Samba Bank Pakistan Live with Temenos Core Banking System

Samba Bank Limited Pakistan, a majority owned subsidiary of Samba Financial Group of Saudi Arabia has successfully implemented the new Temenos Core Banking softwareR15 for its retail and corporate banking services.

Temenos teamed up with regional partner, National Data Consultant (pvt) Ltd (“NDC”) on the implementation for this project. The bank replaced its parent legacy system STAR to Temenos Core Banking System, release 15 and its Financial Crime Management solution, version 5.  .The teams successfully implemented Pakistan Model Bank version at Samba Bank Pakistan and migrated all 37 branches in one go. The new system carries many technical and functional enhancements including Temenos Product Builder AA which will strengthen bank’s core banking operations and facilitate with launching of new innovative products.

President& CEO of Samba Bank Ltd Pakistan, Mr. Shahid Sattar appreciated the exemplary collaboration of Samba Bank, NDC & Temenos and stated“ This is a key achievement for Samba Bank which helps us deliver our digital growth strategy and enhanced service capabilities to our customers. Temenos collaboration with NDC and approach of implementing Pakistan Model Bank has helped us to complete the project on time and provides a very reliable Core Banking Solution."

Jean-Paul Mergeai, Managing Director for Temenos Middle East & Africa, commented: “I would like to congratulate Samba Bank Pakistan on the achievement and implementation of such an important program and milestone for the bank. By having our Core Banking solution in place, Samba Bank Pakistan is leveraging cutting-edge technology that should give them a competitive edge in a fast moving market, increase operational efficiency, reduce risks and improve customer service. We are also particularly happy with our excellent collaboration with NDC, whose dedication, resourcefulness and expertise enables the delivery of key transformational projects such as this one.” 

Ammara Masood, President and CEO of NDC commented, “Samba Bank achievement is due to the hard work of all teams and the leadership of the Bank. Banks who want to thrive in a fast evolving landscape need mission-critical solutions and reliable local partners to succeed. Our partnership with Temenos and Samba has enabled us to achieve this success. We want to continue expanding our proven track record and support other banks in growing their market share and business scope”

Samba Bank Pakistan has now been live for 2 months on the new Core system with Temenos and Financial Crime management.

PepsiCo renews commitment to empowering women

PepsiCo celebrated International Women’s Day at its Head Office with an interactive session, which brought together women of diverse backgrounds to speak about their challenges and accomplishments. This year’s theme for International Women’s Day was “Be bold for change”. The session, modeled on the TEDx theme of speaking extemporaneously, included comments from speakers, questions from the audience, and concluded with a vote of thanks by Mr. Adel Garas, PepsiCo’s President for the Asia Pacific Region.

“People are PepsiCo’s greatest asset,” said Garas. “We believe in building a workforce that reflects the diverse consumers and communities we serve. Gender equality, diversity and inclusion are core to our company’s values and how we operate as a global corporate citizen in Pakisan and around the world. While we have accomplished much, we recognize that there is more work to do. We recently surveyed female associates to help us identify opportunities to positively impact engagement and commitment of our female associates, and enable them to unleash their full potential.”

Adding to Mr. Garas’s comments, PepsiCo Pakistan’s Vice President and General Manager, Mr. Furqan Ahmed Syed, thanked PepsiCo’s female associates for their invaluable contributions. “You have been an integral part of our successes over the years and I count on your passion, creativity and leadership to make PepsiCo Pakistan the pride of PepsiCo, and an employer of first choice for females in our country,” said Mr. Syed. “Indeed, diversity and inclusion will be critical to achieving our Performance with Purpose goals for 2025 by helping to create a sustainable advantage for us.”

The International Women’s Day celebration takes place at a time when PepsiCo Pakistan has made significant strides in making the organization more female-friendly. Steps in this direction include the day care facilities for young children established at both the Head Office as well as the snacks plant, a mentorship program for young females, creation of the PepsiCo Pakistan Women’s Forum, and the scaling up of the Lighting Up Lives program so that families with women and children can benefit.

Guest speakers at the session consisted of Ms. Shamim Akhtar, Pakistan’s first female truck driver; Ms. Zenith Irfan, Pakistan’s first female motorcyclist to travel to Khunjerab Pass; Ms. Rubina Jamal, a trekker who has taken expeditions to some of the world’s tallest mountains. 

Huawei Pakistan awarded Airlink the most valuable partner of 2016

Huawei a global leading technology brand has recently awarded Airlink the Best Cooperation Award at Huawei’s Core Partner Convention Awards 2017. The award was in recognition of Airlink's continuous efforts to promote the Chinese technology brand across Pakistan through its huge network.

The one day event at local Hotel consisted of a Press conference addressing key updates across the Huawei business including a future roadmap for the present year and areas for improvement. The event then concluded with the award ceremony for Huawei’s partner agencies. Shaukat Piracha Chairman Airlink communication and Muzzafar Hayyat Piracha MD Airlink attended event and collected the award on behalf of team Airlink. Team Airlink dedicated the prestigious award to late Moazzam Hayyat Piracha and recognize his due efforts for establishing Huawei's business in Pakistan. Upon receiving the award from Mr. Fanhong Bruce, Vice President of Huawei’s MEA and Mr. Blue King GM Huawei Pakistan commended the efforts and unmatched services of his team  and Airlink in making Huawei Pakistan one of the best mobile brands in the country.

Mr. Fraz Malik Khan, Deputy GM Huawei Pakistan has also praised the services of Airlink and expresses to get more efficient and strong collaboration in future too. Huawei has a reputation of promoting their partners and has always appreciated the services provided by their partners in Pakistan and all over the globe.

Huawei Honor 8Lite – Gifting your loved ones!

The Huawei Honor 8 lite is a powerful device, gaining great popularity and demand due to its highly advanced features and powerful camera. Huawei new and innovative campaign is solely about gifting an Honor 8 to someone who you think truly deserves the best.

In this campaign, a series of posts will go up. By sharing the Honor 8lite video and nominating someone with the story of your best received gift, customers will have the chance to get their nominee an Honor 8lite. This series will continue from 10^th – 13^th March and the next day two lucky winners will be rewarded with an Honor 8lite.The winning criteria is that ten people will be shortlisted based on completion of tasks mentioned in the posts, as well as the story shared.

The Marketing Manager of Huawei Salman Javed, stated that; "With this great new device Huawei has really impressed various consumer segments. Therefore, this new campaign is based on Huawei’s vision of truly satisfying the customers. With the story of the best gift received, Huawei wants to give its customers a chance to gift their loved ones back".

The Honor 8lite enriched with a revolutionary 12 MP back-camera, an f/2.2 aperture and autofocus, along with an 8 MP front-camera with a 77-degree wide-angle lens, is perfect for selfies. The device is powered by the high-performance ‘Kirin 655 octa-core Processor’, paired with 3GB RAM and a long-lasting 3000mAh battery. It is designed to fulfill the evolving needs of the photography enthusiasts and socially active consumers. The device delivers extremely fast performance while delivering excellence in means of comfort, style, and camera, thus generating an overwhelming response from the Pakistan market too. All Huawei fans now have the perfect opportunity to win this amazing device by participating in the contest. Youcan get further updates from Huawei’s official facebook and Instagram pages.

Samsung Unveils the Future of Audio at MENA Forum 2017

Samsung Electronics Middle East and North Africa (MENA), today announced its newest lineup of user-driven home audio visual products, including, a new soundbar and UHD Blu-ray player.

With over ten consecutive years of market leadership in home audio and video technology, and with active investments in R&D, Samsung’s new home audio and video product lineup for 2017 features innovative devices that reflect a total paradigm shift for both the company and the industry. In particular, the new lineup centers around sleek, simplistic designs and enhanced integration across multiple devices.

“At Samsung, we are committed to delivering breakthrough innovations for the home. Sound is an important factor in the overall user experience, and this year our focus was on delivering crisp, clear and immersive sound for the audiophile who needs a simple, yet powerful solution that not only fits their lifestyle, but simultaneously delivers an unparalleled home audio experience,” said Mustafa Sadick, Regional Senior Manager TV/AV at Samsung Electronics Middle East & North Africa office.

Samsung’s Proprietary UHQ 32bit Audio Technology Delivers Ultra-high Quality Sound

Highlighted across Samsung’s new lineup is UHQ (Ultra High Quality) audio – Samsung’s proprietary technology that enables 32bits of rich, detailed sound from any source that provides 8 to 24bit sound.

UHQ audio has the ability to upscale audio sources to a 32bit output, for both wired and wireless connections. 32bit sound creates audio which is much closer in quality to the original recording than existing HD audio, delivering rich sound that brings each note to life with incredible clarity.

Samsung has also developed its own audio algorithms to perfect ultra-high quality sound by leveraging the intelligence of existing proprietary technology, and tapping the expertise of its U.S.-based, state-of-the-art audio lab.

Samsung audio has applied ‘Distortion Cancelling’ technology which reduces sound alterations by predicting the movement of internal speaker units in advance, and controlling the units to deliver the perfect sound. This effect works well on a woofer, which tends to output a powerful low-pitched sound with a movement bigger and more unpredictable than other speaker units. The ‘Distortion Cancelling’ algorithm can intelligently predict a woofer’s movement, control it, and play more solid and stable sounds at a low pitch.

Samsung’s new sound profile also includes a ‘Wide-band Tweeter’, which expands and broadens the ‘sweet spot’ in any room, widening the area where optimal sound can be heard. The new profile also includes a ‘Crystal Amplifier’ that removes noise so consumers can enjoy the most accurate and precise sound across the widest range.

H7 Wireless Speaker Delivers UHQ 32bit Audio Technology and Stylish Design

Samsung has also announced new standalone sound technology that reflects the needs of consumers who enjoy listening to hi-fi audio – an advancement that is already gaining recognition and winning accolades from the industry.

Thanks to its stunning sound quality, premium design and intuitive user experience, Samsung’s new H7 Wireless Speaker – which offers 32bit ultra-high quality sound performance – received a 2017® CES Innovation Award. This achievement further reinforces Samsung’s leadership in the category, and is emblematic of the future-forward products the company continues to develop.

This award-winning UHQ 32bit audio technology, combined with a bass response going down to 35Hz, delivers a wide sound range across the human auditory field – from high to low frequencies.

Samsung’s H7 Wireless Speaker also reflects superior innovation in design. With sleek, contemporary metal finishes that appeal to even the most discerning consumers, a compact size and a retro exterior, the H7 Wireless Speaker allows music to be a centerpiece of any room.

The design of the speaker also features a more intuitive user experience supported by wheel control. By turning the wheel, users can not only adjust the volume but also select their favorite playlist from their choice of streaming music services.

New Soundbar Delivers Incredible Sound with Less Room Clutter

The new MS650 Soundbar is Samsung’s first soundbar to embed subwoofer performance directly into the primary unit. This ensures that the bass is equalized and crystal clear, while simultaneously de-cluttering the home. The MS650 delivers powerful home cinema sound on premium TVs, without the need for a separate subwoofer.

Overall, the MS650 Soundbar provides a deeper sense of immersion. When paired with the Samsung Smart Remote, the room’s home audio is powered by the same device as the TV unit, further simplifying the experience.

Samsung audio has applied ‘Distortion Cancelling’ technology, which reduces sound alterations by predicting the movement of internal speaker units in advance, and controlling the units to deliver the perfect sound. This effect works well on a woofer, which tends to output a powerful low-pitched sound with a movement bigger and more unpredictable than other speaker units. The ‘Distortion Cancelling’ algorithm can intelligently predict a woofer’s movement in advance, control it, and play more solid and stable sounds at a low pitch.

The MS650 Soundbar boasts a small but mighty “one body” design that can be mounted onto your TV with one simple connection, no complicated setup, and no need to add the hole in the wall. This means that the soundbar and TV can be turned on at the same time, simply by connecting the two units with a designated power cable connection, eliminating the need for two separate power cables, and removing clutter around the TV.

Samsung’s new wall-mount solution also introduces new options for Soundbars with a new user-friendly-shaped bracket that connects the TV directly to the Soundbar. The mounting of the Soundbar requires just one connection to install, preventing consumers from creating more than one hole in the wall.

A UHD Blu-ray Player That Completes the Ultimate Home Entertainment Experience

Samsung’s recently released HDR-compatible UBD-K8500 Ultra HD Blu-ray player offers four times the resolution and 64 times higher color expression than conventional Blu-ray players. When paired with Samsung QLED TV’s Quantum Dot Display, the UBD-K8500 delivers a level of picture quality never before seen in the home. Its built-in upscaling technology enhances the picture quality from standard Blu-ray discs and DVDs.

Samsung’s all-new audio products will be available in selected markets across the Middle East and North Africa from Q32017 onwards.

Gree Air Conditioners remind you to check your AC for coming summer

Gree has created the most reliable inverter air conditioners that are enriched with a special heating-feature to ensure the coziest and safest winter in Pakistan’s climatic conditions and environment. 

Being a responsible organization Gree always seek ways to maximize comfort level of its consumers in terms of technology, quality and after sales services. As spring season has already arrived in Pakistan and summer will be approaching in few weeks so everyone will be looking for peace in an air conditioned chill room. It has been observed that many consumers face problems of cooling when they turn on their Gree AC. It is only because AC is wrapped in winters without a proper cleanup.

Gree’s initiate is to remind consumers to check for their units once before summer and observe their performance is up to the mark or not. It is also recommended to check for remote controls either they are in working conditions or they have got some problem.

Just sparing 10-15 minutes and a small practice will keep you cool in coming hot summers. Gree technical team is always here to provide assistance and just a phone call away.

Samsung Electronics Ushers In a New Era in Home Entertainment with QLED TV

Samsung Electronics Middle East and North Africa, announced its new QLED TV series - Q9, Q8, and Q7 - during the company’s 2017 product unveiling for the Middle East and North Africa Region, held at the Samsung MENA Forum in Singapore.

“We are thrilled to be ushering in the era of QLED in the Middle East and North Africa markets,” said Mustafa Sadick, Regional Senior Manager of Visual Display at Samsung Electronics Middle East & North Africa office. “Today, we are showcasing the most true-to-life picture on screen with the advent of QLED TV. We have listened to our customers and implemented new technologies and innovations that address their pain points when it comes to the viewing experience, while simultaneously redefining the fundamental value of TV.”

Samsung’s Best Picture Quality - Ever

With picture quality remaining a top priority for consumers around the world - especially as the average TV continues to increase in size, Samsung’s 2017 QLED TVs represent yet another leap forward.

The new lineup offers dramatically improved color performance, displaying DCI-P3 color space accurately and – in another world first for Samsung, QLED TVs are capable of reproducing 100 percent color volume. This means they can express all colors at any level of brightness – with even the subtlest differentiable at the QLED’s peak luminance - between 1,500 and 2,000 nits.  

Color volume presents color that can be expressed at different levels of brightness. For example, a leaf can be perceived as different colors from yellowish green to turquoise, depending on brightness of the light. Samsung QLED TV display can capture even subtle differences in color pertaining to brightness. This kind of color detail cannot be easily depicted in the traditional 2D color space models.

This breakthrough is a result of Samsung’s adoption of a new metal Quantum Dot material – making it possible for the TV to express a significantly improved range of color with much greater detail compared to conventional TVs.

The new Quantum dots allow Samsung QLED TV to express deep blacks and rich detail regardless of how light or dark the scene is, or whether the content is being played in a brightly lit or darkened room. With its metal alloy Quantum Dot technology, brightness no longer has to be compromised to boost color performance, which is also maintained regardless of how wide the viewing angle may be.

Committed to Solving Consumer Pain Points

Samsung also used today’s product unveiling to highlight new design features which resolve some of the most significant TV viewer pain points.

“Issues faced by consumers around the world, and in our region, such as cable clutter, thick wall mounts and a slew of devices sitting right under the TV will no longer be a pain point – our 2017 line up is focused on what’s important, the content on the screen, and not everything surrounding it,” Sadick added.

The improvements to design and usability in the QLED TV series include a single, transparent ‘Invisible Connection’ cable, through which all of the peripheral devices can be gathered and connected to the TV. This is in addition to the ‘No Gap Wall Mount’, which makes it quick and easy to affix the TV flush against the wall. Or, for those who prefer not to mount the TV, Samsung is offering two new stands designed to elevate and showcase the QLED TVs as beautiful home accessories all by themselves. Consumers can choose either the ‘Studio Stand’, which resembles an easel with a painting, or the sleek ‘Gravity Stand’, which when attached to the TV, resembles a contemporary sculpture.

 Samsung’s Smartest TV ever

In 2017, Samsung is focused on the continued evolution of its much lauded Smart TV offering, giving people the simple, unified user experience they want for all their entertainment content - wherever and whenever they want it. For example, with the Samsung Smart Remote, consumers can control most connected TV devices from a single source, with one device.

This year, the ‘Smart Hub’ interface has been extended to smartphones through Samsung’s new and improved ‘Smart View’ app, which now provides a comprehensive overview of all available content on the app’s home screen. Thus, consumers can use their mobile device to select and start their favorite live TV programs and video-on-demand services - on their TV, through the ‘Smart View’ mobile app. Consumers can also choose to receive alerts on their mobile devices about their favorite content, regarding for example, show times and availability.

When it comes to content, Samsung is working with an ecosystem of partners including MBC Shahid and STARZ Play to deliver great content directly to the TV. Samsung is also leading the 4K and HDR revolution, with many original titles already coming from regional and global partners.

Samsung Smart TV customers will also enjoy the additional benefits of screen and sound mirroring, meaning that they can play the content directly of a second screen and also enjoy the TV sound on their headsets mirrored through their mobile.

Samsung QLED TVs will be available in selected markets across the Middle East and North Africa from Q2 2017.