MEA Q1 2018

MEAMARKETS / Q1 2018 5 NEWS , On the 8th March, Hamad Internation- al Airport (HIA), an active supporter of arts and culture, has revealed a new art piece, SMALL LIE by American artist KAWS. The inauguration was attended by the artist, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al Meer, HIA Chief Operating Officer and Khalid Yousef Al Ibrahim, Qa- tar Museums (QM) Chief Strategic Planning Officer. Delivered as part of Qatar Museums’ commitment to make art available to all beyond the confines of a gallery, SMALL LIE is the latest addition to the airport’s fine art collection of more than twenty permanent pieces created by local and international artists. Engr. Badr Mohammed Al Meer, Chief Operating Officer at HIA, commented: “HIA’s space for pub- lic art is truly redefining the pas- senger experience. SMALL LIE is a monumental art piece. Our operations team had to dismantle the airport façade at concourse D to handle the crates and we worked on the technical installa- tion for several weeks. Preparing to 50 million passengers by 2022, the airport is thriving to give tran- sit travellers a memorable journey through the arts and culture.” HIA being strategically located at the crossroads of the Eastern and the Western part of the world, the selection of art installations dis- played at the airport transcends all cultures and beliefs. KAWS is the fourth American artist joining HIA’s Art Programme. Most recently in- stalled at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in the UK, the newly inaugu- rated SMALL LIE is now located in Al Etimad operates as a FMC partner for VFS Global in the Kingdom of Sau- di Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, Libya and Tunisia. The company serves 25 diplomatic missions and operates more than 90 visa application centres across the five countries. Al Etimad is since 2009 active in the visa out- sourcing market and employs around 650 professionals. Al Eti- mad owns the travel concierge services company Vega, which is part of the transaction. The Al Eti- mad visa operations in Pakistan are not included in the acquisition. To benefit from operational effi- ciencies and synergies with VFS Global, Al Etimad will be integrat- ed in VFS Global’s operations af- ter completion of the transaction. This will enable further develop- ment of services and solutions and improving the overall service to the missions served and the visa applicants in the five coun- tries. VFS Global is the pioneer and market leader of the outsourced visa services industry, serving 58 governments and with opera- tions across 137 countries, as at 31 January 2018. VFS Global is part of the Swiss Kuoni Group, whose principal owner is EQT, a leading global investment firm, headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. EQT is firmly committed to the growth and development of VFS Global, and this transaction will ensure that visa services will be further benefitted from VFS Global’s innovative strength, its well diversified service portfolio, investments in technology and the acknowledged quality of its global offerings. Subject to customary approval from the competition and regula- tory authorities, the transaction is expected to complete later in 2018. Message from Zubin Karkaria, CEO VFS Global Group: “We are very pleased to take over com- plete ownership of Al Etimad and Vega. It will enable us to accel- erate the further development of the business and improve overall performance through greater inte- gration. I would like to thank the TasHeel Group for partnering us in successfully managing the visa services operations in these five countries.” VFS Global Acquires Middle Eastern FMC Partner Al Etimad the North node of HIA, near Con- course E, a strategic location for the benefit of the 30 million pas- sengers transiting through HIA on a yearly basis. A painter, sculptor, product design- er and collector, KAWS is consid- ered one of the most distinctive artists of our time. His influential work connects people across generations with contemporary art and opens up the world of popular culture to young and diverse audi- ences across the globe. The artist flew in to Qatar to pres- ent his artwork: “I hope SMALL LIE can transport passengers into another realm”, said KAWS. “The inspiration behind SMALL LIE comes from my relationship to wooden toys growing up and the warm sensation of wood grain. Expanding on this, I created an oversize sculpture that plays with an emotional tension of strength and kindness. It is the first time that one of my pieces is exhibited in an airport. The space allows a dialogue with both travellers and the other artworks showcased at HIA. It is a perfect space for SMALL LIE.” Artworks on show at HIA comprise a mix of site-specific creations and pieces which have been carefully selected for the airport, transform- ing the transportation hub into a large-scale gallery filled with breathtaking pieces such has the iconic Lamp Bear by Swiss art- ist Urs Fischer, Oryx statues by Dutch artist Tom Claassen, the Playground by American sculptor Tom Otterness. Additional art piec- es will soon be launched at HIA. VFS Global has agreed to take over 100% of the Middle Eastern Facility Management Company (FMC) Al Etimad from TasHeel Group as per a binding agreement signed between both parties. Credit: Shutterstock.com