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Archive for April, 2018

Prince Mateen urges forest conservation

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in community, Social News

 

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His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen delivering a keynote address at the Royal Geographical Society in London, United Kingdom yesterday. Image courtesy of Infofoto.
 

His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Mateen presented a keynote address at the Royal Geographical Society in London, United Kingdom yesterday. From the keynote, His Royal Highness emphasized the importance of forest conservation as it will have an impact on climate change which is currently an underlying issue we are facing currently.

The keynote address also revealed the efforts and contributions of the Government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam in addressing the climate change.

There were some interesting insights on the keynote address. Brunei Darussalam prioritized its activity in promoting forest conservation. Approximately 75% of our national land area is currently under forest cover.. On top of that, 55% of Brunei’s total land area is official declared as National Forest Estate under our domestic law. This is to ensure that our rainforests will be preserved for decades to come.

Starting 2007, Brunei with Malaysia and Indonesia established Heart of Borneo Initiative. Helps to conserve one of the last few remaining centres of biological diversity in the world by establishing a network of protected areas and sustainable management of forests in Borneo.

His Royal Highness also urged the community to play the part in ensuring the flora and fauna of the forests are protected and conserved. For instance, a number of critically endangered local species inhabit Brunei’s rainforests such as the Helmeted Hornbill and the Malayan Pangolin. Those poachers and forest hunters will be dealt with by the authorities.

His Royal Highness acknowledged as a country that we need to commit to these efforts not just by adopting a “whole of nation” approach but a “whole of world approach”.

It was also mentioned that Brunei is a member of the Queen’s Commonwealth Canopy and Brunei Darussalam has dedicated three separate forest reserves to the initiative, totaling more than 50 thousands hectares.

His Royal Highness was accompanied by Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Paduka Awang Hj Erywan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade II, Hj Mohammed Rosli bin Hj Ibrahim, Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office, Alasdair Macleod, Head of Enterprise and Resources, at the Royal Geographical Society and Datin Dr. Hjh. Anita Binurul Zahrina, Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Brunei Darussalam.

 

Who will win this month’s #BeliHelix II?

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in automative, Business, Social News

 

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Members of the media with Brunei Shell Marketing during the preliminary draw for March winners at BSM Headquarters yesterday
 

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A safety briefing for the media and they are already equipped with a trained fire marshall and and a first aider
 

There were more than a few thousand participants in the ongoing #BeliHelix Promotion II which has been very encouraging response. The good thing about the monthly winners is that they are still eligible to be part of the grand draw where the winner will drive home a a Nissan X-Trail. A Hong Kong travel package for 2 and a BND 2,500 Cash card will be the 2nd and 3rd prize respectively.

For the March 2018 winners, one of them will stand a chance to win an air ticket to Bangkok and there will be four other consolation prizes for the monthly winners. The media had the privilege to draw the shortlisted names for the upcoming monthly draw and the final draw of March winners will be held next Friday, 20th April 2018.

Those who purchased Shell Helix Ultra 5W-40, HX-7 10W-40 and HX5 15W-40 will be eligible for the draw. They will have to purchase a pack of four liters of Shell Helix Motor Oil and fill in the lucky draw entry form.

There are 190 participating outlets (car dealers, independent workshops, high streets and petrol stations) across the Sultanate. The current promotion ends on 30th April 2018 and the grand draw will be sometime in May 2018.

 

 

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A representative from Borneo Bulletin drawing one of the names
 

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A representative from Motoring BN drawing one of the names
 

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Spectacle 2018: Eminent Art

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in arts, culture, education, lifestyle, Social News

 

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Associate Professor Dr. Mohammad Ayub Sadiq, Assistant Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), Universiti Brunei Darussalam in his welcoming remarks accompanied by Haji Ahmad Najib Haji Ali Hassan, the Director of Spectacle 2018 Committee during the launch of Spectacle 2018: Eminent Art, at the Art Gallery, Chancellor Hall, UBD earlier today
 

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One of the sponsors receiving a token from the Director of Spectacle 2018 Committee
 

Something to look forward to at Universiti Brunei Darussalam – Spectacle 2018: Eminent Art. It was launched this morning at the Chancellor Hall, UBD. It was officiated by Associate Professor Dr. Mohammad Ayub Sadiq, Assistant Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs), UBD.

70 final year students are exhibiting their innovative art and design capstone projects and this will be part of their final assessments which will be evaluated by Dr. Martie Geiger-Ho, Senior Lecturer, Arts & Creative Technology, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, UBD and Hj Osman bin Hj Mohammad, Adjunct Lecturer, Arts & Creative Technology, Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, UBD.

Spectacle 2018 gives the final year students the chance to showcase their artworks and installation and of course, their talents which are translated to the end product. Of course, the public are more than welcome to pay a visit and witness what our locals are able to produce in terms of their efforts and creativity, in hopes to elevate Brunei’s creative industries.

Most of the students I interviewed shared that their ideas of their installations are inspired from their personal experiences. One artist, Fikri Yunus, shared his personal story one how he was a shy person in nature and not being able to be expressive or showing signs of confidence. For his project, he created a cocoon installation, depicting a human being coming out of the cocoon. Yes, the person in the cocoon is Fikri himself where he has morphed into a more confident person and feeling more secured around people. One of the interesting installation to look at when you do visit the Spectacle 2018.

I also noticed more paper artwork being used in artwork displays. Check out the installations such as “Harmonized Disparity” by Nurbazilah binti Bahari, “Brief Insight of Women in Brunei” by Nursheila binti Idnin and “Quillosophy” by Ikmal Atifah binti Awang Mohamad. I really appreciate their efforts on presenting their artworks through paper cuts.

I was just impressed with the ideas that the students have presented in their final assessments. I could just carry on and talked more on it but it would defeat the purpose as I want to encourage you to pay a visit to Spectacle 2018. Furthermore, the entry is FREE for the public. You will be impressed with the talents we have.

 

 

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Some of the installations being showcased
 

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Installation by Ak Mahmud Ruzaini bin Pg Mohamad who used metal wires for sculpturing purposes. He was expressing the inner struggles within and it can be visible in a skinless form.
 

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An illustration installation by Ikmal Atifah binti Hj Awang Mohamad who used folded coloured papers in creating a portrait of her. This workmanship requires a lot of energy and you have to be meticulous in executing this installation to perfection. Good job!!
 

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Installation called “Heartstrings” by Ajeerah Firdausul Bolqiah. An interesting depiction of her life journey and her emotions are expressed by the chords and frets of a guitar illustrations. The different coloured hearts represent different situations that are either positive or negative.
 

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A papercut illustration which is not quite common in the previous Spectacle but it’s making a presence in this year’s edition. Created by Nurshiela binti Idnin, she carved out three iconic personalities of Brunei through means of papercut. Awesome!!! Who knows one day you will get commissioned for your new known talent. Oh yea, she only started to love paper cutting during her Discovery Year in Bandung, Indonesia.
 

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Last year I saw an illustration using lights and shadow. This year I saw a different perspective on how it can be used to express emotions. Nur Ezzati binti Morni with her project “Metanoia”, utilized wires and lights to create a shadow effect on people’s expression. With the power of the switch, these expressions can quickly change in an instant. Very creative indeed.
 

Also to share you some information that all the students had limited resources from UBD and hence, they are required to source their own materials in order to complete their end product. The students did fork out money to spend on the materials required to complete their artwork. Some of the displays required a lot of fabrication and that is never a cheap job. So you can see how dedicated the students are in investing their projects and made them possible for display at Spectacle 2018.

Haji Ahmad Najib Haji Ali Hassan, the Director of Spectacle 2018 Committee, was more than relieved after the successful launch of the event earlier this morning. The venue was only handed over in March and they were running against the time. He shared how they were meeting deadlines and completion of the decoration at the Art Gallery, Chancellor Hall. Finally, the whole team made it the event possible today which will continue until 14th May 2018.

Prior to this, the committee also organised fund raising events to help fund the Spectacle 2018 such as hosting the Spectacle Eminent Art Bazaar (February 2018) and Painting workshops (December 2017) to name a few. I kinda like how they have a good branding in promoting their event on social media. So keep it up 😀

Do follow them on @spectacle2018 on Instagram and also pay them a visit at the Gallery Art, Chancellor Hall, UBD. If you’re lucky enough, you might catch the artists there and learn more about their artworks and installations.

 

 

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If you are thinking of reflection, as in reflecting on yourself, do try this mixed media installation called “Peculiar Reflection” by Dk Siti Syuhaidah binti Pg Baharuddin. When was the last time you look yourself in the mirror and appreciate yourself?
 

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She must be one lucky lady. I wanna have what she has. Nur Lia Anira binti Johar created a 3D animation video called “Lucid Dreaming”. Apparently, she experiences lucid dreams on a yearly basis, meaning that you are conscious while dreaming. I only experienced it twice in my life and it was such an awesome feeling.
 

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The guest of honour paying a visit to Nur Raidah’s installation, “Embossed: New Bruneian Floral”.
 

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This is a mixed media installation by Haji Ahmad Najib who spoke of cerebral palsy among children and the message is to spread the awareness especially for parents and the public that through the right education, children with cerebral palsy can make strides towards a healthier and happier life.
 

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Nurhanisah binti Hj Sabli shared about how that we lose the cultural identity of our country. She depicts using our traditional textile, kain tenunan, to create more awareness on our cultural identity. Hope is not lost indeed.
 

 

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More than 463,000 deliveries worldwide: Audi sets new record for first quarter

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in automative, Business, Social News

 

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• Sales up 9.8 percent between January and March

• Sales chief Bram Schot: “The record-breaking start to the year provides us with important momentum”

• Strongest March ever in China (+30.6%) and North America (+8.3%)

New record-breaking figure for the Four Rings: Audi concluded its best first quarter in the company’s history. Between January and March the company sold around 463,800 automobiles worldwide, 9.8 percent more than in the same quarter last year. In particular, the high demand in China (+41.9%) and North America (+10.2%) drove growth in the first three months. In Europe, however, sales since January came in below the record-breaking level from 2017, down 4.7 percent. In March, the company delivered around 183,750 premium automobiles (+6.0%) worldwide.

“The record-breaking start to the year provides us with important momentum. With the Audi A7, A6, A1 and Q3 models, we will be renewing around a quarter of our sales in Europe alone throughout the year,” says Bram Schot, Board Member for Sales and Marketing at AUDI AG.

In China, Audi also closed the first quarter successfully. Here the company delivered 154,270 cars since January, an increase of 41.9 percent. In the past month, demand increased by 30.6 percent; the Ingolstadt-based automaker sold more automobiles in China than ever before in the month of March, delivering 54,031 units. The Audi A4 proved an important growth engine. The number of deliveries of the midsize model increased by 86.4 percent year-on-year to more than 13,800 cars. Since the start of the year more than 37,350 Chinese customers received their keys for an Audi A4 (+99.2%). The top seller is following this positive trend worldwide too, achieving growth of 15.3 percent to around 87,850 A4 models delivered in the period January through March.

With sales down 5.8 percent in March, Europe is indicative of the complex ramp-up and discontinuation situation of the current model initiative. In Germany and the UK, Audi’s two largest European markets, deliveries were down on the very strong sales figures from 2017. In the domestic market, the premium brand delivered 28,247 automobiles (-9.0%) in March, which had less selling day than last year. In the UK, sales fell 2.9 percent year-on-year in the past month. In the first quarter, UK sales were on a par with the prior-year level, up 0.1 percent, and performed far more resiliently than the declining overall market. Demand in Spain (+11.3%) andItaly (+2.8%) also remained positive in the past month. In both markets, customer interest in the Audi Q5 held up since the start of the year. 1,618 Spanish customers (+51.5%) and 2,106 Italian buyers (+131.9%) opted for the SUV in the first quarter. Another positive result: In Austria Audi accomplished premium market leadership regarding car registrations between January and March.

On the North American continent, Audi also continued to grow in March, increasing sales by 8.3 percent to around 24,550 cars. With around 61,400 deliveries, the company posted growth of 10.2 percent year-on-year in the region since January. In Canada alone, Audi sold 3,404 units in March, continuing its double-digit sales growth of the past few months (+14.0%). Since January, around one in three Canadian Audi customers chose an Audi Q5. Audi of America achieved another record-breaking month, with sales up 7.4 percent to 20,090 units. The Q family once again contributed largely to this success. The SUV share in the United States is currently 52 percent, i.e. one out of every two Audi models sold in this market is a Q model. The Audi Q7 is proving popular. In the past month, one out of every three Audi Q7 models delivered went to an American customer. Across all models, cumulative sales are up 9.7 percent in the United States.

Baiduri Masters 2018

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in community, charity, bank, Social News, Sports

 

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Baiduri Bank Group with the partners for the upcoming Baiduri Masters 2018 during the signing ceremony at QAF Brunei yesterday
 

The highly anticipated annual golf tournament, the Baiduri Masters Charity Golf Tournament is set to span over two weekends, 27 to 29 April and 4 to 6 May 2018. This year marks the 23rd edition of the Baiduri Masters organised by Baiduri Bank Group.

Thanks to the support of strategic partners – QAF Brunei, BMW and MINI, the much awaited hole-in-one car prizes for Baiduri Masters 2018 was confirmed this morning at the Partnership Signing Ceremony held at the QAF Centre. Besides two luxury cars, players will also stand a chance to win three cash prizes plus numerous other tournament prizes at the Baiduri Masters 2018.

The hole-in-one prizes for this year are as follows: BMW 740Li for Hole 14; Mini Cooper S Countryman for Hole 5; and $20,000 cash prize for Holes 2, 12 and 16.

The event began with the opening remarks by Mr. Pierre Imhof, Chief Executive Officer of Baiduri Bank. He said, “Since the tournament’s inception in 1995, the Baiduri Masters has always been centred towards supporting our community and making a difference. The tournament has been raising funds for local charities and organisations that support people with special needs and promotes activities that help people with special needs integrate into society. Last year, we were able to donate $65,000 for charity.”

 

 

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Exchange of documents between Baiduri Bank and QAF Brunei
 

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One of the prizes for the hole-in-one. A few years ago, three people won the same hole and the prize was a Porsche Cayman
 

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The application form for this year’s Baiduri Masters 2018
 

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony began with a signing between the Baiduri Bank Group and the RBA Golf Club. Another MOU between Baiduri Bank Group and Brunei Press was also signed this morning to appoint Borneo Bulletin and Media Permata as the print media partners for the event.

Mr. Asmadi bin Hj Alimustapha, General Manager of the RBA Golf Club, Mr. Albert Lau, Chief Executive Officer of QAF Brunei Sdn Bhd, and Mr. Reggie See, General Manager of Brunei Press Sdn Bhd signed on behalf of their organizations respectively while Mr. Pierre Imhof, Chief Executive Officer of Baiduri Bank signed on behalf of the Baiduri Bank Group.

Mr. Ng Joon An, Accountant at the RBA Golf Club, Mr. Siva Kumar Krishnan, General Manager of QAF Auto Sdn Bhd, Ms. Hazizah Osman, Deputy General Manager of Brunei Press Sdn Bhd and Mr. Andrew Young, Deputy General Manager, Operations Management Division and Diversification and Strategic Development of Baiduri Bank cum President of the Organising Committee of Baiduri Masters 2018 signed as witnesses respectively.

The champion of the Baiduri Masters 2017 was Qawim Hj Aslimon, a first time Baiduri Masters champion. Rounding out the top 5 were Johari Ahmad, Seruji Hj Setia, Pg Adam Pg Atan and Ahmad Yani.

Registration commences from today and the registration fee remains at BND120 for adults and BND60 for juniors. The registration fee is inclusive of green fees, buggy, a goodie bag as well as buffet breakfast and lunch. Players are invited to the prize presentation dinner at the end of the tournament.

For more information, please contact the Baiduri Customer Helpline at 244 9666 or log onto www.baiduri.com.

 

 

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Enter poster to find out more

Mercedes-Benz iShowroom

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in automative, gadget, lifestyle, Social News

 

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Mr. Ho Ley Hoon, Sales Manager of Jati Transport Sdn Bhd officially launching the new Mercedes-Benz iShowroom
 

Jati Transport Sdn Bhd has upped their game in the showroom department. Gone are the days of Mercedes-Benz brochures or pamphlets at their showroom. Last night the management team unveiled their first ever digital brochure app. With this app, customers are able to get a close up preview with their preference on the variety of Mercedes-Benz model available for order.

App is called The Mercedes-Benz iShowroom which acts as a digital brochure which allows prospective customers to choose and view which features and equipment best suits them. It’s like buying a computer online and choosing your own specs. Same thing applies here.

The best part of the app is that it allows the customer to choose their financing solution by dragging the button to see his or her budget needs. You can adjust the downpayment and the length of the loan with a touch of a button. Awesome feature!!

With the iShowroom, you can compare the different types of colors and fabrics and even rims of the available Mercedes-Benz models. It can also be viewed on 3 different angles to give the customer a wholistic feel online. There are also videos and interactive applications in making your car shopping experience more exciting than usual.

The sales executive team will be in charge of the iShowroom app whenever you pay a visit to the showroom. Or even better, they can drop by your area or pay you a visit and do a visual presentation to you with their iShowroom app.

Prospective customer can request for an email to be sent or print out after he or she has selected the options of the model for easy reference.

Mr. Ho Ley Hoon, Sales Manager of Jati Transport Sdn Bhd said, “Mercedes-Benz Brunei has been the first to introduce the concept of converting the traditional physical brochure into digital brochure via an app in Brunei. The idea is to offer our customers a unique and interesting experience to match their latest lifestyle when they visit our showroom. Furthermore, our sales executives are well equipped and will able to bring the iShowroom experience to your doorstep or wherever you are.”

 

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Daniel Loo, Marketing Executive of Jati Transport demo-ing on how the iShowroom works
 

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I like how you can compare between colours
 

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Easy to customize and visualize to your preference
 

 

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The financial solution for customer’s preference. Easy to use and effective.
 

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How the summary looks like once you are done with the customization
 

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Members of the media had the privilege to witness the new iShowroom
 

BHC World Cup Campaign

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in games, lifestyle, Social News

 

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Click image to see more

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The Kickoff Day has been a success for @bruneicement (Butra Heidelberg Cement) as they have garnered interest from the public on their Kickoff Campaign where the grand winner will be flying to Russia for the upcoming World Cup 2018.

All the clues were given periodically on @bruneicement instagram and it started with the Pre-Quarter Final – Scavenger Hunt as they have search for clues of the hidden item.

With the hashtag #bhcworldcup18 you will be able to see some of the photos posted on social media and one of them will be lucky enough to win a trip for two to Russia 2018.

There were some monuments and landmarks of Brunei Darussalam especially the new RIPAS bridge and different landmarks in other districts of Brunei Darussalam.

The organizers also have been active in Bandarku Ceria and Tutongku Ceria for the public to get involved in the Kickoff competition.

So do follow @bruneicement or my IG @ranoadidas for updates on their next clues and make sure you follow the instructions to be eligible 🙂

 

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One of the ticket hunt was at Supa Save Seria
 

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The official hashtag for campaign
 

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One of the events that took place at Bandarku Ceria
 

 

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Some of the contestants at Tutongku Ceria
 

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A lady registering herself to be eligible for the lucky draw
 

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A familiar face also aimed for the grand prize. Good luck!!
 

Auto Bild readers affirm: Audi is the leading brand for quality

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in audi, lifestyle, Social News

 

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Auto Bild reader survey: Audi leads all brands in the quality ratings. Picture: Audi A7 Sportback
 

• Audi celebrates a decisive victory in the “Best Brands” reader survey

• The brand ranks first in quality in eight out of 14 categories

• Success in the price/performance rating and in reliability as well

With eight first place finishes in 14 categories, Audi dominated the quality ratings in Auto Bild magazine’s “Best Brands in All Classes” reader survey. No brand performed better in the core criteria of the image survey, with more than 70,000 readers participating.

“Our goal is to delight customers with top quality in the premium segment,” says Werner Zimmermann, Head of Audi Quality Assurance. “The readers of Auto Bild have affirmed the success of our efforts here in a most impressive way.”

In the “Best Brands in All Classes” survey, readers of Auto Bild trade magazine rated 38 brands in 14 vehicle categories. Quality, design and price/performance ratio are considered the core criteria here.

Audi topped the quality ranking in no less than eight categories: compact; midsize; full-size; luxury; convertibles up to €50,000; and small, medium and large SUVs. Audi clinched two further victories in the price/performance ratings – in the luxury class and in the convertibles over €50,000 class. No other manufacturer was more successful in the core criteria. In addition, victory in the reliability rating across all classes went to the brand with the four rings. This increased the total of first places to eleven – an achievement that continued Audi’s strong finish in the “Best Brands” of 2016.

CIBFM Stakeholders Annual Retreat 2018

Written by Rano Iskandar on . Posted in Business, Social News

 

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Centre For Islamic Banking, Finance And Management (CIBFM) hosted its Annual Stakeholders Retreat at The Radisson Hotel, Brunei Darussalam last week
 

Centre For Islamic Banking, Finance And Management (CIBFM) hosted its Annual Stakeholders Retreat at The Radisson Hotel, Brunei Darussalam. The event began with a recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah, followed by a welcoming remark delivered by Yang Mulia Dayang Hajah Sufinah binti Haji Sahat, Acting Deputy Chief Executive Officer of CIBFM.

The event then continued with a presentation by Mr. Prashant Chadha, Managing Director, Aon Hewitt Malaysia and Philippines on the topic ‘Redefining Workspaces of the Future – Employees’ View’. Aon Hewitt was specially invited by CIBFM for their insights on career development and effectiveness of human resource development and management.

This presentation was then followed by an open discussion amongst participants regarding challenges in the workspace and working environment. Amongst the challenges brought up were the constantly evolving work environment and the organisations’ roles in facilitating their workers in adapting to these changes.

The objectives of the event were to foster better relationships between CIBFM and its stakeholders, as well as to share the latest developments in human resource performance and management.

For your info, CIBFM is a training institution under the purview of Autoriti Monetari Brunei. CIBFM offers a variety of learning and development programmes ranging from financial literacy to leadership and management. For more information on CIBFM’s development programmes, members of the public may visit our social media accounts, @cibfm.brunei on Instagram and CIBFM Brunei page on Facebook, visit their website at www.cibfmbrunei.com, or call CIBFM’s hotline at +673 8271140.

Contact RA

ranoadidas (a) gmail.com
Instagram & Snapchat @ranoadidas
Contact: +6738677773

About RA

A blogger since 2002, using platforms from blogspot, joomla and now currently wordpress. A readership that stands on average of 20,000 visits per month. Also on active on social media platform on IG, Facebook and Snapchat (@ranoadidas)

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