nearly half a mile in Baddeck, Nova Scotia. It was the first Canadian powered flight of a heavier-than-air machine. By today’s standards, the Silver Dart looks quite primitive. It had no brakes, was constructed out of steel tubing, wood, bamboo, friction tape, and wire. Its name was inspired by the silver-looking rubberized fabric used to cover the aircraft.

Much has transpired in our industry since McCurdy’s first flight. Since then, we’ve broken the sound barrier, developed rockets to propel people to orbit the earth and beyond, and where air travel was once exotic or out of reach for all but a few, it has now become a staple of modern life for billions.

Innovation in the Canadian aerospace industry hasn’t slowed in years following the Silver Dart either. Bombardier’s Global 7500 is proof of that. 

Its recent record-setting flight of 8,152 nautical miles, is the longest flight by a business jet in the history of the world – and we did it with plenty fuel reserves to spare! This means our customers can fly a third of the circumference of the Earth without having to land for fuel -- from Toronto to Johannesburg; from London to Honolulu or Athens to Perth.

At Bombardier, we’ve long been committed to finding new ways to improve how people travel, to pushing the envelope, and to setting new standards. We’re certainly grateful for the recognition by Aviation Week and so many others. It’s inspiration to keep us pushing towards greater heights.  Thank you.

Source: www.bbdtruenorth.com

SNC-Lavalin (TSX:SNC) is pleased to announce that it has earned the prestigious Compliance Leader Verification from the Ethisphere Institute, an independent centre for research, best practices and thought leadership. The Compliance Leader Verification is awarded exclusively to companies with the best industry ethics and compliance program that are proactively investing resources in compliance, sending a clear signal that an organization takes compliance and ethics seriously. This certification is valid until the end of 2020.

“Ethisphere’s recognition acknowledges the efforts we have made to build a strong ethics and compliance program,” said Neil Bruce, President and CEO, SNC-Lavalin. “It is by measuring ourself against leading companies that we will continue to improve our program elements, structure and processes. I want to thank all our employees for their commitment to fostering a culture of integrity.” 

Ethisphere completed a thorough assessment of SNC-Lavalin’s Integrity Program and benchmarked it against its 2018 World’s Most Ethical Companies data set, providing insight into the programs and practices of leading companies around the world. SNC-Lavalin’s performance was specifically evaluated on six main areas: program resources and structure, perceptions of ethical culture, written standards, training and communication, risk assessment, monitoring and auditing, enforcement, discipline and incentives. 

“We are happy to award the Compliance Leader Verification™ designation to SNC-Lavalin,” said Erica Salmon Byrne, Executive Vice President, Ethisphere.  “The structure of the program is exemplary, adopting many leading practices that reflect the company’s genuine commitment to integrity in all of its actions. In addition, the visible leadership provided by Neil Bruce and Dr. Hentie Dirker at the helm reflects true adherence to doing business the right way, and communicates that message to SNC-Lavalin employees around the globe.” 

 “We see this recognition as an endorsement of our efforts to build a culture where all employees understand the “why” behind our company’s approach to ethics and compliance,” added Dr. Hentie Dirker, Chief Integrity Officer, SNC-Lavalin. “While we take great pride in receiving this certification, we will continue to seek opportunities for growth and improvement.”

Source: http://www.snclavalin.com

 

BMO Financial Group has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute, a global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices, as one of the 2019 World's Most Ethical Companies. BMO is one of only three companies in Canada, the only bank in Canada, and one of only five banks worldwide, to have been named to the list, underscoring the bank's commitment to values-based leadership and ethical business practices. Honorees were formally recognized at a Gala Dinner held earlier this week by Ethisphere in conjunction with its 11th Annual Global Ethics Summit in New York City

Central to BMO's approach to fostering an ethical culture is its commitment to acting responsibly and being a powerful tool for promoting social good. Being a responsible bank means weighing the impact of every decision, everywhere BMO does business. Throughout the company's 202 year history, its culture has embraced building more robust communities, protecting the environment, fostering diversity and inclusion within its teams and communities, and driving social and economic well-being.

"The trust between a bank and its customers is at the core of our relationship. It is our most valuable asset, and at BMO we've been building it for more than 200 years," said Darryl White, Chief Executive Officer, BMO Financial Group. "We constantly strive to strengthen our relationships by meeting the highest standards of ethical behaviour, as we work together with our customers to achieve their financial objectives, and – with all of our stakeholders – build a more sustainable future."

According to Ethisphere, the 2019 honorees profoundly illustrate how companies continue to be the driving force for improving communities, building capable and empowered workforces, and fostering corporate cultures focused on ethics and a strong sense of purpose.

"Today, employees, investors and stakeholders are putting their greatest trust in companies to take leadership on societal issues. Companies that take the long view with a purpose-based strategy are proven to not only outperform but last," said Ethisphere's Chief Executive Officer, Timothy Erblich. "I congratulate everyone at BMO Financial Group for earning this recognition."

Read more https://newsroom.bmo.com

Source: https://newsroom.bmo.com

SNC-Lavalin’s Middle East Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Business Network has signed the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles (UN WEPs), which are aligned with the company’s commitment to foster an inclusive culture that promotes gender equality and supports employees’ professional development, skills and knowledge throughout their career.

Coinciding with International Women’s Day, the signing ceremony took place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, during a business networking event held by SNC-Lavalin and attended by clients and other industry peers who have also signed the UN WEPs, including Parsons, SSH, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), BAM International, in addition to dmg events. The event was also attended by Alice Laugher, a Board Member of the United Nations Global Compact UAE Network, Chair of its WEPs taskforce and CEO of Committed to Good, and hosted a panel to discuss ways to advance women’s empowerment in the industry across the region, and share key learnings and commitments made in organizations. The panel discussion was moderated by Nicole Malick, a Sustainability Consultant and an expert in UN WEPs toolkit, and included senior leadership speakers from SNC-Lavalin, Jacobs, Parsons and SSH.   

“In today’s market, a diverse workforce is a key driver to boosting productivity and innovation in the construction industry. Signing the UN WEPs underpins SNC-Lavalin’s long-term commitment to supporting gender equality and empowering women at all levels across the organization,“ said Grant Porter, CEO, Engineering, Design and Project Management, Middle East and Africa at SNC-Lavalin, and Chairman of the company’s Middle East Diversity and Inclusion Network. “By bringing together industry players to share key learnings, we are not only raising awareness about women’s empowerment but also leading the way to create rewarding career opportunities and future growth for female talent across the region.”  

In 2016, SNC-Lavalin launched its diversity and inclusion program globally with a focus on increasing the percentage of women in technical and management positions — to 20% by 2020, up from the current 14%. Following the acquisition of Atkins in July 2017, SNC-Lavalin’s (Nisa’) has joined forces with Atkins’ Women’s Business Network to launch the company’s D&I  Business Network in February 2019. The newly established network will focus on driving the company’s diversity and inclusion targets, and leading on proactive employee and local community engagement initiatives, trainings and awareness campaigns.  

“The Women’s Empowerment Principles agenda celebrates diversity, champions of inclusion, and empowers women to participate fully in the economy.  All businesses stand to benefit from gender equality and women’s empowerment,“ said Alice Laugher, a Board Member of the United Nations Global Compact UAE Network, Chair of its WEPs taskforce and CEO of Committed to Good. “I spend a lot of my time working to empower women across the globe, specifically in developing countries, and what I’ve learnt is if you want to create meaningful change, then you need to be doing as much as you can to create it. Support for the seven WEPs Principles has gathered global momentum – thousands of companies worldwide are now WEPs champions – thereby contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goal 5 for Gender Equality.”

Since its launch in 2010, the UN WEPs initiative has been at the forefront of transforming business policies, practices and approaches to advance gender equality and create opportunities for women, engaging more than 2,000 businesses globally to date. The principles offer businesses guidance on how to empower women in the workplace, marketplace and community. 

Source: www.snclavalin.com

St. John’s, NL  - Making our oceans and our coasts healthier and safer, as well as ensuring our Indigenous, commercial, and recreational fisheries remain sustainable, are priorities for the Government of Canada. Through patrol and enforcement of our laws, Canada continues to protect our oceans, marine life and fisheries from coast to coast to coast.

Today, the Minister of Indigenous Services and Member of Parliament for St. John's South — Mount Pearl, the Honourable Seamus O’Regan, announced that the Government of Canada is awarding a five-year, $128 million contract to PAL Aerospace, an international aerospace and defence company based in St. John’s, Newfoundland. PAL is a global leader in airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, with over four decades of experience in both civilian and military aviation environments. The agreement also includes opportunities for PAL Aerospace to earn extensions that increase the life of the contract to ten years. Over the next 18 months, PAL Aerospace will prepare bases of operation in Halifax and Campbell River, in addition to its headquarters in St. John’s, supporting over 100 jobs in the process.

This new contract will provide fishery officers with longer range aircraft, expanding their range of operations and giving them enhanced tools to combat illegal fishing and increase Canada’s maritime security. The contract will also allow high-fishing areas to be patrolled more often and for longer periods.

This contract will also help fulfill the Government of Canada’s commitment to protecting Canada’s oceans, waterways and marine life. As we work to protect 10 per cent of Canada’s marine and coastal waters by 2020, these aircraft and new bases of operation will help fishery officers better patrol marine protected areas (MPAs) across Canada, including remote MPAs Anguniaqvia niqiqyuam and Tarium Niryutait in the Beaufort Sea.

They will also help enforce the measures put in place by the Government of Canada to protect our endangered whales. This includes monitoring the Gulf of St. Laurence for compliance of the recently-announced fisheries management measures for North Atlantic right whales, as well as monitoring critical habitat areas for Southern Resident killer whales and enforcing fisheries management measures for their primary prey, Chinook salmon.

Enforcement is a key aspect the Government of Canada’s commitment to protecting our oceans and ensuring sustainability of Canadian fisheries. This contract, as well as our commitment to hire more than 100 new fishery officers by the end of 2019, will go a long way to ensuring the enforcement of protections provided through the $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan, $1.3 billion for Canada’s Nature Legacy and the updating and modernizing the Fisheries Act and the Oceans Act to protect marine life and its habitat.

Source: https://www.canada.ca

Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX), the region's leading financial market, was part of the UAE delegation led by H.E. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Minister of Economy, at the Partnership Summit 2019 held in Mumbai, India, on January 12 and 13.

Organised in collaboration with the host state government of Maharashtra, ADX’s delegation was led by H.E. Khalifa Salem Al Mansouri, Acting Chief Executive of ADX. The Exchange’s participation in the summit is in line with its strategy to bolster its international presence, as well as strengthen cooperation between ADX and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) as part of a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two sides earlier last year.

Indian Vice President Venkaiah Naidu; Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce and Industry of the Government of India and Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister  of Maharashtra attended the opening of the summit, which witnessed the attendance of more than 1,400 participants from 40 countries around the world.

With a global gathering of international leaders and officials, the Partnership Summit 2019 is aimed at exploring global growth and investment opportunities and building sustainable partnerships between various stakeholders. Through this summit, ADX seeks to promote the the Exchange, as well as the competitive and fair investment environment of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The ADX delegation highlighted the Exchange’s position as the preferred destination for foreign investments in the region, and reiterated the significance of the cooperation between ADX and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and benefits and investment opportunities it brings.

H.E. Khalifa Salem Al Mansouri said that ADX's participation in the Partnership Summit 2019 underscores the Exchange’s continued efforts to benefit from global best practice, as well as its desire to forge strategic partnerships to attract more foreign investment to the Exchange and Abu Dhabi in particular.

H.E. said: "During the summit, we were keen to highlight the unique investment environment of Abu Dhabi, both in terms of political and economic stability, its fair legislative and legal system, as well as advanced infrastructure. These are all factors that attract investors looking for stable markets and sustainable returns. The summit was an ideal platform for us to work closely with our Indian counterparts as investors from the country are  an important source of foreign investment in the Emirate."

The number of Indian investors in ADX stood at around 17,700 by the end of 2018. The trading value of their transactions (buy + sell) during 2018 amounted to about AED 345 million with the market value of shares they owned standing at around AED 280 million as of end of last year.

In February 2018, ADX formed a joint working group with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) to promote cooperation between the two exchanges in several key areas, including benefiting from the expertise of BSE in supporting small and medium enterprises and the steps it has taken to effectively manage related projects and procedures.

Source: http://www.mondovisione.com

Al-Amaal Business Services Tasheel And Data Flow Group signed an Exclusive Agreement, under which data flow will provide the verification services to all applicants applying to the DOH –Abu Dhabi. Stating October This Year.

Mr. Ghanem CEO Of Al-Amaal Business Services –Tasheel Said! “In time with Abu Dhabi Government Vision 2030 And the Strategic Partnership between Government and Private Sector, Our Centre intends always to Provide the Best Services with the world leading provider of special used Primary source Verification, Background Screening and immigration compliance solutions.”

He also Pointed out That the Al-Amaal Business Services Tasheel Provides a world class services related to MOHRE and any other Governmental Department under one roof.

Mr. Sunil Kumar CEO of the DataFlow Group said!” “Customer centricity is one of the cornerstones of the DataFlow Group culture, one which governs our decision making and ensures we stay close to our clients and applicants. We are pleased to work with Al Amaal Business Services and provide this assistance for the Department of Health-Abu Dhabi Applicants - further supporting their risk mitigation strategy to ensure all of their healthcare practitioners are fit and qualified to practice.

Implemented with immediate effect, the DataFlow Group customer service desk (number 35) can be found on the first floor of the TAS’HEEL Center, Airport Road, Abu Dhabi.

Abu Dhabi Securities Market (ADX) today celebrated the 18th anniversary of its establishment and the achievements of the market in its various stages at the local, regional and international levels, which contributed to supporting the local economy and attracting investments to the UAE.

The Abu Dhabi Securities Market was established on 15 November 2000 under Local Law No. (3) of 2000, to form the independent legal entity, finance, independent management, and regulatory and executive authorities to carry out its duties.

ADX continues to develop its operations, launch strategic initiatives, and provide innovative products and services based on global best practices in the areas of disclosure, transparency and corporate governance as part of its ongoing quest for sustainable economic development in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

And its commitment to contribute to the achievement of Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 and the Abu Dhabi Plan for the Development and Development of the Financial Services Sector, aimed at attracting investments and enhancing the competitive environment for doing business in the Emirate.

Khalifa Al Mansouri, Chief Executive Officer of ADSM, praised the market's pioneering achievements, which were the result of the market strategy and its continuous pursuit of being the ideal financial market and an innovative and attractive market that is transparent and supportive of the UAE economy.

Khalifa Al Mansoori said: "Abu Dhabi Securities Market achieved these achievements thanks to the efficiency, integrity and transparency that the market operates in and depends on in all its transactions, and also thanks to the efforts of the market team in its various departments and departments and the market focus on providing the best services and products to customers to invest their savings, Rights through the application of fair dealing principles. "

The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) has been the top performer in the region for a number of quality securities initiatives in the region.

The market is the first in the region to list and trade ETFs, the first market in the region to list private equity shares within the second market platform, and the first market in the region to receive ISO 27001.

The market was the first market in the region to disclose the names of shareholders who own 5% or more of the listed company's capital and the first market in the region to implement and adopt the electronic control system (SMART). Abu Dhabi - Al Bayan

Source: www.albayan.ae

Steven Sidthiphol, Training Specialist, Technical Support Services, Global, SNC-Lavalin, on training programmes for upcoming talent across the industry with an emphasis on developing the skills of people within the region

Read full article in this link.