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Power surgeNuclear energy is undergoing a resurgence around

the world, as booming populations and development create unprecedented power demands.

The redux of luxeThe improved outlook for the global luxury market is

set to continue, but not without facing up to some significant challenges.

eco TriPEco-friendly tourism is expanding from niche into the

mainstream, with more businesses and governments seeing the green light.

easy does iTSaudi Arabia’s status as a global business destination

continues to climb, as reflected in the 2011 World Bank Ease of Doing Business index.

comPeTiTive advanTageThe 2011 Global Competitiveness Forum, with the

theme of innovation as a competitive advantage, gathers international leaders in business, politics and intellectual fields.

humane naTure THINK talks exclusively to best-selling author,

entrepreneur and dedicated activist, Paul Hawken, about the success of his business, social and environmental ventures.

charging aheadElectric transport, a rapidly accelerating sector of the

automotive industry, can combine excitement with efficiency and economy.

Budding geniusExcellence might come easily to child prodigies but

how do parents ensure their precocious children become well-adjusted adults?

innovaTion and ingenuiTyYoung Saudi inventor has a bright future ahead of him,

with numerous patents and software creations at just 23 years of age.

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some like iT hauTeThe world may still be reeling from suggestions of

a double-dip recession, but high fashion marches on regardless.

caughT on cameraWe unveil the best images and speak to some of

the winners from the THINK and SAGIA photography competition.

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42 whaT do you Think? Students discuss the merits of e-learning

47 Thinking forward In our post-crisis business environment, companies are adjusting their strategies to become more agile, responsive and accountable

48 scTa PresidenT sPeaks To Think HH Prince Sultan bin Salman, president, Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities, on Saudi's cultural responsibilities

52 Think roundTaBle Leaders from the world of arts and culture discuss the global appeal and economic value of national heritage treasures

13 sPecTrum The latest news and creativity from around the globe

75 Profile Natalia Allen, design entrepreneur, bridges the divide between design and activism

83 fuTure Thinking An ambitious plan for mass-scale solar power

85 Books The best reading material reviewed for you

86 visionary Nick Pope, ufologist, on what space has to teach humankind

OpiniOnregulars68

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PeTer DruCker, SoCIAL eCoLogIST

“innovaTion is The sPecific Tool of

enTrePreneurs, The means By which They exPloiT change as an

oPPorTuniTy for a differenT Business or a

differenT service”

SAGIA eDITorIAL ADvISor Fahd M Hamidaddin eDITorIAL LIAISoN Aseel A Al-Zamil

mOTIVATE PUBLIShING eDITor-IN-CHIef Obaid Humaid Al Tayer grouP eDITor + MANAgINg PArTNer Ian Fairservice grouP SeNIor eDITor Gina Johnson

grouP eDITor Catherine Belbin catherine@motivate.ae CHIef Sub eDITor Iain Smith iain@motivate.ae eDITorIAL ASSISTANT Belinda Igaya belinda@motivate.ae

geNerAL MANAger grouP SALeS Anthony Milne anthony@motivate.ae geNerAL MANAger – ProDuCTIoN + CIrCuLATIoN S Sasidharan sasidharan@motivate.ae ProDuCTIoN MANAger C. Sudhakar sudhakar@motivate.ae DePuTy ADverTISeMeNT MANAger Omar Al Eit omar@motivate.ae

DeSIgN Design Studio INTerNATIoNAL CorreSPoNDeNTS Ashlee Beard, Laura Collacott, Glenn Freeman, Steve Hill, Elsa Mclaren, Joanne Molina, Lisa Vincenti

SAuDI ArABIAn GEnErAL InVESTMEnT AuTHOrITy (SAGIA) SAGIA HEADquArTErS Imam Saud Bin Abdulaziz road (university road), PO Box 5927, riyadh 11432, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, T +966 1 203 5555 F +966 1 263 2894 E Info@sagia.gov.sa

SAGIA InTErnATIOnAL OFFICES MIDDLe eAST & AfrICA Hatem A Al-Ahmad; e mena@sagia.gov.sa euroPe Mai Al-Torki; e europe@sagia.gov.sa frANCe Lucile Pons van der Slikke; e france@sagia.gov.sa ITALy Mai Al-Torki; e italy@sagia.gov.sa gerMANy Dahlia T rahaimy; e germany@sagia.gov.sa uNITeD kINgDoM Sara bouzo; e uk@sagia.gov.sa THe AMerICAS Ahmed Islam; e americas@sagia.gov.sa WASHINgToN DC Ahmed Islam; e americas@sagia.gov.sa eAST ASIA Noriko Sozuki; e japan@sagia.gov.sa WeST ASIA Meshari S. Al-khaled; e singapore@sagia.gov.sa

MOTIVATE PuBLISHInG HeAD offICe Po box 2331, Dubai, united Arab emirates T +971 4 282 4060 f +971 4 282 4436 e motivate@motivate.ae Abu DHAbI e motivate-adh@motivate.ae LoNDoN e: motivateuk@motivate.ae

InTErnATIOnAL MEDIA rEPrESEnTATIVES AuSTrALIA okeeffe Media; e okeeffekev@bigpond.com.au CHINA/HoNg koNg emphasis Media Limited; e advertising@emphasis.net CyPruS epistle Communications & Media; e nasreenk@epistlemedia.com frANCe/SWITZerLAND Intermedia europe Ltd; e administration@intermedia.europe.com gerMANy IMv International Media Service gmbH; e j.hoffmann@vhb.de INDIA Media Star; e ravi@mediastar.co.in ITALy IMM Italia; e lucia.colucci@fastwebnet.it JAPAN Skynet Media Inc.; e skynetmedia@y2.dion.ne.jp Turkey Media Ltd; e mediamarketingtr@medialtd.com.tr uNITeD kINgDoM Spafax Inflight Media; e nhopkins@spafax.com uNITeD STATeS redwood Custom Communications Inc.; e brigitte.baron@redwoodcc.com

PrINTINg Emirates Printing Press, Dubai

Motivate Publishing LLC, on behalf of Saudi Arabian general Investment Authority, publishes THinK quarterly. SAgIA and Motivate Publishing do not accept liability for errors or omissions contained in this publication for whatever reason, however caused. The opinions and views contained in this publication are not necessarily those of SAgIA or of the publishers. SAgIA and the publishers take no responsibility for the goods and services advertised. All materials are protected by copyright.

All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form whatsoever without the written permission of the copyright owner, except as may be permitted by applicable laws. sagia.gov.sa

COVER PHOTOGRAPHYSpring-Arrival by Mohsen Mohammed al-Danjani

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Increasingly, nations not traditionally associated with innovation are adapting and implementing new technologies, especially information technologies, social media and telecommunications, in becoming creatively and globally competitive.

A case in point is the Global Competitiveness Forum 2011, hosted by SAGIA in Riyadh, where the organisers have used the latest technology to pioneer one of the first e-forums of its kind, leveraging tablet computing and sophisticated networking.

In the new de-centralised global community, countries not historically associated with innovation and thought leadership are beginning to take the lead. In Asia, this is happening in a range of sectors including manufacturing. This is also exemplified in the Middle East, where governments are slowly but surely diversifying national revenue sources outside of petrochemical industries. Further examples of this are the new breed of inventors emerging within the Kingdom and also its foray into automotive manufacturing.

Similarly, Saudi Arabia's dynamic ministers are adopting social media such as Facebook and other relevant digital media platforms, to access new channels and create dialogue in search of effective solutions for the new globalised Kingdom.

In this issue of THINK, our editorial focuses on the increasingly prevalent phenomenon of glocalisation. The term has gained broad acceptance from the international business community in recent years, having been adapted from Japanese business practices. Indeed, the word is derived from the Japanese word dochakuka, which literally means global

localisation.Our international correspondents address numerous issues of increasing global concern,

from a broad spectrum of topics within the worlds of business, science, technology and culture.This diversity of thoughts, discussions and opinion reflects the increasing convergence of these

themes and the ever-broadening implications of events around the world on the lives of global citizens.

Whether locally, globally or in a glocal combination of the two, this first issue of THINK for 2011 encourages you to think glocal.

Catherine Belbin, Group Editor THINK@motivate.ae

THinK glOcal

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An unusual entrant at the top of the countries to visit in 2011 list, some royal wedding-inspired short breaks in London and a boost to organic farming in Saudi

Arabia are all on the agenda

the right place at the right time

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royal connectionsThe british royal wedding in April between Prince William and kate Middleton is expected to spark a large increase in tourist numbers to London. And short-break specialists Superbreak has reacted by launching a series of tailor-made wedding packages that include a stay at a range of three to five-star hotels in the centre of the capital as well as a trip on the London eye and a two-for-one dining card.

leading The wayindra Nooyi, the chief executive of PepsiCo since 2006, has been named number one in the Financial Times’ list of the top 50 women in world business for a second successive year.

Born in Chennai, she completed her MBA at

the Indian Institute of Management and was employed by Johnson & Johnson in Mumbai before moving to the United States to study at Yale.

Saudi national Nahed Taher, the co-founder

and chief executive of Gulf One Investment Bank, was ranked 24.

Legendary US TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey was designated as the newspaper’s woman of the decade.lighting Up

The world’s biggest LeD media facade has been installed at the king’s road Tower in Jeddah by french company Citiled.

The 10,000 square metres screen covers 21 floors on the north and south sides of the building as well as 16 levels on the west facade, and features more than five million LeDs which can display up to 16.7 million different colours.

More than six months were needed to produce the innovative system, which is almost transparent, guaranteeing daylight for the building’s occupants, and installation and testing took six months.

The dynamic “skin” can display a wide range of content and messages including graphic, artistic, cartoons, videos, news, photos and events.

alBania is the country to visit in 2011, according to travel company Lonely Planet, which is extolling the virtues of a destination customarily regarded to be off the beaten path.

The Mediterranean country boasts heritage sites, beautiful beaches, fine food and a warm welcome, according to Lonely Planet’s latest book, Best in Travel 2011.

Brazil, which is set to host the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 summer Olympic Games, is listed in second place with Cape Verde, off the coast of Africa, third, Panama fourth and Bulgaria fifth.

The top 10 also includes Vanuatu (sixth), Tanzania (eighth) and Syria (ninth).

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Berth controlSaudi Arabia is expected to see a 50 per cent increase in the number of marina berths by 2012, according to a recent study by leading industry consultancy Mike Derrett Marine.

The nation’s rapidly growing leisure fleet and an upsurge in overseas boating tourists are helping spark this growth, making the marine sector an important investment opportunity for domestic and foreign markets.

Saudi Arabia, which recently played host to the second edition of its international boat show, currently boasts 10,000 vessels measuring five metres or more in length, and trails only kuwait in terms of boat population in the gCC.

More than 130 international companies and brands were represented at the show, staged at the Al furusya Marina & yacht Club in Jeddah.

The recent Riyadh Motor Show attracted more than 96,000 visitors over its five-day run while deals worth around US$60 million were signed by international car accessories and services companies.

The event, at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre, also generated around 2,000 applications to participating financing companies for car reservations, on top of deals concluded at the stands of automotive dealers.

The Kingdom is the largest auto market in the Middle East region and the fifth largest in the world for auto parts, accessories, service and garage equipment.

ToP gear

qaTar kicks major goal

Organic agreementorganic farming in Saudi Arabia has been boosted by an agreement between gTZ Saudi Arabia and the Morarka foundation, of India.

A delegation of senior officials from the Saudi Agricultural Ministry and farmers recently visited certified organic farms at bhuj, where the foundation has been working since the 2002 earthquake, and farm lands in rajasthan.

Technical assistance is to be offered to Saudi farmers regarding the planning of organic agriculture, development of technology and training, as well as management expertise, record maintenance and certification.

Worldwide, 30.4 million hectares of land is now used for organic production, generating global trade of uS$38.6 billion.

qaTar recenTly won the right to host the FIFA World Cup 2022, winning the bid ahead of the United States, Japan, Korea and Australia.

Qatar led in the ballot on each of the four rounds, obtaining 14 votes against eight to the US in the final round.

For Qatar, the GCC and the Middle East, this represents enormous opportunities. The global

football event is watched by an estimated 700 million people worldwide, and is expected to benefit the country and the entire region.

Qatar has promised to spend US$50 billion on infrastructure upgrades and US$4 billion to build nine stadiums and renovate three others.

A leading proponent of Qatar’s successful bid was HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al Missned,

who said that Qatar’s win was a victory for the entire Arab world.

In a statement issued after Fifa’s announcement, Sheikha Moza said: “The importance and usefulness of this event cannot be overstated…it represents a historic opportunity to show the Middle East’s openness to the West and to help further promote dialogue among civilisations and cultures.”

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Debate heats UpA series of recent climate change-related disasters around the world highlight the need for stronger action to reduce greenhouse gases, according to international lobby group 350.org.

The series of natural disasters include some of the worst wildfires ever recorded in the Middle east, flood-related crises in South America and the recent cold weather experienced in the uk and europe, some of the iciest conditions experienced in 100 years. “All of these disasters are taking place with just 390 parts per million of Co2 in the atmosphere,” said bill Mckibben, author and founder of 350.org. “Physics and chemistry have laid their cards on the table: above 350 [parts per million of Co2 to oxygen], the world doesn’t work.”

landmark hoTel sold

charity Begins at homeSaudi Arabia features the greatest number of charitable societies and foundations in the gCC, according to a report published by the International Centre for research and Studies.

“gulf Charity Work: A first Information report” reveals that 86 per cent of such bodies are based in the kingdom with the remaining in kuwait, bahrain, Qatar, the uAe and oman.

Just over 25 per cent of charitable action is aimed at the poor, with almost 18 per cent concentrated on orphans and 16.4 per cent on the disabled.

Financial SolutionsParticipants from 35 countries took part in a two-day global investment forum at the king faisal Conference Hall at the riyadh Inter-Continental Hotel.

Saudi Investor Window 2010 showcased how Islamic finance could become a solution to the world financial crisis. London-based uCI International co-organised the event with the Saudi-based Islamic International foundation for economics & finance (IIfef) and Motamara.

“Increasingly, Western and Asian governments and business leaders are turning to Islamic finance to provide financing for major international projects in response to the global credit freeze,” said Tahar benourrad, uCI’s chairman.

a ProminenT Saudi investor, part of the Kingdom’s royal family, has successfully purchased the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris.

The luxury hotel, built in the Champs Elysees area in 1758 after being commissioned by King Louis XV, has long been the subject of legal wrangling over the sale.

Groupe du Louvre, a unit of Starwood Capital, which acquired the hotel in 2005, confirmed it has now agreed on sale terms

growTh in The MENA region is forecast to outpace the global average in 2011, signalling the property sector is ripe for investment.

The International Monetary Fund is predicting gross domestic product will expand 5.1 per cent in the MENA region in 2011, higher than the forecast global average of just 4.2 per cent.

The MENA region is expected to be second only to Asia in terms of annual growth, with economies of the region expanding at more than double the pace of advanced nations, including Europe and the United States.

Property sectors in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Egypt are all expected to report double-digit growth in 2011. Lebanon’s Director General of the Economy Ministry, Fuad Fleifel, predicts property prices in Beirut will rise another 15 per cent in 2011.

mena growTh PredicTion

with the anonymous Saudi investor.In April, a French court ruled that Saudi-

backed JJW Hotels & Resorts would have to pay US$130 million to Starwood Capital to settle a dispute involving the aborted sale of Le Crillon to JJW.

The price paid by the buyer, described as an “eminent” member of the Saudi royal family, has not been disclosed. However, Reuters quotes a source close to the sale in estimating the sum at over US$328 million.

Groupe Concorde, the prestige hotel unit of Groupe du Louvre, will continue to operate the hotel on behalf of the new owner over a six- to 12-month period.

Property prices in Egypt grew 10 per cent in 2010, according to Global Property Guide, with similar growth forecasts for 2011.

Property prices in some parts of Saudi Arabia surged as much as 40 per cent in the second half of 2010, according to Banque Saudi Fransi, and will likely continue to appreciate in the New Year.

“There is still a lot of cash on the sidelines, but there are opportunity costs to keeping liquid cash. Investors will now be weighing up their options about where to invest next year, and property is shaping up to be one of the best performing sectors,” said Ziad El Chaar, managing director of DAMAC Properties.

The region is also getting a boost from Qatar’s successful 2022 World Cup bid, with Shuaa Capital predicting Qatar may spend close to US$90 billion on housing and infrastructure in the lead up to the tournament.

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lasT November, the Saudi Arabian General Investment

Authority (SAGIA) was pleased to announce that the country has dramatically improved its ranking in the World Bank Report Ease of Doing Business Index 2011. From the 183 countries surveyed for the report, Saudi Arabia made significant progress by moving up to 11th place from the 67th place in the global ranking it occupied in 2005.

It was able to sustain and improve its position as a global investment destination ahead of 172 countries this year, while some of its neighbouring, like the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar moved down the rankings.

This accomplishment is just one among many for the Kingdom this year. In addition to being honored by the World Bank as the fifth fastest reformer over the past five years, its major reforms make the country a much more attractive investment destination. The Kingdom moved up to 11th place from 13th in the World Bank Report due to reforms to enforce commercial contracts and investor protection. Finally, the 2010 UNCTAD report ranked Saudi Arabia as the eighth largest recipient of FDI, attracting over US$36 billion. This meant major global corporations commencing significant operations – GE, Alcatel, BUPA and CISCO.

Top corporate investors in Saudi Arabia over the past five years were

Chevron Phillips Chemical (United States), Alcatel-Lucent (France) and BUPA Investments (Britain). SAGIA and GE signed an MOU to pilot innovative and sustainable technologies in Saudi Economic Cities in June 2010.

“Cisco recognises the visionary leadership and ambitious reform programme that has brought about an improved business environment in Saudi Arabia as well the great potential this environment offers for businesses and citizens alike. As one of our key focus countries, our strategy is to work with both the government as well as private sector organisations to support continued development and growth.” says Dr Badr Al Badr, managing director of Smart + Connected Communities, Asia and Africa, Cisco Systems International.

Saudi Arabia’s improvement in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business 2011 Index ranking was driven by major reforms, including the elimination of the minimum capital requirement for starting a business, streamlining the processes for starting a business and creating the foundations of a competitive internal credit market.

“We are extremely pleased to improve our ranking and continue to be recognised as one of the easiest countries to do business with on a

SAuDI ArAbIA CAN be rIgHTLy ProuD of ITS MANy ACHIeveMeNTS IN THe PAST yeAr, buT IT refuSeS To reST oN ITS LAureLS AND IS IMPLeMeNTINg eveN More reforMS AIMeD AT SIMPLIfyINg DoINg buSINeSS IN THe kINgDoM.

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global basis. Saudi Arabia has been very successful at attracting a steadily growing flow of foreign investment since 2005, which contributed to the country’s rapid and sustainable economic growth,” says His Excellency Amr bin Abdullah al-Dabbagh, the Governor of SAGIA.

“Saudi Arabia is already ranked as the easiest place to do business in the entire MENA region and now we are keen to compete in the international arena. We are pleased that Saudi Arabia’s efforts to reform have been recognised by the World Bank and the country moved up in the rankings yet again this year.

“According to the World Bank, about 85 per cent of economies made it easier to do business in the past five years, with Saudi Arabia ranked as the fifth fastest reformer. This is a testimony to our work over the past five years on the creation of a pro-business environment, a knowledge-based society and the development of new world-class ‘Economic Cities’.”

The World Bank Ease of Doing Business 2011 Index analysed regulations affecting nine areas of the life of a business across 183 countries, including starting a business, dealing with construction permits, registering property, getting credit, protecting investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts and closing a business.

When asked why Saudi Arabia’s recent success would be good for the world, Al-Dabbagh explained: “At one point during his speech at the 2009 Global Competitiveness Forum, Michael Phelps said: ‘There are no limits to my life.’ I thought this was a very profound statement at the time, and still do, and still think about it quite often. Most people I imagine took the obvious view – given who he was and what he had just achieved – that we can accomplish almost anything we dream of and set out to. But that’s not how I understood it. I understood it to mean that my life does not begin and end with my own physical boundaries, but that I have an impact on the world beyond myself.”

“What I do has a reach, perhaps an enormous one, on a vast, remarkable, often delicate and certainly complicated tangle of living beings, my children included. When we set out to be among the top 10 most competitive nations in the world, we weren’t competing against anything but our ability to become our own personal bests in light of certain well defined standards that have and will continually evolve, and that theoretically will bring sustainable national and global prosperity,” he continues.

“I think it was in the mid-1980s when Michael Porter said that the concept of resource productivity would give us a new way at looking at

01 King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC).

02 Proposed residential villas in the new age KAEC, Saudi Arabia.

03 The proposed harbourside financial district of KAEC.

04 Artist’s impression of the massive biosphere of King Abdullah International Gardens (KAIG).

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the full-system costs as well as the value associated with every product we create. ‘Full system costs’ and ‘value’ – that’s what I’m trying to understand. What value our product can bring the world, the costs associated with both delivering and not delivering it, and the impact constantly improving it will have.”

The numerous impacting reforms undertaken by SAGIA and the National Competitiveness Centre (NCC) were part of a co-ordinated programme to simplify and reduce the cost of a variety of key business processes. Although no one reform creates an impact on its own, two reforms have had more transformational impact on doing business in Saudi Arabia than the rest.

The first is the elimination of the capital requirement for starting a business.

in many counTries, a minimum capital requirement for starting a business represents a key barrier for aspiring entrepreneurs to start their businesses. In 2006, the minimum capital requirement was approximately US$125,000, today entrepreneurs and small businesses in Saudi Arabia benefit from a zero minimum capital requirement.

This reform along with a dozen others have resulted in a simplification of the process to acquire a new business license from 39 days to just five and a reduction in the cost to the entrepreneur from US$8,530 to US$1,000. The result is a rapidly increasing number of business formed each year from 3,400 in 2006 to nearly 5,100 in 2009.

The second most important reform was the amendments to the Executive Regulations for the Commercial Lien Act. In February 2010, the Minister of Commerce and Industry passed that will materially improve the process of getting credit for Saudi businesses by providing a centralised registry for lien records, clarifying the priority of certain types of creditors and improving procedures for settlements. These reforms form the foundation for a competitive credit market as they reduce the risk facing potential lenders and will unlock the flow of capital to small and medium-sized businesses.

However, some reforms were particularly challenging. The elimination of the capital requirement was a significant accomplishment by the Kingdom, due to the complex nature of the previous law and the countless

stakeholders involved including His Majesty Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, the Ministry of Commerce, the Shoura Council and chambers of commerce across the country.

The results of these reforms are already overwhelmingly positive. The New Regulations data from the Unified Center for Commercial Registration shows that during the months of March and April 2010, 429 companies registered. For the period of March 1-April 14, the Center saw registration of approximately 43 companies per week and the average cost was almost US$1,500. For the period after April 17, the Center saw an average of 71 companies register per week, with the cost being US$1,000 for every company. The average processing time for all companies was 2.5 days. A sizeable number (nearly 15 per cent) were registered in one day, and over 90 per cent of companies were registered in under three days.

Going forward, there are numerous strategies for more reforms. One of the main initiatives will be communication as SAGIA needs to continue to communicate the impact that reforms have had on Saudi Arabia. There is still a knowledge gap between the impact and systems that have recently been put into place and the business community. SAGIA and the NCC will work to inform and communicate key changes.

Additionally, SAGIA and the NCC will be focusing on a key set of reforms that address the issues that still place the Kingdom outside of the top 50 in the world, as well as continue to aim for recognition of reforms that have not been fully acknowledged by the World Bank. For example, getting credit, closing a business and dealing with construction permits are all important indicators that will be highlighted in the future.

The top priority, however, will be to drive reforms that continue to decrease the amount of time and procedures necessary to enforce a contract. This has been a long standing initiative of SAGIA and the NCC, as exhibited through the following actions: hiring new judges, developing case management systems, establishment of commercial courts and the development of the electronic court management system.

All of these have made enforcing contracts easier, but SAGIA hopes to continue to build on and develop a more efficient process by continuing to roll out electronic case management systems, and track enforcement and judgments times to ensure the process is getting more streamlined.

we are exTremely Pleased To

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innovaTion is the specific tool of

entrepreneurs, the means by which they exploit change as an opportunity for a different business or a different service. It is capable of being presented as a discipline, capable of being learned, capable of being practiced. Entrepreneurs need to search purposefully for the sources of innovation, the changes and their symptoms that indicate opportunities for successful innovation. And they need to know and to apply the principles of successful innovation.” Peter Drucker, social ecologist

“Innovation as a Means of Competitiveness” is this year’s theme at the fifth annual Global Competitiveness Forum (GCF), the first e-forum of its kind. The GCF is held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, under the patronage of HM King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Still celebrating two of Saudi Arabia’s most recent great achievements:

comPeTiTiveadvanTageIN THe MoDerN WorLD, THe CoMPANIeS AND orgANISATIoNS THAT INNovATe AND eMbrACe MoDerN CoNCerNS, SuCH AS eNvIroNMeNTAL AWAreNeSS, AND THeN Seek THe ANSWerS To THeSe ISSueS Are beST PLACeD To ProSPer.

wriTTen By joanne molina

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being recognised as the 11th most competitive investment destination in the world, according to the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Report, and being recognised as the eighth largest recipient of foreign direct investments globally, according to the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD), this tremendously successful year for the Kingdom is reflected in the GCF’s 2011 programme.

Founded in 2006 by the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), the conference originated as a gathering of informational and communication technologies (ICT) experts, including Bill Gates, to discuss how ICT enables competitiveness, the GCF grew through the financial crisis to tackle the world’s most important competitiveness issues. Its mission is to foster awareness and enthusiasm around the issue of competitiveness, and to evaluate the applicability of competitiveness theory and practice as a tool for generating real solutions to contemporary global challenges.

The 2011 GCF programme continues to be the only event of its kind, hosting global business leaders, international political leaders and selected intellectuals and journalists to create a dialogue about the positive impact organisational and national competitiveness can have on local, regional and global economic and social development. 

Panels with topics that address the link between innovation and competitiveness this year include: an Oxford-style debate about the merits and successes of the Kingdom’s 10 x 10 programme; innovations in healthcare and education as well as forums that address the relationship

“between alternative forms of energy and capitalism. The world’s leading scientists and physicists also gather to explore how enquiries about outer space can offer innovative forms of problem solving. Innovations in social media, heavy industries and “greenovation” will also be explored.

In line with the themes of innovation and eco-awareness that underpin this year’s GCF, the event is a paperless forum. Through the use of iPads and a sophisticated networking solution, delegates and guests will be able to search and send messages, communicate and request meetings with other registered GCF members.

In their presentations and panel forums, the esteemed guests explore the meaning of competitiveness and innovation and discuss how these definitions impact the ideas and principles that guide their organisations and businesses, both at the present time and in the future.

innovaTion, comPeTiTiveness and The markeTPlace“I agree with the approach of the Global Competitiveness Forum. I think of competitiveness in terms of pillars – for example, technological, company and national competitiveness. Companies are competitive when they demonstrate a product or service offering that is scalable, sustainable and makes a lasting impact on the way people live. Competitive countries share in common a community and culture of investment, risk taking and innovation,” says Linda Rottenberg, CEO of Endeavor.

In 1997, Rottenberg co-founded Endeavor with the goal of making emerging market countries more competitive on the global stage by increasing the competitiveness of its highest-potential businesses. “I’m pleased with the results,” she says, “but as I often say, we’re just getting started.”

She explains how emerging markets are becoming the future of innovation. “In general, the most innovative and potentially path-breaking business ideas do not come from large, established companies, nor from microenterprises. They come from dynamic, high-growth SMEs [small and medium enterprises] that Endeavor identifies as ‘High-Impact Entrepreneurs’.

“On a national scale, these entrepreneurs are the ones that can generate wealth, create high-value jobs, serve as role models and set into motion a culture of investment and economic growth. Identifying and supporting

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these ‘High-Impact Entrepreneurs’ is one of the best ways to foster innovation and contribute to the competitiveness of emerging markets – and for that matter all countries – on the world stage.”

Rottenberg is optimistic about their future. “I’m confident that the GCC/MENA region is poised for a similar trajectory. Just look at Maktoob, the Arabic online portal bought by Yahoo! last year. Now entrepreneurs from Amman to Riyadh are saying: ‘I want to be the next Maktoob’, and an investor community is already taking root.”

One of Endeavor’s innovations is its “Search and Selection” process. “We’ve always believed that transformation comes from being selective; so rather than supporting every entrepreneur, we’ve set up a system for vetting the highest-growth, most competitive businesses, believing that they hold the key to making economies as a whole more competitive. In 13 years, Endeavor has screened more than 22,000 candidates and selected 555 High-Impact Entrepreneurs,” Rottenberg says.

Jitesh Gadhia, a trustee of the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA), which promotes innovation in Britain, as well as a senior managing director of the Blackstone Group, says: “The technical economic definition of competitiveness probably tends to focus more on comparative measures and relative advantages of firms, industries and nation, [but] the over-riding test of competitiveness is the capacity to create wealth on a sustainable basis.”

NESTA’s research shows how innovation plays a key role in global competitiveness. “NESTA’s Innovation Index found that 67 per cent of national productivity increase in the last decade in Britain arose from innovation. A similar pattern is likely to apply to other economies. Without the productivity gains innovation brings, countries will not be able to compete effectively. Innovation is the fuel which powers competitiveness,” Gadhia says.

His conclusions are based on the rising importance of advancement in communication technology. “Looking back at the last decade, it is difficult to ignore the internet revolution and its dramatic impact on reducing information costs,” Gadhia says. “This has transformed the nature of many sections of the economy, particularly through increases in labour productivity. However this is still largely a Western world phenomenon.

“In the next decade, the growth markets of Asia, Africa and Latin America will also see more of the benefits of a fully connected world. This should further accelerate their progress and open up new possibilities. The coming decade will also see more emphasis placed on sustainability – and not just one-off gains in competitiveness.”

Gadhia elaborates: “Wearing my other hat in the financial services sector, the productivity gains of information technology have effectively made the world smaller, and also made talent more global and accessible. Offshoring and outsourcing are two manifestations of this. This trend should lead to greater efficiency for the financial services industry and help improve end-customer service, but it will also lead to the challenge of managing a more complex and content rich system. Technology is also breaking down the traditional distinctions between producers and consumers, with the latter increasingly participating in the former.”

Jim Turley, CEO of Ernst & Young, has recently led cutting edge research to better understand competition and market growth. “We found that competitive companies tended to be significantly ahead in some important areas. They were making the most of potential opportunities by prioritising markets, broadening their product offering around current clients and reinforcing brand awareness,” he says.

“Importantly, they were agile – focused on getting to market quicker, making their supply chains more flexible and staying focused on innovation. And in today’s dynamic, globalised market I think that’s crucial to growth.

“They were also cost competitive, sustaining cost reduction efforts and optimising capital wherever possible,” he continues. “And, finally, they were taking the time to build strong relationships with their stakeholders. In my view, being competitive in today’s world is about focusing in on these four areas – and doing better in each of them than your peers.”

Turley also agrees that innovation is a crucial part of global competitiveness. “In developed markets and mature companies, innovation is crucial to competing for growth in a tough and constantly changing global market. It’s really easy for larger, more established companies to lose their entrepreneurial spark and become rigid and hierarchical.

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“So it’s important that even large companies promote an internal culture of innovation or ‘intrapreneurship’. The companies that get it right, I think, have the best of both worlds. They have great resources behind them as well as a vast internal talent pool to supply entrepreneurial ideas.”

Ernst & Young also found that market variation has increased. “Today you can start global, you don’t really need a single home market, and you can source capital, products and people from an array of places,” Turley says.

“At the same time, competition is fierce, can come from anywhere and even established players can be disrupted. Our research found that companies across all sectors and markets are expecting the new economy to be even more competitive than the old economy over the next two years.

“We’re seeing two or three-speed recoveries within developed or emerging economies and in many sectors old purchasing patterns are under pressure from demographic or economic shifts. We’ve also found that supply chains are being pressured by volatile markets and shorter product cycles as innovation is increased.

“Companies are feeling pressure on margins as appetite for price increases remains diminished. And stakeholders are demanding more transparency and improved governance,” he continues.

“One of the most important innovations for Ernst & Young is the work that we’ve done over the past decade to become the most globally integrated organisation in our profession – in our mindset, structure and actions. We’ve got a new mix of cultures and different styles of working, thinking and communicating than, say, even 10 years ago – because we’re more global and because a high proportion of our workforce are generation Y.

“Anticipating these shifts, we’ve worked hard over the years to embed an inclusive culture that’s focused around high levels of personal engagement and development – a culture that means everyone has the same opportunities, whatever their background, to build a great career from day one. That’s something I’m really proud of.”

Andy Bird, COO of Disney, has embraced a nuanced understanding of competitiveness to ensure the company’s future success. “For me, the definition of competitiveness can be interpreted in two ways: in competition and the desire to win; and in economic terms, the ability to sell and supply goods and/or services in a given market. What is important in both definitions is the need for relevance, quality and innovation,” he explains.

“In order to stay relevant, a company and its products need to constantly look to innovation and in today’s world, consumerism moves at an increasingly rapid rate. Unless you are constantly looking forward, you run the risk of being left behind – of becoming less relevant.”

For Disney, this leadership philosophy has been crucial to growth. “Innovation is at the heart of the Walt Disney Company,” Bird says. “Walt himself was a great innovator, creating the world’s first synchronised sound cartoon with Steamboat Willy in 1928; the first Technicolor cartoon in 1932; the first feature length animation with Snow White  in 1937; and the first theme park with Disneyland in 1955.

“To this day, innovation and creativity are at the heart of what we do. You can see examples of this today in everything from the technology used by Pixar in Toy Story 3 to the new attractions in any one of our theme parks to the various ways consumers can enjoy our films and television programmes.”

Tom Albanese, CEO of British-Australian mining firm Rio Tinto, suggests: “Competitiveness is the dynamic interaction of competitive rivalry between existing suppliers, the threat of new market entrants, bargaining leverage of buyers, power of suppliers and the threat of substitute products.” He also maintains that global competitiveness is accelerated by innovation and technology because it “enables suppliers to lower production costs and potentially unlock new resources, which will enhance competitiveness”.

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According to Albanese, this enhanced competitiveness has shifted in the last decade. He says that in the past 10 years “competitiveness tended to focus more on OECD markets. In the next decade, there will be much greater focus on developing markets including China, India, Russia, Brazil and South East Asia”.

 At Rio Tinto, innovation is most clearly illustrated by their “Mine of the Future” programme. “It utilises next generation technologies to allow for smarter mining, resulting in greater efficiency and lower production costs as well as improved employee health, safety and environmental performance,” Albanese says.

gloBal ProsPeriTy: Thinking Beyond The Business of innovaTion and comPeTiTivenessThe inexorable link between innovation and competitiveness can also be understood by looking at ideas from those who lead and develop not-for-profit organisations and NGOs.

Amy Zhou, trustee and executive chairman of the China-based One Foundation, understands how competitiveness works in dynamic ways. “Recently organisations’ competitive edge has shifted focus from technology and the upper and middle parts of the pyramid to the creation of better human capital through training and education, which tends to open up a blue ocean marketplace at the bottom of the pyramid level,” she says. “As this happens, minorities’ interests will become increasingly important and a new type of venture capitalism with new forms of philanthropy will be created.”  

The One Foundation is able to achieve its international philanthropic goals using state-of-the art technology and community-building

techniques. “Innovation plays an important role in creating culturally and contextually appropriate strategies for scaling up and scaling out in any particular country, which ensures sustainable growth and global competitiveness,” Zhou says. “Building a philanthropic platform, the One Foundation brings together resources from the non-profit, government, business and academia to answer the social challenges.”

This approach allows for a lasting and permanent positive impact in communities that need it the most. “Last year, the One Foundation partnered with the China Merchants Bank to issue a debit and a credit card that have all the financial functions, but are the first ones in China to use donation amounts as the credit upgrade standard,” Zhou states. “Cardholders can choose to donate a certain amount of money to the One Foundation every month, and when they use the card, some contracted merchants will donate a certain amount of money to the One Foundation with each purchase.”

 In June last year, the One Foundation set up the Philanthropy Institute with the Beijing Normal University, the first of its kind to offer higher education in philanthropy. While it was established by a non-profit foundation and a university, its board consists of outstanding Chinese entrepreneurs, such as the chairman of Alibaba, Jack Ma, and its director is a former head of the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The Institute marks the start of the official philanthropy education in China.

Michael Strong, co-founder of the US-based FLOW, an emerging movement dedicated to liberating the entrepreneurial spirit for good, emphasises that innovation does not only mean advancements in technology.

“Precisely because the most effective approach to competitiveness is to identify and serve an under-served niche, it’s a mistake to focus exclusively on technological innovation while ignoring other forms of innovation,” he says. “After technological innovation, there is widespread awareness of the importance of innovation in business strategy and marketing strategy, and there remain countless opportunities there with respect to the identification and exploitation of niches.”  

Strong explains that what lies ahead for innovation requires the development and utilistion of creativity and thought. “The next frontier for innovation is the world of cultures, ideas and branding. The 21st-century economy will be the experience economy, in which developed world consumers will increasingly be seeking rich, valuable experiences, and an increasing percentage of the world’s population will count as developed,” he says.

“Thus we are seeing the growth of ‘meaning as the new luxury’, the growth of the ‘cultural creative’ demographic and conscious capitalism. Thus firms seeking to focus on innovation should include but transcend innovation in technology, strategy and marketing to focus increasingly on deep innovations in creating conscious capitalist companies that incorporate meaning and purpose into their corporate DNA and thereby obtain a sustainable competitive edge as an increasing percentage of the world’s consumers demand meaning and purpose in the products and services that they purchase.”

To accelerate its goals, FLOW “has focused on integrating the worlds of humanitarianism and business in new ways that have allowed us to define and lead the growing conscious capitalism movement and the Peace through Commerce movement while also nurturing numerous specific innovations, such as the entrepreneurial creation of legal systems for the sake of poverty alleviation [to promote both peace and prosperity]. In each case, we have sought to identify niches at the intersection of humanitarianism and business, which are not currently being served by existing organisations.”

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Strong’s vision of how niche markets are substantial elements of future market growth has played a significant role in FLOW’s success. “Globalisation is putting ever greater competitive pressure on commodity suppliers, as commodity suppliers face increasingly direct competition from an ever-growing number of competitors,” he says.

“At the same time, globalisation is providing ever greater opportunities for the creation and exploitation of distinctive niches in products and services. Unless one has an unusual competitive advantage in commodity markets, it is increasingly important to identify, develop and exploit niches as a strategy for sustaining competitiveness.”

Dr Joseph Adelegan, president of Green Globe Trust, founder of the Global Network for Environment and Economic Development Research, and founder of the Cows to Kilowatts Partnership, agrees that competitiveness is not always about profit. “We are living in the most exciting time in human history. Innovation is a necessity and not a luxury for global competitiveness,” he says.

“Innovation is the creation of new or improved products, processes or

new methods in business practice. It can no longer be business as usual. Innovation would be the air to breathe at this moment of economic meltdown. You either innovate at this moment or you die.”

He is clear about the necessity of thinking about the environment as a part of all innovative strategies. “This principle is applicable whether you are an individual, private or public sector, non-profit or even a nation,” Dr Adelegan says.

“In human history, economic meltdown has always triggered unprecedented innovation. These economic crises would usher in massive innovation that mankind has never seen or heard. This is not an occasion to mourn for the world. It is a moment of triumph.

“Competitiveness could be measured by growth, market share and profitability. However, competitiveness does not always imply more profit, especially in the contemporary world of imperfect competition and strategic behaviour of industrial firms. A firm’s strategy to acquire market share in order to attain optimal economies of scale may initially result in less profit [or even loss]. Such a strategy may include eco-innovations that may boost consumer acceptance of products,” he explains.

“Market share may be gained at less profit to the firm. Competitive firms are generally known to be innovative firms. The capacity of a firm to adopt environment-friendly behaviour may depend on the competitive nature of the firm, every competitive one being more prone to recognise opportunities for eco-innovation than a less competitive one.”

Business’ growing concerns with being environmentally friendly, through both investment strategies and company protocol, is also on the rise. “Environmental innovations may lead to more complex, environmentally benign technologies, processes and products. These in turn might lower overall company costs, boost long-term competitive advantage and ultimately enhance corporate financial performance,” Dr Adelegan says.

“Companies that face stronger environmental regulation are more likely to innovate more, than companies operating in weaker regulatory environments.”

He maintains that the link between environmental responsibility and competitiveness is strong. “Firms do invest in research and development and choose technologies that offer competitive prices after internalising the externalities like pollution control costs in an attempt to stay ahead of competitors,” Dr Adelegan confirms.

“Hence, environmentally benign technologies and competitiveness could be a plausible outcome of dynamic rivalry in industrial organisations. Environmental innovation not only leads to social benefits and improved corporate performance in the long run, but may very often also result in increased competitiveness for the companies.”

One of the programmes that Dr Adelegan champions, a renewable energy innovation dubbed “Cows to Kilowatts”, is spreading like wild fire across Africa. “Indigenous innovation of this kind will underpin the adoption, diffusion, improvement, adaptation and identification of opportunities for the development of new technologies that would catalyse the world transition to low-carbon economy, which would be the engine of growth for sustainable industrial development,” he says.

Dr Adelegan’s conclusions are firm. “Environmentally sustainable and green economy would be the hallmark of this business age. You either line up or you perish. There would be no other option,” he says.

“Every pressing social, economic and environmental challenge is an opportunity for business to create benefits while also being profitable for world betterment. Sustainable value creation would be the business opportunity for the 21st century. The deployment of eco-innovation would contribute to efficiently addressing current global environmental challenges for sustainable economic development.”

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humane naTureThINK SPeAkS exCLuSIveLy To beST-SeLLINg AuTHor, eNTrePreNeur AND DeDICATeD ACTIvIST PAuL

HAWkeN, WHo IS CoMMITTeD To MAkINg THe WorLD A beTTer, More eTHICAL PLACe.wriTTen By joanne molina

The impact of Paul Hawken

on our world is incontestable: author, international business guru, and social and environmental crusader, he is one of a handful of public intellectuals who have fearlessly been the gadflies who interrogate and innovate the worlds of international finance and technology. Recognised by heads of state, institutions of higher learning and the leaders of the environmental industry, he is a model citizen and entrepreneur.

Hawken’s seven books includes four US national bestsellers: The Next Economy, Growing a Business, The Ecology of Commerce and Blessed Unrest. In 1998, The Ecology of Commerce was voted as the number one college text on business and the environment by professors in 67 business schools. Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution, co-authored with Amory Lovins, has been read and referred to by several heads of state, including President Bill Clinton who called it one of the five most important books in the world.

Hawken is currently launching OneSun, an energy company focused on ultra low-cost solar based on green chemistry and biomimicry; and Highwater Global, a social impact fund that employs the highest standards of corporate social, ethical and environmental behaviour. He shared his leadership and business philosophies, and revealed his strategy for OneSun with THINK.

Hawken has have been driven by the need to serve others in virtually every area of his life. “I grew up in a university town where care for others and the environment was the social norm. With respect to the environment, we were members of the Sierra Club, at a time when it was not politically active, a time when its members were outdoors climbing, hiking, camping and the like. We were taught to leave the environment as pristine as you found it and, if it was not pristine, to clean up after those who preceded you,” he explains.

While others might have been sympathetic and supportive of the ideas and activities that defined the civil rights movement, Hawken chose to became a visible and active participant. “On the social side, the campus where my father worked became the centre of numerous political movements around civil rights, social justice and peace. I thought everyone cared about these issues when I was young because that permeated the social fabric of my community,” he says.

The legacies of faith and activism in the African American community were especially influential elements. “I was very much influenced by African American civil rights activists who were fearless in the face of hatred, calumny and violence. I was more impressed by the rank and file than I was by the leaders. The discipline, the principled resistance, and the ability to be non-violent despite threats and cruelty was remarkable, unforgettable,” Hawken states.

Despite myriad forms of international recognition, Hawken maintains a rare and sincere form of humility. “I am not sure I have any brilliant principles. Maybe knack is a better word,” he suggests. Still, he maintains that there are three elements that have been crucial to the success of each of his ventures. “One is finding extraordinary

people, and by that I mean people of great heart and deep intelligence. The second is creating the conditions in which people excel and the third is setting compelling goals that surpass money, gain, or self-interest.”

Hawken’s groundbreaking volume, Blessed Unrest, is a testament to how these “knacks” can be realised. “Activism is the art of overcoming cultural and social inertia, the long held prejudices and unproductive mores that get embedded or politicised in societies by belief systems and ignorance,” he says.

“Successful activism within civil society requires timing, strategy, tactics, diplomacy, inclusion, patience, grace and an unrelenting commitment to the interconnectedness of all beings. Effective activism is the opposite of divisiveness or polemics. Witness Dr Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi. The conditions and lack of awareness that deny rights or respect to other people, that divide the world into classes, is the same ignorance that has caused almost all other problems, whether they be social, economic, or environmental. From my point of view, the world is going through a process of healing and what we are seeing is the sickness latent in our society becoming more manifest.”

According to Hawken, the best strategies are rooted in a progressive idea of “healing”. “We see corruption, poverty and vestigial ignorance nested in cultural or religious intolerance. The world is being unmasked and revealed for what lies beneath and within, a kind of diagnosis, and that is the first step to true healing. I think this is a very exciting and positive era in human history. I realise that it doesn’t look that way, however,” he says.

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His nuanced philosophy extends to his ideas about business and responsibility. “Corporations have no obligations at all except to grow. That is the problem with business, frankly. A big multinational company is like a super-organism with a big brain and no conscience,” Hawken says. “It is people, not organisations, that have social awareness. As people, I believe we have an obligation to create businesses where social and environmental issues are integral to the mission, not added on. We have an obligation to not invest in companies that do otherwise. We have an obligation to create products that do not harm people or places now or into the future. But we can only transform companies to become humane and responsible if we transform ourselves.”

His understanding of business ethics begins with the ethical consciousness and obligations of an individual always already situated within a global community that shares a Rousseau-style social contract. He further explains: “To isolate a gender or a minority is to place some people in a position of power over others. If you are ‘over’ or ‘above’ or ‘better’ than someone or something, you are disconnected and basically not completely sane.”

hawken’s cuTTing-edge activism and business strategies are evidenced in work with Dr Janine Benyus, a founder of the Biomimicry Institute. “I believe biomimicry is just beginning its impact, and along with that I would place green chemistry. I think both will come to dominate how we teach science and foster innovation.

“In Janine Benyus’ memorable phrase, life creates the conditions that are conducive to life. Parallel to the Age of Enlightenment, we came to believe that if we dominate life – soil, forests, ocean, and animals – we benefit, but that is clearly not the case. We are life itself, and the same laws and principles that apply to living organisms apply to us, and equally, the principles that guide living systems apply to our economy, manufacturing, and society,” he explains.

“Biomimicry is a gift waiting for those who awaken, a non-violent means to organise society and make things that are non-toxic, energy efficient, dematerialised and ingenious. The main challenge of biomimicry is to forego thinking manipulatively. The thermo-industrial system is what our engineers, scientists and designers are taught.”

The history of this paradigm has only started to be written. “Janine coined the term biomimicry in the mid-1990s and the book of the same name was published in 1997,” Hawken says. “It is said that paradigms don’t change but are taken to the cemetery, so the book has already witnessed the coming of a new generation and the passage of an older one. For better or worse, that is how ideas diffuse. If there are dangers in thinking one way or the other, they lie entirely in thinking that violence is a template for progress.”

Hawken’s notion of “healing” is shown in his understanding of how biomimicry is a way of considering and solving problems that is rooted in making peace in a sea of violence in both the natural and social worlds. “The take-make-waste industrial world that depends on fire, force and domination is a world of explosions, high temperatures, pressure, heavy metal catalysts, and tens of thousands of covalently connected molecules never before seen in nature. The way we treat our forests is violent, the way we treat our children is violent, the way we treat women is violent, as is the way we treat soils, oceans and animals,” he says.

“Our chemistry is violent in that tremendous force is used to create novel compounds that inevitably have unintended toxic consequences in living systems. At the heart of biomimicry, although it is certainly not a social movement, is making peace with each other and the world around us. Nature in its exquisite intricacy and efficiency follows the path of least resistance to achieve outcomes we can barely understand, much less emulate. We are still treading the flat part of the learning curve, and the potential innovation that lies ahead is vast and generous.”

OneSun, Hawken’s latest venture is rumoured to be poised to change the energy industry as we know it. “OneSun is in stealth mode, so there is not much we can say about it,” he says.

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Certainly, the more energy you have, the easier it is to make a transition to new forms of energy. The obvious technology to tap is solar because of high insolation values on the Arabian Peninsula. At the same time, from a technical point of view, there is no extant solar technology that is economical at this time. Additionally, the presence of dust and heat significantly reduce performance on conventional silicon and thin film panels. rather than buy solar farms from outside the country, or even research from other countries, it would make more sense to invest in true innovation, a solar technology that is self-

cleaning, that does not degrade in high heat, and that is affordable for all people. In other words, instead of thinking of how to solve the low-carbon energy challenge on the peninsula, why not solve it for people all over the world who cannot afford expensive power?

one of the reasons oil was so effective as an agent of industrial progress was that for every unit of energy invested in extracting oil, there were huge energy returns, what is called eroeI: energy return on energy invested. I do not know the ratios in Saudi Arabia today, but when oil was first discovered at Dhahran in 1938, it

THe PoTeNTIAL PITfALLS AND ADvANTAgeS IN THe regIoN

But he reveals to THINK the radical thinking and science shaping the company’s future. “Janine Benyus and I started the company with John Warner, the man who coined the term green chemistry and co-authored the book of the same name. We utilise the principles of non-covalent chemistry and biomimicry and apply them to converting light to electricity. We do not try to imitate photosynthesis, as that is an immense challenge. However, we utilise observations from the plant and animal world to design the PV panel.

“Essentially we put molecules together that want to be together, which means it requires no heat, pressure, vacuums, moon suits, noble gases, sintering and ovens. Part of the reason we don’t discuss it is due to the sometimes bold and unsupported claims that are made in solar PV.”

This is important to note, Hawken says, because “there has been a good deal of hype and exaggeration in the solar world, claims that were never fulfilled and promises that underwent a slow death after the publicity died down. We will either fail or succeed. If we succeed, we will have something to say.”

He has a profound understanding of the relationship between consumer and producer that shapes his environmental philosophy. “People shop to placate themselves, to pretend they are someone else, to gain approval, to belong, to be admired, to conform, to be beautiful. We conflate owning things with meaning and identity,” he claims.

“These are ancient human drives and delusions. There is nothing new there. What is new is our ability to make things so inexpensively that consumption has gone through the roof.”

Currently, almost every international corporation has some kind of environmental platform – recycling, reusing, environmentally responsible investing – but these programmes don’t necessarily address the psychological elements that contribute towards the Western world’s desire for the production and consumption of “new” goods.

Hawken suggests the solution to the problem lies within the realm of personal responsibility. “Corporations are designed to make and sell

things, and the corollary is that they are charged with manufacturing desire. The extraordinary market value of companies like Google, Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, Baidu, etc are due to one thing: they advertise and prompt people to buy. Thus, I wouldn’t look to corporations for solutions to consumption because it would be irrational for a large

multinational corporation to reduce shareholder value and un-sell its products.

“I suspect changes in consumption will arise from income and resource constraints, and the realisation that overworking to over-shop is a miserable way to live. In short, people shop because they think it makes them happy. One by one people are discovering that not shopping can make them happier. That is not an option for most of the world, which desperately needs better housing, transport, schools and healthcare.”

Even so, Hawken is optimistic about the future. “I am quite impressed with what many companies are doing with respect to the environment. At the same time, many companies belong to trade organisations that resist higher environmental and social standards,” he says.

He points to two organisations in particualr that he believes are part of the solution. “One of

the truly great organisations comprised of professionals, corporations and businesspeople is the US Green Building Council [USGBC], and its affiliated Green Building Councils all over the world. In 17 years, it has become the third largest environmental NGO in the world,” Hawken says.

“What is so remarkable about the USGBC is that its purpose is to raise the bar, to improve energy efficiency, to reduce toxicity, change building codes, and improve society and human health. It is the opposite of the US Chamber of Commerce and other trade organisations that want to maintain the lowest denominators, all in the name of the free market, which of course only exists rhetorically.

“A healthy society has a complementary relationship between commerce and governance, one that recognises that certain functions and impacts of commerce require policies and limits for the good of the whole,” he concludes.

certainly exceeded 100:1. Conventional silicon panels have an eroeI of 5:1, and this does not include the energy required to mount arrays, maintain the panels, or eventually dismantle and dispose. In other words, solar is energy intensive, and the energy required to make a silicon panel is almost entirely supplied by coal, especially in China. you can’t make a solar panel as it is currently designed from solar energy in an economical way. for a civilization to prosper, it must do much better than 5:1. Hunting gathering societies had 10:1 ratios. I have no doubt that Saudi Arabia is looking at the entire thermodynamic cycle, as well as the environment, in order to determine what is going to be a viable long-term energy technology. I believe that the income stream from existing oil production could be a

powerful spur to research and development that can leapfrog existing technologies. We still cannot make a panel that is anywhere close to being as effective as a tree because our solar technologies are Promethean, man-over-nature electronics that depend on high heat, electronic gases (silane, sulfur hexafluoride), rare earths, and heavy and precious metals. This is where Saudi Arabia could lead the world, in transforming solar research away form expensive materials to inexpensive, away from energy intensive production methods towards biomimicry and green chemistry.

Paul hawken

Paul Hawken’s keynote presentation on Natural Capitalism is during day two of the global Competitiveness forum.

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gloBal interest in electric vehicles is building, with

increasing numbers of automotive companies manufacturing electric or hybrid electric/gasoline powered vehicles.

In the United States alone, JD Power and Associates, an international marketing information firm, predicts electric car sales will hit 90,000 vehicles a year by 2015, compared with 145,000 plug-in hybrids. In Europe, between one and six million electric vehicles are anticipated by 2020, which will account for between nine and 13 per cent of all European vehicles.

With the prospect of diminishing demand for fuel from some of the biggest consumers, the pressure is on nations with a high reliance on oil revenues, including those in the Middle East, to remain in touch with the fundamental shift sweeping the automotive sector.

A US-based non-profit organisation, the Electrification Coalition (EC),

is a prominent advocate of the expanding uptake of electric vehicles. With some of the nation’s most influential organisations among its members, including Nissan, GE, Cisco, and Siemens, EC proposes a number of federal policy initiatives aimed at reducing liquid fuel demand.

Among some of the projections it cited in a recent report, Economic Impact of the Electrification Roadmap, was a cumulative reduction in oil imports. It found these could fall by around 3.2 million barrels per day (mbd), decreasing from 11.9 mbd in 2010 to 8.9 mbd, by 2030.

The report also found a flow-on effect of this would be a significant reduction in the price of oil, brought about by diminishing demand. It stated that “outside commodity price experts have estimated that the price of oil would be almost seven per cent lower by 2030 than it would be without the EC policy package”.

While identifying the opportunities presented by vehicle electrification,

rAPIDLy ACCeLerATINg groWTH IN THe MArkeT for eLeCTrIC veHICLeS IS SeT To CHANge THe DyNAMICS of THe eNTIre AuToMoTIve SeCTor.

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charging ahead

01 The motoczysz E1pc championship-winning electric motorcycle.

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the report also acknowledges the many challenges. These include consumer preferences for petrol-powered vehicles, costs of buying vehicles and batteries, the need for specialised electric refueling infrastructure and concerns over the capacity constraints of existing power grids in coping with massive-scale vehicle recharging.

Showing the growing appetite of American consumers for electric vehicles, some of EC’s initiatives are already receiving bi-partisan support from the US Government. In early 2010, both the Republicans and Democrats introduced legislation designed to advance deployment of electric vehicles and to develop the required infrastructure.

The Electric Vehicle Deployment Act of 2010 was passed into legislation in May. Related legislation including the Electric Drive Vehicle Deployment Act of 2010 and the Clean Energy Jobs and Oil Company Accountability Act was introduced in the following months.

“There is bipartisan support not only for electrification, but for the creation of deployment communities, which represent the best way to move the vehicles at scale,” says Robbie Diamond, president and chief executive of EC.

A number of EC’s recommendations have also received early support from within the multi-billion dollar automotive sector and related industries. One of its member organisations, Nissan, is among the ever-growing list of established companies who have already introduced or flagged their intention to market electric or hybrid vehicles.

It became the first car manufacturer to launch an affordable electric car with plans to sell substantial numbers, delivering its first Leaf all-electric vehicle in December 2010. This should be rolled out globally throughout 2011 and 2012.

French manufacturer Citroën is among other automotive manufacturers to soon begin marketing all-electric vehicles, with its C-Zero model developed in collaboration with Mitsubishi. Fellow European manufacturers Peugeot, Renault and BMW also announced new electric and hybrid vehicles at the most recent Paris Motor Show.

Somewhat surprisingly, electric vehicles are also winning advocates within the motor racing fraternity, which is still overwhelmingly dominated by traditional internal combustion engine, fuel-powered vehicles.

One of these relatively recent converts is Michael Czysz, founder and chief executive of Motoczysz, a small company from Portland, Oregon. Originally conceived as a boutique manufacturer with dreams of building a contender for the world championship motorcycle competition, MotoGP, Motoczysz now manufactures the E1pc electronic motorcycle.

The Motoczysz E1pc won the 2010 Zero Emission race at the world-famous Isle of Man TT road race. Earlier the same year, it also won the International Motorcycling Federation’s e-Power Championship at the famous Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, California.

In achieving this rapid and resounding success, the company has

01 Siemen’s concept of a Quick Charging Station.

02 Interior of the new Nissan Leaf. 03 The sporty exterior of the Leaf.04 Jean Pascal Tricoire, CEO, Schneider

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undergone what Czysz says was a 180-degree shift in the past two-and-a-half years. As a motorcycle racer, Czysz describes himself as someone who loves the smell of racing fuel: “I could have cared less about this [electric vehicles] a decade ago, but I have woken up more recently – we have to have some responsibility [for the environment]. I started thinking that maybe there is a balance we can strike.”

according To Czysz, the pivotal change of direction for his company came after he spent years developing the C1-990 motorcycle, propelled by a 990cc petrol-powered engine. “I travelled the world and met with several of the largest motorcycle manufacturers in Europe, Japan, China and other countries. I eventually got the sense that a high performance motorcycle wasn’t the priority for any of those companies,” he says.

“They weren’t revealing exactly what they were doing, but said they were looking for alternative vehicles rather than high-performance… I had a sense that I had been behind [the times], but nowhere near as far back as I actually was.”

This revelation prompted him to return to the drawing board in instead envisioning what was going to be “the next big thing” for the automotive sector. “I wanted to try and lead in the future, instead of catching up in the past. It seemed that electric [propulsion] was the area that needed the most help,” Csysz says.

In addition to creating the E1pc racing motorcycle, Motoczysz became focused on creating the first fully integrated electric drive system for electric vehicles. “I had first looked at sourcing the best products available in putting our own electric vehicle together, but it soon became painfully evident that most components aren’t up to motorsport standards or even all that sophisticated… a lot are incredibly rudimentary, many are a complete mess,” Czysz says.

As a result, he found there was a more immediate business opportunity in creating the optimal mix of electric vehicle propulsion components. Motoczysz then looked at creating a power module that is more integrated, much like an internal combustion engine, rather than just individual components that are assembled in a piecemeal fashion.

“I thought: ‘Let’s take our technology and our ideas, put them in

01 BmW has announced production of a sports car with plug-in hybrid technology

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A planned network of electric vehicles for king Abdullah university of Science and Technology (kAuST) was a key aspect in its designation as Saudi Arabia’s first Leadership in energy and environmental Design (LeeD) certified project.

In a deal signed with uk-based company elektromotive, the university plans to install 150 elektrobay charging stations. These will be used for recharging the 150 electric vehicles that will transport staff and pupils around the campus. 

Along with an electric Segway sharing programme for shorter trips, these alternative transportation methods will have dedicated parking locations throughout the campus and surrounding community.

There are also plans for an electric bus system to transport students and staff around the campus and the nearby Harbor District commercial center.

other, more low-tech carbon neutral transportation methods will be supported by kAuST, too. These include bicycle sharing programmes, bicycle racks and changing facilities, which will also be provided, particularly during the cooler months.

kausT leeds The way

a different format and then market ourselves within the four-wheel automotive vehicle market’,” says Czysz, though he was also intent on remaining involved with electric motorcycle development and racing.

The fruit of his new, refocused labour was the D1g1tal Dr1ve D1 for electric cars, which also forms the basis of the E1pc’s electric engine. “The response has been amazing, electric-powered really is the engine of the future,” he adds, having had intense interest from companies around the world.

Though corPoraTe confidentiality agreements prevent him from revealing specific company names, Czysz says these range from some very well-known, large automotive companies to those focusing on more limited-production vehicles.

“I’ve also had interest from some emerging countries that are looking to compete on a global level [within the electric vehicle space], along with numerous startup companies that want to build an electric vehicle without developing all the technology from scratch,” he says, adding potential clients from India are among the most interested from within emerging markets.

“We’re being approached by countries from all over world… I’m somewhat ashamed to say, but the least interest so far is from the US, but the most interest is coming from countries like Taiwan and also Europe, who seem to be very interested and the most aggressive [in this sector].”

While the vehicles themselves are the most obvious consideration in the seemingly relentless transition from conventional cars to those propelled by electricity, a crucial aspect is their charging infrastructure. Technology analyst Gartner Group predicts this new market – including wall-mounted charge points for homes and commercial charging stations – will be valued at nearly US$400 million by 2015.

An organisation that is among those leading the way in this space

is French company Schneider Electric. Now a specialist in energy management, Schneider started as a steel company in the 1800s, and since then has moved onto electrical distribution and automation before focusing on energy management more recently.

In conjunction with Toyota, it has recently developed vehicle battery chargers for 135 plug-in hybrid vehicles in a small-scale trial in Strasbourg, France. Alongside a Renault-Nissan alliance, Schneider was also involved in a trial of 100 vehicles in Yvelines, part of an overall longer-term project valued in excess of US$8.5 million.

One of the concerns raised around electric vehicles is the ability for existing power grids to cope with the increased demands from their high-voltage charging requirements. According to Schneider, the power drawn from a single socket during an electric vehicle charge is equivalent to that of an entire house or apartment at maximum load.

“Widespread use [of electric vehicles] will put added stress on a grid that wasn’t designed to handle them. To minimise the impact and integrate electric vehicles as a permanent feature, new capabilities are required to turn the grid into a ‘smart’ grid,” says Jean-Pascal Tricoire, chief executive officer of Schneider, adding that he believes Schneider Electric has the necessary expertise to support this shift.

In addition to ensuring safe charging, Schneider claims its technology can optimise the charging load according to both the vehicle’s requirements and the power available in the grid.

Other more advanced features are also planned. This includes technology enabling vehicles to specifically draw on the renewable energy sources within a power grid, and also vehicle-to-grid systems. This last feature would allow electric vehicles to return some of their power to the grid during peak consumption periods or when other power is unavailable, such as during storms or other unexpected events.

01 An Elektrobay recharging point.02 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST).03 Another real-world application of the Elektrobay.

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kaavya Jayaram made her presence felt at the recent

International Congress of Women Mathematicians in Bangalore with a thought-provoking paper on integer partitioning – expressing numbers as the sum of other numbers.

Her paper is set to be published by the International Journal of Number Theory as Kaavya continues to study pure math, psychology and philosophy along with practising her preferred musical instrument of the violin and studying languages.

Nothing particularly unusual in that, one would assume, but for the fact that she is just 12 years old and already making waves in the serious world of academia when most of her contemporaries are schoolgirls apt to giggling fits as they relive episodes of the latest must-watch reality TV show.

Kaavya’s family are now considering full-time university courses at Stanford or Berkeley in the United States, but what the long-term future holds for this talented youngster will not become clear for a while yet.

The same can also be said of 15-year-old Arran Fernandez, a maths genius who recently became the youngest Cambridge University undergraduate since William Pitt the Younger (later to be appointed Britain’s youngest Prime Minister at the age of 24) was offered a place as a 14-year-old in 1773.

This home-educated only child is living with his father close to campus, and is reportedly keen to spend his spare time joining a bird watching society and reading English literature while his fellow students typically take advantage of newly found freedoms to enjoy late-night carousing.

Child prodigies, of course, are nothing new, with history throwing up endless examples of precocious brilliance. However, prodigious achievements at a young age do not always translate into glittering adult careers, as the pressures of being a child in a grown-up world allied to petty jealousies, discrimination and customary growing pains all take a toll.

Mozart is quite possibly the most famous example of a young genius, composing his first pieces of music at the age of just five before setting off on a grand tour of Europe aged seven, entertaining royalty and soon writing his first symphony. This was a talent that burned brightly but for only a relatively short of period, as the Austrian-born prodigy died aged 35 in 1791.

Budding genius

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Yehudi Menuhin, born in New York to Russian parents before later becoming a British citizen, was similarly precocious, making his debut with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra at the age of just seven. The violinist and conductor went on to enjoy a glittering career, performing and recording with some of the century’s greatest names before dying in 1999 at the age of 82.

One wonders whether Daimee Chu Tao Ng could be about to follow in his hallowed footsteps, as the five-year-old Irish violin protégée is already attracting newspaper headlines in Dublin thanks to her startling musical gifts.

BuT how do parents tread the wafer-thin line between nurturing an extraordinary talent while still ensuring that a child remains a child without feeling undue pressure, expectation or loneliness as they take steps in an adult world? And how does one guide such a gifted child to ensure they become a well-adjusted adult?

“We need to cater for their intellectual needs. Intellectually able children may well enter school already two or three years ahead of their peers,” says Lyn Allcock, the gifted child consultant for the British Mensa society and director of inclusion at The Westwood School.

“Research suggests that the gap does not in fact stay constant but tends to widen as the child gets older and becomes more able to take control of their learning. It is for this reason I am not entirely comfortable with the idea of accelerating a chid as a solution to meeting their academic needs.

“A child of four may watch the news or documentaries, understand the information given and even the concepts of deforestation, world poverty or war, but the emotional mechanisms to cope with that knowledge are not yet in place.

“The resulting internal conflict can cause all sorts of problems. Much of the work I do with bright children is enabling them to come to terms with their own level of ability and the conflicts and difficulties this may cause.”

Valentine Cawley is the father of three gifted children in Singapore, including 10-year-old Ainan, who has made headlines around the world for his interest in chemistry and ability to recite Pi to more than 500 decimal places. Cawley writes a blog detailing Ainan’s progress entitled “The boy who knew too much: a child prodigy”, and his experiences and thoughts on dealing with intelligent children as they grow up make for gripping reading.

“No one is more alone than the brightest child in the school. If, that is, they are truly much brighter than the others,” he writes.

“You see, the brighter a child is, the fewer are their peers – and for the very bright indeed, they may have NO peers in their acquaintance at all.

If your gift is at the level of one in a 1,000, you may well be the only person in your school at that level.

“If your gift is at one in 10,000, it is almost certain that this is a lonely situation. For those whose gift is rarer still, it is likely that they will never meet a peer in their entire lifetime. That is truly tragic. No wonder the gifted tend to be introverted – for what choice do they have but a watchful silence?”

Cawley has also written of the difficulties gifted children face when it comes to making friends. “I recommend a mix,

for the full development of social skills. There should be bright children of their own age – and bright older children, too, as

BOBBy FISChERone of the most gifted chess players of all time, he became an international grandmaster at the age of 15 and World Champion when he beat Soviet rival boris Spassky at the height of the Cold War.

mIKE PERhAmAt the age of 14 he became the youngest person to sail across the Atlantic and, at 17, was the youngest to circumnavigate the world solo. Now 18, he is looking for sponsors to help him become the first person to sail and fly solo around the world.

VANESSA mAEfirst picked up a violin at the age of five and as an eight-year-old was labelled “Teeny Paganini” as the youngest pupil at the Central Conservatory of Music in beijing. A world wide musical phenomenon, she is now 31 and wants to represent Thailand – the home of her father – as a downhill skier in the 2014 Winter olympics in Sochi, russia.

COLIN CARLSONThirteen-year-old Colin Carlson is studying for a degree in ecology and evolutionary biology at the university of Connecticut... which he is suing for age discrimination after not being allowed to join a field trip to South Africa, apparently because of his age. Carlson is concerned that being forced to sit out the overseas excursion planned for the summer will leave him lagging behind a self-imposed target of earning a PhD and a degree in environmental law by the time he is 22 ahead of a career in conservation science.

PABLO PICASSOThe supreme talents of a man who went on to become arguably the most instantly recognisable artist of the 20th century were clear long before he reached the age of 20, but his achievements surpassed anything that could have been expected of the Spaniard.

famous child Prodigies

well as adults who specialise in the area of the child’s interest,” he says.“This would provide them with the relief of an outlet for their thoughts.

Care must be taken in the choice of adult friends, for many reasons beyond the obvious. An adult can easily be ‘inspired’ by a prodigy, for instance.

“Are adults the ideal intellectual companions of the prodigy? No. For though they may have more experience than the prodigy it is likely that the prodigy has greater thinking power than even a bright adult. Yet, highly intelligent adults, experienced in the prodigy’s speciality, are the best peer group available. They will have to do.”

The extraordinary talents of Akrit Jaswal, meanwhile, were apparent from a young age. This native of Himachal Pradesh in northern India

was walking and talking by the age of 10 months, reading Shakespeare at four and, as a seven-year-old, performed surgery on a young girl who had suffered badly burned fingers.

Akrit enrolled on an undergraduate course in medicine at the age of 12 and is convinced he will one day find a cure for cancer. Time will tell.

Judgement will be passed somewhat sooner on the musical success of Willow Smith, the nine-year-old daughter of Hollywood actor Will Smith who recently signed a record deal with influential rapper Jay-Z. Her vocal skills have already been compared with those

of the legendary Michael Jackson who himself converted childhood hits with his brothers into global solo triumphs as an adult before his untimely death.

Ronan Farrow has famous parents in the form of Woody Allen and Mia Farrow. Yet he made waves on his own after enrolling in college at the age of 11 and being accepted into Yale Law School aged only 16.

Farrow did not take his place there straight away, opting instead to work for former US Ambassador Richard Holbrooke before graduating from Yale last year. Now aged 22, he works for the Obama Administration.

A year younger is Alia Sabur who, at the age of 18 years and 362 days, earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the planet’s youngest university professor after being appointed to Konkuk University in Seoul, South Korea.

That feat generated plenty of media headlines, as did her approach earlier this year to BP with an idea for stopping the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.

Sabur, who began speaking and reading aged only eight months, enrolled at New York’s Stony Brook University at 10 but has also simultaneously developed a high-flying musical career that has included being principal clarinet with the New York Youth Symphony.

She attributes that musical outlet as being crucial to the seamless way in which she has taken her place in the adult world, fulfilling the exceptional promise shown at such an early age when it is so easy to find examples of those who have struggled under the weight of expectations.

“Bright children are not superior to other children and are not nicer people because they are bright. They are, however, a distinct group for whom additional provision and support is required if they are not to become disaffected and disillusioned with school,” Lyn Allcock says.

“High-quality and appropriate provision is essential for a group of students who potentially will go on to be our nation’s doctors, lawyers, inventors and entrepreneurs.”

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aT 23 years old, Emad Daghreri is still young, yet he has already carved himself a niche as a prolific inventor.

Although currently a software engineering student at Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), he has six patents in place. Two have been sold to companies in Britain, one of which, sold to a start-up, promises to revolutionise the next generation of speed limitation devices. It is difficult to fathom since Daghreri is necessarily vague on details having sold the rights, but he alleges that it will form a major add-on to the next generation of speed limitation devices.

“I have come up with many inventions in the past six years, all of which have been an upgrade or add-on for existing methods or devices,” he says, although some he has been unable to patent. “Some were declined over particular rules or had been registered by others just months or even days before!”

The Saudi Arabian national, born in a small village in the south of the Kingdom, is the eldest of eight children. His father is an elementary school teacher – bringing him an early interest and knack for complex algebra and algorithms – and his mother is a housewife.

As a child, he was encouraged to play games and develop a creative imagination: “They still keep my old stuff – wires, old broken games – saying, when I ask why, that I should show them to my kids!”

However, he believes it was his participation in the 5th Gifted Programme with KFUPM at his high school, part of the university’s robust outreach programme, that launched his interest in inventing.

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“I started to investigate more major inventions during high school. With [help from] my teacher, Mr Abdu Areashi, and my best friend, Moslih Sahli, we started a small club where we could meet, get geeky, learn and explore,” Daghreri says. “In my second year in high school, the gifted student programme in KFUPM invited me to attend a summer program. The ideas and the experience I got from that programme was my key for the first patent.”

insPired, as most inventors are, by the process of improving existing technology, Daghreri started young. “I

used to destroy my computer games – in a good way – when I was a kid,” he says. “I would combine two games into one or add extra features. I liked the idea of upgrading things not creating new ones. I am always saying to myself: ‘What if I do this or add that to an existing system – phones, cameras etc.’”

“Anyone can be an inventor. You just need to think: ‘How can I make this better’, applying your knowledge and experience.”

Outside of studying, Daghreri prefers to keep his interests academic, and volunteers for a number of engineering societies with his peers and in schools, as well as organising

the Saudi TED conference. “I am interested in ideas worth spreading, so I organised TEDxKFUPM so that people like me will have a chance to share what they are passionate about with the world,” he says.

It might not have a snappy title, but it is a significant event. Standing for Technology, Entertainment, Design, the TED conference has been held annually in the United States since 1984 to disseminate ideas worthy of the attention in each of the fields. The conference covers science, arts, design, architecture and global issues, and has, over the years, welcomed prominent speakers from throughout the industry.

Inspired by the ambitions of this conference, Daghreri now organises a TEDx event for Saudi Arabia with five of his university peers, an independently-organised but officially sanctioned offshoot of the real deal in the US. Why? Because he feels that the Arab world deserves and needs the same opportunity. If the Google philosophy has taught the world anything, it’s cross-pollination of ideas.

With patents and community-spirited conferences under his belt, and a degree on the way, what is next for Daghreri? After he graduates, he says he would like to establish his own IT company and work towards developing the next big thing in mobile communication devices. It’s not hard to see him succeeding.

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an organisation’s ability to learn and translate that learning into

action is the ultimate competitive advantage,” said Jack Welch, former CEO of GE. However, in a world that relies on mobile communications technology and the transformative powers of virtual and instantaneous information sharing, should the way we learn change as well?

According to the 2010 Sloan Survey of Online Learning conducted by the Sloan Center, a non-profit, member-sustained organisation, online enrollment rose by almost one million students from a year earlier. The survey of more than 2,500 colleges and universities nationwide finds approximately 5.6 million students were enrolled in at least one online course in autumn 2009.

“This represents the largest ever year-to-year increase in the number of students studying online,” said study co-author Elaine Allen, co-director of the Babson Survey Research Group, and professor of statistics and entrepreneurship at Babson College. “Nearly 30 per cent of all college and university students now take at least one course online.” 

 The study also found that almost two-thirds of for-profit institutions now say that online learning is a critical part of their long-term strategy and that the 21 per cent growth rate for online enrollments far exceeds the two per cent growth in the overall higher education student population. Further, nearly half of institutions report that the economic downturn has increased demand for face-to-face courses and programmes, and three-quarters of institutions report that the economic downturn has increased demand for online courses and programmes.

The US Department of Education study, “Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies”, suggests that the numbers of enrolled students reflects the effectiveness of online learning. Their study, which was specific to college-level learning, analysed 51 factors that seem to influence learning efficacy. It concludes that distance higher education is more effective than traditional face-to-face learning, distance higher education combined with some traditional learning (blended or hybrid learning) is also more effective; while face-to-face learning alone is the least effective method among the three types studied.

However, just because e-learning is possible, and even effective, does not always mean that it is preferable. We asked graduate and postgraduate students from universities around the globe to tell us if they thought e-learning was a valuable option.

E-learning is not only an effective and valuable option, it is a necessity! As opportunities for sharing ideas and imparting

information widen, so must educational institutions provide new venues for learning communities. Information disseminated through the internet is easily accessed nearly anywhere, anytime. Furthermore, those whose life circumstances or physical location make it impossible to attend a

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whaT do you Think?What do you thINK?

traditional course may find space in time in an asynchronic cyber course.

“I once took a cognitive development online course with a mother of four living in Pakistan, a full-time financial planner working in San Francisco, and a 23-year-old student on medical leave from his home university due to a debilitating physical ailment, to name a few. Our discussion boards were alive with energy, as each of us brought divergent, yet equally thought-provoking ideas to share and discuss. Such a mix of students would be nearly impossible in a traditional classroom.

“The field of language learning and teaching has much to gain from incorporating E-learning into its curricula. The internet provides a forum for exchanges with native speakers in nearly every language studied in major universities. The target language moves from a seemingly static entity on a page to a dynamic subject that can be seen, heard and Googled on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. Grammar and pronunciation points can be explored and discussed on the plethora of sights dedicated to language learning, many with downloadable sound and video files for visual and aural elaboration. Students can collaborate with other language learners and/or participate in language exchanges. Gaining pen pals has never been easier!

“As a language teacher and researcher, I am excited at the prospects of continued, thoughtful implementation of e-learning as a valuable educational resource. I look forward to working with students from all over the globe as we come together in a virtual classroom.” Catherine DiFelice Box is a doctoral student in Applied Linguistics, Columbia University, United StatesHer research interests include analysing the language of the classroom, wherever and however the classroom is conceptualised, as well as cross-cultural communication in the classroom. She is also an instructor at Columbia university, where she teaches linguistic courses as well as english as a Second Language (eSL) to adults. She has previously taught both english and french to high-school students in the united States and in europe.       

E-learning is a valuable option for education. Although I have not experienced e-learning myself, I have worked closely with

people who have. I think it is a great way of integrating technology with education.

“E-learning classes are just like any other classes except that you don’t

IS e-LeArNINg AN effeCTIve AND vALuAbLe oPTIoN IN our INCreASINgLy ‘gLobALISeD’ WorLD? grADuATe AND PoST-grADuATe STuDeNTS DISCuSS THe ISSue AND SHAre THeIr oPINIoNS.

WHaT DO yOu THinK

01 University of Reading, UK.02 Columbia University, US.03 Students attending classes.04 England’s Oxford University

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have to be with everyone else at the same time or in the same place. It suits the majority of specialties, except the ones that needs hands-on or clinical training. You can be anywhere in the world and learn with others who are in diverse locations.

“Classes can have online lectures uploaded in advance so they can be accessed anytime. It also has online real time classes so everyone can meet once, twice or more during the semester; everyone still listens, contributes and talks to each other. I think it is an amazing direction for education. You can enroll in any type of course for undergraduate or graduate education from different universities all over the world, without being in a particular location. It really represents globalisation; so the whole world would be one school.”Soulafa Adnan Almazrooa received his Bachelor of Dental Sciences from King Abdulaziz University, JeddahCurrently a candidate for a Doctorate of Medical Sciences in oral Medicine at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.

E-learning is a modern approach to education

and has been strongly promoted through the use of current communication and information technologies. Governments around the world have realised its value and effectiveness and most have taken steps to support it.

“E-learning has crossed geographical boundaries by offering online communities of learning where individuals can learn and exchange knowledge with people from countries all over the globe at a reasonable cost using very simple techniques. It has facilitated the online teaching of many important subjects and courses, such as education, languages and business, and it is now a feature of most schools and universities in developed nations, and in developing countries, too, it is being accorded high priority.

“E-learning necessitates the development of curricula that fit the needs of the world market, for all courses must now be able to adapt quickly in response to the process of constant and rapid change. Modern e-learning developments include online degrees, short courses, professional development programmes and online conferences.

“E-learning has the advantage of not requiring expensive infrastructure such as buildings, laboratories and classrooms. Instead they require only computers with access to the internet. E-learning has expanded educational concepts such as self-paced study and autonomous learning, methods that were applied only with difficulty in traditional learning environments.

“Learners can access materials such as journals and recorded lectures from anywhere in the world. Moreover, learning is not confined to traditional classrooms; rather virtual classrooms are now common features of e-learning, and these allow discussion and interaction between learners in real time. This form of education also enhances the standard of learning for students now have access to a much broader range of resources and ICT applications can offer learners more flexibility to watch lectures more than once.” Turki Alsolami is a qualified English language lecturer at King Abdul-Aziz University in Saudi Arabia.He is currently pursuing his doctoral studies at flinders university in Australia, specialising in educational technology. His main research is about technology enhanced language teaching and learning.  

E-learning has overcome the geographical constraints

and made it possible for us to find the information we need, whenever we need it and from anywhere in the world. All the required information and course materials are also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“It saves a lot of time and energy when studying, relative to more traditional methods of learning. E-learning has also helped in enabling students to catch up on missed lectures, with each recorded and uploaded online. Even if we have additional questions, we can still discuss with our tutors, lecturers and other students using online forums

“With branches in three different countries, in addition to offering the typical on-campus courses, my university also offers distance education courses provided exclusively online. In this regard, e-learning is essential in catering to the needs of students from different countries, with various modes of study. That said, on-campus students such as myself use e-learning as a complementary tool, we do not depend on it completely.

“There are some negative aspects associated with e-learning. With all activities provided in the online environment, students must be self-disciplined in avoiding distractions. Other online activities, such as social networking, gaming and web surfing are all time-consuming temptations that can lead to procrastination.

“Furthermore, e-learning is not always reliable because of the technology it requires. Not all students have ready access to computers and internet connectivity, and there is no guarantee the online resources will always be available, as either the computer or the internet connection – or both – can experience outages at any time. Ghada Al Shemaimry is a student at monash University in melbourne, Australia, studying for a Bachelors of Information Technology. She elected to study abroad as part of a scholarship offered by the Saudi Ministry of Higher education.

To answer this question, let us first agree that our major concern here is ‘learning’ and hence providing the knowledge and skills

demanded by the learner is our first priority. The medium in which this learning is presented comes second. For centuries, education has been

ghada al shemaimry

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“wiTh Branches in Three differenT counTries, in addiTion To offering The TyPical on-camPus courses, my

universiTy also offers disTance educaTion courses Provided

exclusively online. in This regard, e-learning is essenTial in caTering

To The needs of sTudenTs from differenT counTries, wiTh various

modes of sTudy. ThaT said, on-camPus sTudenTs such as myself

use e-learning as a comPlemenTary Tool, we do noT dePend on iT

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delivered through direct teaching in classrooms or privately at homes, so why are we now trying to change this legacy by using other means such as radio, TV, distance learning and most recently e-learning or online learning to be precise?

“The reason should mainly be either because there is an added value that this type of tutoring could provide, or because of the barriers it could help to overcome. If we simply scan a text book, upload its content online and claim that the course is now an e-learning course, then what are the educational benefits that we have introduced through technology here? All the student will do is to perform an online ‘page-turning’. How is this different or better than them reading their own text book offline? In fact using the text book would be a favorable option over the online course as it is available 24/7, with no server problems, and it is also cheaper because no internet connection is needed.

“However, if the online course contains simulation, interaction and collaboration activities, which have their own educational purposes, the result would be a rich virtual learning environment where the values of web-based learning are observed. Moreover, the ability to tailor and adapt the learning experience to suit each learner is another bonus that could be achieved much easier in an online environment. It is all about the content and the interaction; an ill designed course in an isolated learning environment will only have negative effects on the learning process.

“On the other hand, there are cases where an additional aspect of online learning is highly considered when selecting this type of learning. I am referring here to its ability to waive some serious learning barriers.

Such barriers include: cost, time or location. Being able to access your virtual classroom from anywhere in the world at any time is a luxury to some but a necessity to others. This could be seen more evidently in the case of postgraduate studies or workplace training.

“E-learning could be considered an effective and valuable learning option provided that it is well-designed to address the needs and requirements of the learner. It should not be seen as the future rival to mainstream education that aims to replace it. It is a valid option that we could choose in order to satisfy our learning goals and balance education with our other commitments.” maram meccawy, computer science, PhD from the University of Nottingham, UK Dr Maram Meccawy has been a weekly opinion writer at Saudi Arabia’s leading daily newspaper, Al-Watan, since 2003. She received her master’s degree in distributed systems and networks in 2003 from the university of Hertfordshire and her bSc in Computer Science from king Abdul-Aziz university in 2002.

I looked into e-learning this year for the first time, in

order to capitalise on my languages. In the course I ultimately chose, students could opt for the full classroom experience; e-classes followed with a few classroom sessions; or a full e-class only option.

“Each of the options were priced and scheduled differently, with classroom being the most expensive, yet less time consuming, and the full e-class option being less expensive but spread over a longer timeframe.

“I had some reservations regarding e-learning, mainly the discipline it would require in order to complete the course. A classroom environment automatically commits you to time and focus, while sitting at home in front of your computer does not.

“I was also concerned about working through any queries that would inevitably arise while online.

“After weighing my options, I decided on the partial e-learning course. This offered me scheduled classroom sessions with an instructor, to whom I could refer any questions, while still reading and working through the e-class sessions relatively at my own pace. In my course, schedules are decided the moment one signs onto the course and are geared to be completed within the agreed time.

“Not having to be in class full-time was a benefit, as it allowed me to continue my freelance work, while still being able to complete the course in a shorter timeframe than would have been possible with the full e-class option.

“I did struggle with self-discipline, just as I had predicted, and had to learn to manage my time better.

“In the end, my choice was most beneficial for me, given my needs and abilities. Overall, I feel that e-learning is a very useful tool, with cost and time benefits, particularly for people who need to work and study simultaneously.

“In the future I will not hesitate to use e-learning, but I’ll be hoping to find courses that also offer real-time classroom experience, which I believe is still very important and cannot be replaced.”maria Ramos is a qualified fine arts curatorHaving returned to study in 2010 in switching careers and adding to her qualifications. As a fluent speaker of six languages, undertaking an intense course in the teaching of languages cemented her knowledge and opened up new channels and perspectives.

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THe WorLDWIDe eCoNoMIC CrISIS HAS SeeN CoMPANIeS CHANge THeIr STrATegIeS To eNCourAge A More AgILe AND reSPoNSIbLe buSINeSS THAT CAN be HeLD ACCouNTAbLe for ITS ACTIoNS

The comPeTiTionfor growTh

whaT an incrediBle two years it has been. In my role, I often have the opportunity to talk to board members and CEOs from some of the largest companies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Incredibly, they are all saying the same thing: the business world has changed.

What we have experienced in the past two years is not a mere recession cycle; fundamental changes to the business environment have taken place. Intensity of competition today among businesses is even greater than 2008 levels, suggesting that opportunities are still scarce and new competitors have emerged in the market place.

So what are the fundamental changes that have occurred? Who are these new competitors and what are successful businesses doing today to stay ahead of the game?

The crisis exposed some basic flaws in business strategies. These include dependencies on short-term capital to fund longer term assets; remuneration structures for management which were not aligned to shareholders’ values and encouraged excessive risk taking; the acceptance of high norms for return on capital which defied common sense; governance issues at the board level; and an absence of robust regulatory processes to manage risk in a number of industries.

The post-crisis era will therefore see much more participation in decision making from board members and closer supervision from regulators, with the risk that, at times, decision making will become slow when in fact the intensity of competition dictates that it should be faster.

Between October and November

The crisis exPosed some Basic flaws in Business sTraTegies.

These include dePendencies on

shorT-Term caPiTal To fund longer Term asseTs; remuneraTion

sTrucTures for managemenT which were noT aligned To shareholders’ values

and encouraged excessive risk Taking;

The accePTance of high norms for

reTurn on caPiTal which defied common

sense; governance issues aT The Board

level; and an aBsence of roBusT regulaTory Processes To manage risk in a numBer of

indusTries.

2010, we engaged in some extensive research involving 1,400 companies, including companies from MENA, covering over a dozen industry sectors. Part of this research has revealed that competition is coming from new players from developed markets and, more interestingly, from existing players in emerging markets. There is a clear signal indicating the shift of power from the West to East, with China, India, Russia, Brazil and MENA emerging as the new focus areas for doing business.

So what are the high performing companies doing better than others to win in the new market place? Our research identified four key elements:

1. A reassessment of where the

new markets for doing business are located. In MENA, we see that private corporations are still slow at decision making and much of the activity is coming from high net-worth Individuals and government or quasi-government entities. More companies are looking closer to home to sell their products, as opposed to internationally. They are exploring Eastern or Asian markets, whereas previously they did business solely with the West.

2. A re-evaluation of cost competitiveness. Businesses have realised that there is a limit to cost reduction and an excess of it can be counter-productive to growth. There is, however, also an acceptance that new capital for growth must still come from cost rationalisation and internal sources, as capital markets and shareholders are still reluctant to provide liquidity.

3. Companies are striving to become more agile in being able to respond rapidly to market changes. At times, this means more out-sourcing and less building capital intensive structures or processes.

4. Building stakeholder confidence by increased reporting and communication with shareholders, suppliers, regulators, bankers and staff.

I see exciting times ahead for doing business. There will always be challenges, but to be successful, companies need to meet these challenges and understand that remaining stationary is not an option. Every company’s strategy must have a growth plan going forward.

Abdulaziz Al-Sowailim is chairman and Ceo of ernst & young MeNA

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The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA)

launched an international exhibition in mid-2010, called Roads to Arabia: Archaeology and History of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The exhibition’s international road trip started in one of the world’s most famous museums, the Louvre in Paris, before moving on to La Caixa Foundation, Barcelona, in November. Prior to going on tour, all artifacts showcased in the exhibition were housed at the National Museum in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

Roads to Arabia features a wide array of recently excavated artifacts, including pre-Islamic stele and ancient objects from after the rise of Islam.

According to HH Prince Sultan bin Salman, president, SCTA, the aim of the exhibition is to highlight the Kingdom’s cultural and historical dimensions, rather than simply boost its tourism credentials.

“The main objective of this exhibition is to introduce the different civilizations that lived in the Arabian Peninsula… The role of Saudi Arabia today is not just political or economic. It had a role to play, long fixed in history,” says Prince Sultan bin Salman, president, SCTA.

“Saudi Arabia’s cultural dimension has been largely unknown for the outside world, especially the heritage it has from the various civilizations that inhabited its land one after another. We are now trying to highlight this important dimension in an integrated fashion through these exhibitions,” adds Prince Sultan.

culTural kingdomHH PrINCe SuLTAN bIN SALMAN, PreSIDeNT of THe SAuDI CoMMISSIoN for TourISM AND ANTIQuITIeS, SPeAkS exCLuSIveLy To ThINK AbouT HoW SAuDI ArAbIA IS furTHer LeverAgINg ITS CuLTurAL CAPITAL.

In the five months it was displayed at the Louvre, more than 160,000 visitors from around the world visited the exhibition. According to figures from exhibition management at the museum, more than 38,000 people visited Roads to Arabia in its first month. In excess of 1,500 visitors per day strolled the halls of the Louvre to visit the exhibition, surpassing the average daily attendance figure of around 800 for other similar displays.

Asked whether there has been a long-held recognition of the importance of protecting Saudi Arabia’s cultural heritage, Prince Sultan indicated such preservation has now been carried out for almost half a century in the Kingdom.

“For over 40 years, the cultural heritage of Saudi Arabia has been preserved and protected. Over 600 sites are fenced, with guards appointed from amongst the local residents who look after these sites,” he says.

Prince Sultan also explains that visiting experts participating in Saudi Arabia’s many archaeological digs are often surprised at the sophisticated systems that are in place.

“The European and American visitors and archaeologists who come to

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our country for field work are surprised to see this system of protection, which they do not find in other countries,” says Prince Sultan.

While Saudi Arabia’s extensive expansion of infrastructure and property developments in recent years is widely acknowledged, its increasing emphasis on cultural pursuits is less known. As Prince Sultan’s comments attest, Saudi Arabia is already engaged in numerous projects in this regard, including excavations, the construction of new museums and the restoration and expansion of existing cultural institutions.

“Many new museums in various cities [of the Kingdom] are under establishment. In addition, several old historic forts, palaces and ancient buildings have been converted into ethnological museums,” he explains.

“To date, nine museums have been lodged in old historic monuments, while eight are currently works in progress.”

At present, there are 22 local, regional and national museums dotted across Saudi Arabia. The oldest of these is the Riyadh National Museum, which was established in 1978 and later  shifted into the new National Museum building. The National Museum in Riyadh consists of eight galleries representing eras ranging from one million years ago through to those spanning the more recent history of the Kingdom.

As Prince Sultan points out, each local museum displays local exhibits excavated from sites within relatively close proximity to the museum itself. “Regional museums cover a wider range of exhibits, those that have been

located during surveys and excavations in the broader region,” he says.In unearthing the numerous artifacts and antiquities that are housed in

the ever-growing number of museums, Saudi Arabia is also focusing its efforts on a number of archaeological excavations.

There are currently 16 excavations underway, with a number of these launched in cooperation with American and European institutions.

“We have an ambitious ongoing survey and excavation program, and each year several teams consisting of American, French, German, Belgium, Italian and British scholars, in cooperation with Saudi archaeologists, carry out surveying, exploration and excavations in almost all regions of the Kingdom,” says Prince Sultan, also adding that the results of these scientific activities are published annually in SCTA’s bilingual journal of archaeology, Atlal. 

In embarking upon its ambitious program of expanding the Kingdom’s cultural and heritage sites, Prince Sultan points out that it is pursuing global best practice while also adding its own unique perspective. This is true for both Saudi Arabia’s museums and its numerous archaeological sites.

“We have adopted modern scientific and technical facilities, both in our museums and in the surveying and excavations we are conducting. Our museums are both educational and heritage oriented,” Prince Sultan says.

“We are modeling our traditional and cultural values and preserving our traditional urban and rural cultural heritage,” he adds.

Asked whether the Kingdom is modeling its approach on those

01 hh Prince Sultan bin Salman, president, Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities.

02 Ancient wall drawings found on the Arabian Peninsula.

03 Relics and ancient artifacts unearthed in Saudi Arabia on display in the Louvre.

04 Opening Day at the Roads to Arabia exhibition, with hh Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Saudi minister of foreign affairs, and his Excellency Bernard Kouchner, French minister of foreign affairs, among the attendees.

“saudi araBia’s culTural dimension has Been largely unknown for The ouTside

world, esPecially The heriTage iT has from The

various civilizaTions ThaT inhaBiTed iTs land one afTer anoTher. we are now Trying To highlighT This imPorTanT dimension in an inTegraTed

fashion Through These exhiBiTions.”

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followed by other countries around the world, Prince Sultan emphasises it is both borrowing ideas and also making new inroads in the process.

“We are not copying, but adopting and integrating both our [own systems] along with internationally accepted systems of displaying cultural heritage,” he says.

Prince Sultan highlights Dir’iyyah as a poignant example of how it is preserving its old traditional heritage and monuments at the same time as following and adopting the most advanced systems and processes.

Located on the banks of Wadi Hanifa, on the outskirts of Riyadh, Dir’iyyah is a historic oasis that had attracted urban settlements over centuries.

Featuring a beautiful natural landscape, the area’s rich, fertile land is characterised by stunning environmental heritage linked to stable human civilization that has constantly built and rebuilt itself over time.

The history of the establishment of Dir’iyyah stretches as far back as 850 AH/ 11446 AD, when historic local ruler Mani Al Muredi arrived.

 In the past, Dir’iyyah was an important stop on the trade route linking the east and west sides of the Arabian Peninsula, in addition to its control over the pilgrimage route to Makkah.

Starting in 2006, Saudi Arabian authorities began the lengthy process of gaining official international recognition and protection of the site. This culminated in the registration of the Dir’iyyah historic district site on the UNESCO World Heritage list in July 2010.

“We want the world to know our important cultural heritage, and the organisation of exhibitions such as Roads of Arabia is the best way to do this,” says Prince Sultan.

Having shifted to Barcelona, Spain towards the end of 2010, the exhibition will later move to Russia, Germany and then onto various cities of the US.

Roads of Arabia will also be staged in Gulf countries, with Qatar and Bahrain also expected to host the exhibition in the year ahead.

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naTions and corporations around the world

know that tourism is big business, a staggering US$850 billion plus industry a year to be more precise. Countries on every continent continue to vie for an ever-larger slice of the tourist dollar and it is the emerging markets, rich in heritage sites, that account for a growing share of the pie.

China has the Great Wall; Peru has Machu Pichu; and Egypt has its Necropolis. The world’s top 500 heritage sites attracted 215 million tourists and generated more than US$24.7 billion in revenues – of that figure the top 50 sites garnered US$17 billion in revenues, with the Great Wall topping the list, pulling in US$2.8 billion, according to a just released report by the US-based conservancy Global Heritage Fund.

The United Nations has targeted tourism as a way for developing nations to increase economic prosperity and end poverty, but it is these places which lack the resources to not only preserve and safeguard their sites, but develop them as well.

“Over the past decade, we have seen a welcome new trend evolving, mainly in developing countries,” said UNESCO director-general Irina Bokova at the Millennium Summit in New York last year. “I am speaking about culture as an economic driver: a creator of jobs and revenues; a means of making poverty eradication strategies relevant and more effective at the local level.”

The UN’s World Trade Organisation views tourism as one of the most dynamic economic sectors, and a key driver in creating much needed growth and employment around the world. Yet there is a funding gap among wealthier nations and their less fortunate neighbours.

For poor nations, it is virtually impossible to protect and maintain cultural relics and sites without outside intervention. The financial crisis of the past two years saw budgets shrink and donations slashed at both government and non-governmental agencies. However, this has paved the way for a new way of viewing the world and its heritage sites.

More and more are beginning to embrace a more co-operative spirit among those that have and those that do not. With the growing global attention being given to sustainability, not only on the environmental level, but also at community-based, local level, tourism is ripe for invention.

“Conscious capitalism is a rapidly growing approach to business in which firms are conscious of the impact of their decisions on all of

A NATIoN’S ArTISTIC HerITAge AND LegACy Serve NoT JuST AS A SourCe of PrIDe buT ALSo AS A key fACTor IN geNerATINg eCoNoMIC reveNueS. WITH TourISM SPeNDINg bACk oN TrACk AND CouNTrIeS ArouND THe gLobe STruggLINg for eCoNoMIC groWTH, THey Are INCreASINgLy TurNINg To HerITAge SITeS AS A SoLuTIoN.

their stakeholders,” says Michael Strong, founder of Flow, a US-based social entrepreneurship organisation committed to “sustainable peace, prosperity, and happiness for all” in the next 50 years. “In the past, issues associated with environmental responsibility and labour standards have been most high profile for nations working in the developing world. The issue of respect for local cultures will be the next frontier.”

The Global Heritage Fund (GHF), an international non-profit conservancy, is focused on protecting cultural heritage sites in developing countries, yet requires a promise from partners that they are committed to a community-based, sustainable approach. Founded in California in 2002, GHF has invested more than US$20 million and secured US$18 million in co-funding for 16 global heritage sites to ensure their sustainable preservation and responsible development.

in guaTemala, one of Latin America’s poorest countries, the restoration of Tikal, the immense Mayan ruin, has brought 12 million visitors and US$200 million in annual revenues, according to GHF. Nearby, deep in the Mayan biosphere, is Mirador, considered to be the cradle of Mayan civilisation and home to the earliest and largest Preclassic Maya archeological sites. GHF, which classified Mirador as on the verge of irreparable loss and destruction, secured US$4 million from the Guatemalan Government and US$3 million from its private sector (including Citibank Latin America and Wal-Mart Centro America) to create an economically sustainable, 810,000-acre archaeological and wildlife preserve that will rival Tikal when it’s complete. In 2010, the site generated US$1.5 million in revenues and is expected to jump to US$4 million in five years, the group says.

“Rich countries can take care of their heritage while poor countries cannot,” says GHF founder Jeff Morgan. “There are lots of users at these sites, whether that be tourists, tour operators or even archeologists, yet very few saviors. That’s why the global community has to get involved.”

Late last year, the non-profit released a report, Saving Our Vanishing Heritage: Safeguarding our Cultural Heritage Sites in the Developing World, detailing the state of conservation for the planet’s most significant and endangered cultural sites over the past decade, and what it believes is a US$100 billion opportunity for developing nations.

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01 A gilded mummy mask from the British museum.

02 A statue of Ramses II, as displayed in the British museum.

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“GHF has discovered something that the international development world should take note of: Heritage sites can be economic engines for countries that desperately need sustainable industries,” says venture capitalist William Draper III, a managing director of Draper Richards and Draper International, as well as chairman of the Draper Richards Foundation, a supporter of GHF. “The restoration of heritage sites can transform people, countries and economies.”

With the tourism industry such a strong pillar upon which many national economies stand, or hope to stand, it comes as little wonder that cultural property has become such a hot topic. Stolen art and antiquities is estimated to be a US$6 billion annual industry, according to Interpol. Nations immersed in conflicts, such as Iraq and Afghanistan, or which are extremely poor, become increasingly susceptible to looting.

For instance, Iraqi cultural institutions and archaeological sites suffered major losses of priceless historical artifacts following the US invasion. Looting from archaeological sites continues on a massive scale, between 7,000-10,000 artifacts stolen from the Iraq National Museum remain missing, according to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, which established an art crime unit in 2004. With the stakes so high for many, the repatriation of art has become a hot-button issue among politicians and academia.

London, one of the top global tourist destinations, lures more than five million visitors a year to its British Museum, the second most visited museum in the world behind the Louvre in Paris. This repository of human history and culture, with its holdings of more than seven million objects, is among the largest and most comprehensive. Yet its collections of antiquities, such a revenue generator for Britain, has repeatedly landed the institution in hot water. Greece lays claim to the museum’s Elgin Marbles, a series of marble sculptures taken legally more than two

centuries ago from the Parthenon; while Egypt is fighting to repatriate the Rosetta Stone and Nigeria pleads for the return of its Benin bronzes, 30 of which were sold decades ago.

But it is not alone. Institutions and private collectors around the world are embroiled in controversies surrounding their holdings, many of which were acquired legally. The debate rages as more and more nations find themselves with the resources to demand the return of their cultural property, often not only a symbol of nationalistic pride but also a key pull for tourism dollars.

“Ultimately it comes down to matters of ownership, and how the world’s great cultural icons are to be shared,” says author Mary Beard, a professor of classics at the University of Cambridge and a Newnham College fellow. “In the performing arts that problem is relatively easy to solve. Shakespeare might have a special connection with Stratford, and Mozart with Vienna – but we can all ‘own’ their works in performance anywhere in the world.

“That is not the case with the [Elgin] Marbles. Where do they belong? Is it better or worse to have them scattered through the world? Are they the possession of those who live in the place where they were first made? Or are they the possession of everyone? The likelihood is that we will be debating these issues for many years to come.”

aT The end of last year, China, with its growing economic clout, called on museums and antique collectors around the globe to return relics looted from the Old Summer Palace in Beijing 150 years ago, but this is unlikely to yield significant results, experts say, at least for now. The Army Museum in Paris and London’s Victoria and Albert Museum are just two institutions that possess items taken from the former resort for

Creative Capital, the economic benefits conferred by what some experts dub the Creative Class, remains the least understood, yet most important element of the next economic paradigm, say many forward-thinking economists and thinkers. The creative industries, the engines of generating creative capital, include segments ranging from the arts to cinema to design, publishing and information technology. In fact, this group of workers, many experts believe bring economic growth to cities and countries.

“Creative capital is the network of understandings, values, activities, and relationships that individuals, organizations, and communities develop when they share what earlier generations have imagined and when they, in turn, generate and pass on what they imagine,” states Dr. Dennie Palmer Wolf, the mind behind Wolfbrown, a uS-based consultancy. “In a rapidly changing, complex world, communities need to be resilient and adaptable in order to invent new possibilities and solve stubborn problems such as pollution, job creation, transportation, and affordable housing. To accomplish these goals, we need people who can imagine, adapt, invent, and re-think old ways.”

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Qing dynasty emperors – and are not about to hand them over without a fight.

“As Western institutions and individuals are unlikely to respond, this call obviously targets domestic consumption, which the Chinese leaders hope will galvanise the nation,” states John Wong, history professor at the University of Sydney.

When Greece requested the return of the Elgin Marbles, it mobilised and united the nation, recently completing the stunning New Acropolis Museum at the foot of the Acropolis in Athens that houses the other half of the Elgin Marbles.

It seems that in some corners, the tide is turning toward repatriation of cultural objects and art, as more begin to consider such gestures in a different light. The New York Metropolitan Museum in November agreed to send 19 items, including a bracelet and a small bronze statue of a dog, excavated from the tomb of the boy king Tutankhamun, back to Egypt.

Zahi Hawass, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, has led a vigorous campaign to reclaim Egyptian cultural heritage. He continues to lobby the British Museum to have it return the granite-like inscribed Rosetta Stone, which the museum came into possession of in 1802. He would like to see the Stele, along with other retrieved objects, displayed in a new national museum due to open in Cairo in 2012.

“It’s a question of our heritage. It’s the best that Egypt has,” Hawass says, boasting that 6,000 relics have finally come home.

01 Gold sculptures from the Old Summer Palace in Beijing.

02 A portion of one of the Elgin marble sculptures.

03 A Qing dynasty sculpture from Beijing.

04 Jeff morgan, founder, GhF.05 mary Beard, professor, University

of Cambridge06 A famous medieval mask found

on Suffolk, England is displayed at the British museum.

07 Irina Bokova, director-general, UNESCO.

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nuclear energy is undergoing something of a

renaissance, with a number of countries expressing renewed interest in the fuel source. According to estimates from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in 2009 13-14 per cent of global electricity demand was met by nuclear power.

Across the United States, Britain, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, 149 new nuclear reactors are due to be commissioned over the next 20 years. Many countries already place significant emphasis on nuclear sources in meeting their national energy demands. France has the highest nuclear input at 78 per cent, followed by Belgium at 54 per cent, while the US stands at 20 per cent, Britain at 19 per cent and China at just two per cent.

Among the advantages of nuclear power is its much higher efficiency relative to hydrocarbon-fuelled sources. According to Holger Rogner, head of planning and economic studies at the IAEA’s Department of Nuclear Energy, this is one of its major benefits. “That’s where the benefit of nuclear comes in. Fuel costs are extremely low compared with gas and coal. A barrel of oil has a fraction of the energy yielded from a pound of uranium,” he says.

Although nuclear has high set-up costs, once plants are up and running, the production costs are a fraction of those demanded to create the same kilowatt hours through burning hydrocarbons. “What matters is not only the investment costs, it’s the generating costs,” Rogner says.

Another advantage it holds versus conventional coal and gas facilities is its lower emissions of greenhouse gases, though the long-running debate continues around the disposal of spent uranium and other toxic by-products it produces. At the December 2010 climate change talks in Cancun, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) stopped short of advocating nuclear as a clean fuel source ratified by the Kyoto Protocol. However, the UNFCCC did leave open the possibility that nuclear could be included after 2012, when the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol expires.

P wer surge

France currently leads the world in deriving the highest proportion of its energy from nuclear sources, with French company Areva extremely proactive in creating partnerships both domestically and abroad. In a recent interview with BusinessWeek in the US, Areva’s chief executive, Anne Lauvergeon, said: “We are experiencing a nuclear renaissance not only in Western countries but in the rest of the world [including] China and India. Also, we have newcomers now in the game. That’s very exciting. And it’s also very good business for us.”

As Lauvergeon’s comment indicates, other nations are seeking to bridge the gap and increase their ratio of power generated by nuclear sources. In his most recent State of the Union address, US President Barack Obama cited the need to build “a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants” in the US. The British Government is also ramping up its commitment to nuclear energy, with 10 sites in England and Wales recently approved for new nuclear power stations.

Proposals for the new generation of nuclear plants are being put forward as Britain seeks to address concerns over potential power shortages in the next 15 to 20 years. With the majority of Britain’s ageing nuclear infrastructure due to be decommissioned by 2023, within the past two years the Government lifted its moratorium on nuclear expansion.

Britain and the US were among a number of nations that halted their nuclear energy programmes in the mid-1980s, largely in response to the Chernobyl disaster of 1986. This incident at a reactor in Ukraine, considered the worst nuclear accident in history, raised severe concerns about the safety of Soviet nuclear power and the nuclear fuel industry in general.

However, advocates of nuclear energy insist that improvements in technology, regulations and construction standards of nuclear plants since this time largely eliminate the possibility of similar incidents in the future.

NuCLeAr PoWer, oNCe DerIDeD for ITS PoTeNTIAL ProbLeMS, IS SeeINg A reSurgeNCe IN INTereST AS CouNTrIeS ACroSS THe WorLD Try To ProvIDe eLeCTrICITy for THeIr rAPIDLy exPANDINg PoPuLATIoNS.

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International concerns over the enriched uranium that is required to power nuclear plants, also a key component of nuclear weapons, is another obstacle to renewed focus on the fuel source. Perhaps the most prevalent test case of this is Iran, which has been working toward civil nuclear capability, including its own enrichment facilities, since 1994.

While countries with a history of nuclear power generation are once again looking to boost capacity, others are approaching nuclear capability for the first time. A number of countries in the Middle East have expressed an interest in nuclear energy in recent years, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, with the latter having signed a deal with the US in December 2008 after already gaining approval from the IAEA.

The rapid expansion of many countries in the region – in particular Saudi Arabia and Qatar in more recent times – demands huge amounts of electricity, as does the desalination of seawater. In Saudi Arabia, the biggest Arab economy, demand for electricity is rising at an annual rate of eight per cent, with demand set to triple to 121,000MW by 2032.

wiTh This in mind, the Kingdom is currently establishing a national sustainable energy initiative, comprising a combination of nuclear and renewable energy sources. It plans to invest as much as US$80bn over the next decade, in boosting its power generation capacity to more than 67,000MW, up from its current rate of 46,000MW.

Speaking at a recent conference, HE Dr Hashem Bin Yamani, president, King Abdullah City for Nuclear and Renewable Energy, said: “The proposed national energy initiative cannot rule out the nuclear option.” He outlined the numerous arguments in favour of nuclear

energy, combined with renewable and traditional sources, in meeting the Kingdom’s future power demands.

“We have established that nuclear energy has substantial investment, operational and technical advantages, mainly that its capacity coefficient is higher than conventional power generating stations,” he said, also pointing out that though initial capital investment is high, operational and maintenance costs are very low.

In addition, he cited the long operational life of nuclear fuel cycles combined with the price competitiveness of nuclear fuel relative to fossil fuel. “Nuclear generated electricity is presently economically competitive with fossil fuel generated electricity, as far as international prices are concerned,” Dr Bin Yamani said, adding that nuclear safety standards have witnessed “tremendous progress”.

He also said that if Saudi Arabia’s domestic demand for energy continues to rise at current levels “this is bound to adversely affect the Kingdom’s oil export capacity within two decades, and consequently affect its domestic and the world’s economy”.

This last statement contains one of the core arguments in favour of nuclear fuel for states within the Middle East. With hydrocarbons one of the region’s key exports, in order to keep its economic development turning while also reserving more of its valuable oil and gas resources for export, nuclear power is an obvious alternative.

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01 Part of the Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant, Sellafield, UK.

02 The Tamari nuclear power plant, Japan.

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As Rogner explains: “When oil hit US$50 and US$60 a barrel, in nuclear power, suddenly economic rationale said: ‘If you burn the barrels at home, you create much less revenue than if you sell it in the open market.’ From the windfall, you can easily finance a new nuclear power plant – that’s where the rationale comes in.”

in The middle East, Bahrain has also entered into nuclear co-operation agreements with the US, while Oman and Qatar are investigating the viability of their own nuclear facilities. Jordan, which currently imports 95 per cent of its energy needs, plans to build a nuclear power plant by 2017. Its Committee for Nuclear Strategy aims to source 30 per cent of its electricity from a domestic nuclear facility by 2040, having signed deals with its Canadian counterpart along with French energy company Areva.

Outside the Middle East, other emerging regions including Asia and India are also eyeing nuclear power with increasing interest. Hong Kong is considering implementing nuclear energy generation to supply around half its electricity by 2020. According to a policy document from the special administrative region’s government, “our objective is to reduce the proportion of coal in the overall fuel mix”.

As part of its international obligations under the Kyoto Protocol to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, Hong Kong may replace many of its coal power plants with nuclear plants over the next 10 to 15 years. New

coal power stations have been banned here since 1997, with many due for decommissioning between 2020 and 2030.

China, which already has nuclear power plants, is also planning further expansion of its nuclear capability, with a view to exporting nuclear components and expertise from 2013. India’s nuclear energy ambitions are also building momentum. It has entered into bi-lateral trade agreements with the French Government, covering civil nuclear energy among other areas. Late last year, the subcontinent’s Nuclear Power Corporation of India signed a US$25 billion deal with Areva on the construction of a nuclear power plant which will ultimately triple the nation’s nuclear power generation capabilities to more than 10,000MW.

As the global population continues to expand at unprecedented levels, bringing a corresponding demand for energy, nuclear power seems certain to build new momentum as a fuel of the future.

01 Cooling towers at Grundremmingent nuclear plant, Germany.

02 Nuclear systems and components undergo regular maintenance checks.

03 A nuclear plant’s fuel removal pond in Sellafield, UK.

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iT appears that luxury shoppers are slowly shedding their shame after

a drastic pullback in spending in 2009 amid the widespread economic calamity which shook up consumers around the world. The world’s wealthiest are now ready to pull out there Gucci wallets once again.

“The global crisis in worldwide luxury goods sales came to an end in the fourth quarter of 2009, ending a first-ever full year decline in sales of eight per cent, and is now projected to rise 10 per cent in 2010, [nearly eclipsing its historical market peak of US$227 billion in 2007],” proclaims business consultancy Bain & Co’s ninth edition of its bellwether Luxury Goods Worldwide Market Study.

None the less, not all areas of the luxury market are equal and despite the gains, some experts caution that the numbers don’t tell the whole story. “The strength of the recovery was a surprise,” says Claudia D’Arpizio, a chief luxury analyst in the Milan office of Bain, which at the end of 2010 released its luxury report on behalf of Fondazione Altagamma - an association of Italy’s top luxury companies.

The increases posted in 2010 over the prior year were driven by sales of smaller luxury goods, for example the sales of shoes and accessories are expected to increase by five per cent; followed by a four per cent rise in watches and jewellery sales. “Brands that offer luxury treats – glasses, belts, handbags, etc - are less vulnerable,” says Nikhil Gharekhan, senior vice-president at Millward Brown, an international consulting firm.

D’Arpizio says the recovery is rooted in strong growth worldwide and political stability in the United States, historically the largest luxury market followed by Japan. “Luxury goods markets are stabilising. We are seeing less discounting and more signs of increasing consumer confidence,” she comments.

What’s more, the sale of super-luxury automobiles, by marques such as Rolls-Royce and Ferrari, and mega-yachts began posting gains in the early months of 2010, pointing toward a tepid rebound in those sectors. In fact, in the US, the world’s largest luxury car market, sales may jump 42 per cent in 2010 after plummeting 30 per cent in 2009, according to automotive industry researcher IHS Global Insight. Likewise, the super-yacht industry began recording some impressive sales, signaling that the market, while still tumultuous, will continue to recover.

BuT some luxury market experts remain cautions, saying the story doesn’t end there and that the market going forward will likely undergo radical change, whether in the form of bankruptcies and consolidations, changing consumer attitudes in more mature markets, or the fact that China will soon replace the US as the world’s second largest luxury goods consumer (according to a report by World Luxury Association).

“There’s still another shoe to drop,” says William Susman, COO of New York-based boutique investment bank Financo. “What the economies throughout Europe are going to go through in the next few months, I think, will be dramatic… I don’t think that the story is over yet.”

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Louis Vuitton has continued to remain relevant and appealing.

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Many US companies which had relied on Europe, where government subsidies allow consumers to take home more disposable income, to help bolster sales during the worst of the recession may find their expectations diminished. Furthermore, so long as the US unemployment rates continue to hover near historic highs of 10 per cent, aspirational luxury shoppers (those with an income of between US$150,000 to US$300,000), who helped prop up the boom in the beginning of this decade, have cut back significantly and aren’t likely to loosen their purse strings until unemployment rates dip to around five per cent, says Milton Pedraza, CEO of New York-based Luxury Institute, a research organisation focused on wealthy consumers.

In addition, luxury marketing expert Pamela Danziger, president of consultancy Unity Marketing, notes that Bain’s research is dominated by global luxury brands which have been successful by expanding projections into emerging markets such as China and India. She says that such an approach glosses over the fundamental driver of the luxury market – the consumer.

“Luxury brands have decided that the best route for winning back revenue post-recession is to go up-market and focus on pushing ultra-expensive products,” she says. “However, while ultra-affluent consumers have recovered from the slump and are likely to purchase such items, their investments alone will not provide the revenue luxury brands need.”

Yet in spite of the gains in sales last year, luxury manufacturers that want to survive in the future cannot afford a business-as-usual approach. Prestige brands are fighting the perception that the characteristics that differentiate luxury goods – superior quality, craftsmanship, customer service and design – are declining.

“Quality, craftsmanship and service are declining at a time when consumers are more discerning but have less money to waste,” Pedraza says. “Luxury brands need to start focusing on what customer service means: they need to start to out-behave – not just outperform – the competition.”

Baccarat crystal is among the brands tipped to remain strong.

Chanel is one of the luxury icons that remains successful.

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Not all companies are getting it wrong, he adds, pointing to such luxury icons as the Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, Lexus, Porsche, Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Tiffany’s, all of which have maintained strong customer experiences and have enjoyed success as a result.

What’s more, affluent spenders are hungry for unusual items, adding personal and unique to calculations of value, according to the annual Millward Brown BrandZ ranking of the Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands 2010. This study finds that brands which emphasised heritage and enhanced exclusivity, such as Hermès, did better than brands that pursued the mass market. Gucci, for example, returned to its roots with an equestrian look.

“Louis Vuitton, the most valuable luxury brand over the past five years, continued to position itself as timeless and authentic. Rather than compromising its brand value during the recession, it increased prices, invested in creativity and heightened the focus on quality,” D’Arpizio says.

“We’ve seen a number of new behaviours and trends emerge now that the crisis is reversing. The luxury shopper of this decade is more likely to be Chinese, more likely to be male and more likely to be young. Brands

that meet the needs of these new segments will be in the best position to keep growing for the next 10 years.”

It is the Chinese market that rescued the luxury market last year. The market grew an astounding 30 per cent year-over-year, reaching above US$12 billion, according to Bain, which expects it to become the third largest consumer of luxury products and services by the middle of the decade. Purveyors of super-cars, yachts and luxury consumer goods are all counting on the Chinese market for future growth.

Today, China is the world’s second largest economy with a nascent affluent class of 300 million people, and the country, along with other emerging markets during the economic downturn, helped first-class brands weather the storm far better than those that lacked a global presence, shoppers in those markets are becoming more fickle as well.

“The French luxury sector leads the world with 75 out of 200 global luxury brands, one-third of global luxury business volume and aggregate sales of US$31 billion,” says Elisabeth Ponsolle des Portes, president and CEO of Comité Colbert, an association of France’s most prestigious brands, including Baccarat, Hermès, Chanel. “The companies belonging

01 Rolls-Royce continues its impressive popularity.02 Guerlain luxury French fragrance.03 Pierre hardy sandals.04 Pierre Frey fabrics.

04 Torstern müller-Ötvös, CEO, Rolls-Royce motor Cars

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to the Comité Colbert represent one-quarter of the world luxury industry - French luxury is and will continue to be more and more global. Europe, the United States and Japan stay important markets for us, but the demand for French luxury products has been very high these past [few] years in the new territories for us, such as China, Russia, India, Brazil and the Gulf countries.”

China, with its rising economic muscle and just-acquired wealth, is proving to be the latest battle ground for chichi brands jockeying for position. So while consumers in developed markets are expected to seek out investment pieces rather than frivolous indulgences, the Chinese have no qualms about flaunting bling, states BrandZ Top 100.

In spite of the country’s surging appetite for luxury goods, recent research carried out by MSN’s China portal, suggests that consumers in top-tier cities such as Beijing are growing increasingly disenchanted with traditional powerhouses like Louis Vuitton and Hermès. What raised eyebrows wasn’t that a substantial proportion of people purchase luxury items, but rather that more are searching for luxury outside of the top brands. Their reasoning? It’s becoming “too common” with, for example,

about 20 per cent of Beijingers owning at least one Louis Vuitton bag, the study writes.

Although it’s unlikely that the likes of Gucci will ever fall from favour, the industry is at a crossroads both for the Chinese luxury sector and for upscale brands in general. The most powerful marques in the world not only have to re-convince many of China’s elite of the exclusiveness of their products, but their long-time clients in developed markets as well.

“It better damn well be unique and it better be luxury,” says Oscar de la Renta CEO Alex Bolen. “If it’s a ‘me-too’ product, good luck.”

John Lobb designer shoes.

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as education levels rise and attitudes shift to embrace a green

lifestyle, attention is shifting away from the narrow focus on purchasing sustainable products or living more “greenly” at home. Today, more and more Western travellers, who dominate the eco-tourism sector, are requiring that their journeys lead them to not only hotels that score high marks in the green category, but also to places where the money they spend supports local communities and protects the surrounding environment.

Once the preserve of 1970s environmental activists, who would travel to exotic locations to soak in the local wildlife, flora and fauna, and help communities protect their natural resources, eco-tourism has moved into the consciousness of mainstream travelers. It is growing three times faster than the tourism industry as a whole, according to Washington DC-based the International Ecotourism Society (TIES).

Thus an increasing roster of businesses and governments are jumping on the eco bandwagon, with the claims of some falling far short of the environmental and community goals that serve as the lynchpins of genuine ecotourism.

“Tourism is a US$3 billion-a-day industry and over 40 per cent of international trips have a developing country destination,” says Jonathan Mitchell, head of the travel programme at the Overseas Development Institute, a UK-based think tank on economic development. “Southern governments are increasingly realising that, in addition to bringing jobs, investment and foreign exchange, tourism can incentivise the conservation of a destination’s cultural and natural assets. In addition, tour operators are beginning to respond to customer pressure for more environmentally and socially sustainable holidays.”

Yet with the meaning of what constitutes ecotourism hard to define, it comes as little wonder that no industry-wide consensus has been reached and no cohesive standards have been embraced. TIES says ecotourism is “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment

eco TriPAS eCoTourISM HAS MoveD froM A NICHe HoLIDAyINg oPTIoN ToWArD ADoPTIoN by THe MASSeS, buSINeSSeS HAve JuMPeD oN THe bANDWAgoN. SoMe See THe MoveMeNT AS A booN To eNvIroNMeNTAL ProTeCTIoN AND LoCAL CoMMuNITIeS, yeT NoT ALL efforTS geT THe greeN LIgHT.

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and improves the well-being of local people”. Yet many governments and tourism industry insiders consider ecotourism as the equivalent to any sort of tourism based in nature, while environmental groups want to tighten the loopholes insisting that ecotourism is nature-based, sustainably managed, conservation supporting and environmentally educated.

The failure to accept a definition of ecotourism has led to widespread confusion among travellers and has seen critics accusing many eco players of green washing, a trend towards the commercialisation of tourism schemes disguised as sustainable, nature-based and environmentally friendly. Can a multinational corporation that builds an ultra-luxury resort, with fully equipped, air-conditioned rooms on a pristine stretch of beach in an underdeveloped region, and employs locals to clean and serve guests, really call itself an eco destination? Yes they can and they do.

“For the past 20 years or so, the reality of ecotourism has largely failed to meet its promise,” says Joel Makower, a green business expert and co-author of Strategies for the Green Economy. “The notion that tourism could not only have a lighter footprint but also promote social and environmental good seems to have been lost amid the vast hodgepodge of what passes as ‘ecotourism’ these days: five-star spas, jeep safaris, posh eco-lodges, ‘sustainable development tours’, and all the rest.”

For the moment, there exists no international framework of what is required to claim “eco” status and the setting up of an international accreditation programme has been controversial from the outset. Some

oppose such a system in part because the very poorest players would lack the resources and technical expertise to earn and retain such a label, and Harold Goodwin, director of the International Centre of Responsible Tourism, and Justin Francis, executive director of Responsibletravel.com (a leading international travel agent for responsible holidays), launched a campaign to oppose the Sustainable Tourism Stewardship Council’s plans to develop Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria.

Despite the conundrum, there are plenty of visionaries who continue to work to deliver genuine benefits to travellers and locals alike. Awards are one simple way in which responsible destinations can raise awareness of what they do and also help consumers cut through the clutter by offering them a glimpse of the best of the best.

The virgin holidays Responsible Tourism Award, launched six years ago by Responsibletravel.com, handed out 13 awards in a number of categories in 2010. Nihiwatu in Indonesia was declared the overall winner of the awards – demonstrating how tourism can used to alleviate poverty in remote places. Thanks to the tourists who visit this hideaway resort on the island of Sumba, malaria infections have dropped by 85 per cent, saving the lives of 53 children in the past two years.

“As consumer awareness and demand for sustainable products grows, there is certainly increased pressure on the supply side,” says Carlos Bolaños, CEO of Costa Rican beach resort Punta Islita, which received a Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Award in 2010 for its strong ties

Travel

01 Rice paddies, part of a Balinese sustainable travel experience.

02 An eco-friendly holiday villa in the maldives.

03 View from Soori Beach Villas, Bali.04 Jonathan mitchell, Overseas

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to the local community. “I would not go as far as saying that ecotourism is a victim of green-washing – the ideal remains strong. Nevertheless, there is a danger of falling into least-effort complacency. Hotels must understand that turning off the lights or forgoing daily towel laundering is not enough. The commitment must go beyond basic efforts. The costs are significant but the rewards are manifold.”

Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nepal, Kenya, Madagascar and Antarctica are all top ecotourism destinations, and generate a significant portion of their revenues from the travel industry. But critics have long complained that heavy traffic and irresponsible tour operators have resulted in cruise ship anchors and sewage damaging coral reefs; that golf courses suck up valuable water resources; and that all-inclusive package tours see about 80 per cent of their money go to airlines, hotels and other international companies.

Despite the misinformation and confusion in the marketplace, growing entrepreneurship is fostering some new approaches that make a very real contribution not only to local conservation but also to community prosperity. There is a middle-ground to be found between those that eschew any kind of air travel to an eco-destination because of its immense carbon footprint and those that blithely lump any lodgings amid natural beauty in the ecotourism category.

Responsibletravel.com and the Long Run Destination, embrace a optimistic spirit that takes multiple players into account from the traveller to the hotel owner. The company, which booked US$14.4m worth of holidays in 2009, pursues what it calls responsible tourism, perhaps a better, less rigorous label for many seeking a conscientious travel experience.

“The ambition was to create a profitable international business, and to help re-invent travel and tourism – one of the world’s largest industries – for the benefit of travellers, the industry, and local people and conservation,” says Justin Francis, founder of the travel agency and former head of marketing of the Body Shop.

Users can search for and book travel through the site, but they can also read operators’ responsible travel policies, review how they meet responsible travel criteria, see how every trip benefits local people and the environment, and read independently published travellers’ feedback, which is used to help tour companies improve their practices.

Conversely, Long Run Destinations (LRDs), set up by the not-for-profit Zeitz Foundation, selects locations around the world that work on sustainable, mostly tourism-driven enterprises, while fostering community development and cultural stewardship. Currently, there are nine LRDs located across Brazil, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Kenya, Namibia, New Zealand, Sweden and Tanzania.

The Zeitz Foundation, in addition to offering an “ecosphere retreat” certification system, invests in initiatives that maintain or strengthen the integrity of ecosystems and their ability to deliver services, such as clean water and air, carbon sequestration, and healthy soils. It also develops new financing mechanisms to strengthen private sector involvement.

“Sustainability does not need to come at the sacrifice of economic prosperity,” says Jochen Zeitz, the founder of the organisation. “Through projects that balance conservation, community, culture and commerce, I hope to encourage a new model for sustainable development – one that shows how working toward ecosphere safety can be commercially viable.”

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in 1947, as France began the process of rebuilding a country torn apart by the Second World War, a couturier by the name of Christian Dior caused a scandal. Feminists argued that the fragile silhouette and cinched-in waistline of Dior’s “flower ladies” were impractical and the 10-80 yards of fabric needed to create the exaggerated silhouettes was nothing short of frivolous. As New Liberty magazine reported, the average woman preferred to buy food, while in Russia it was regarded as “an example of the deterioration of American capitalism”.

This season, the house’s current creative director, John Galliano, created a storm akin to his audacious predecessor as he sent a bevy of lithe, flower-like models swaying down the runway. Enrobed in swathes of silk and tulle, the laboriously detailed gowns were, as we have come to expect from Mr Galliano, absolute works of art. However, in the cyclical pattern of fashion, originally observed by Dior, it was not Galliano’s unquestionable talent that was under scrutiny, but its wearability.

As Susannah Frankel, of British newspaper The Independent, wrote: “With the West teetering on the brink of a double-dip recession and millions facing up to cutbacks and job losses, does anyone really need a floor-sweeping gown that looks like a tulip, took more than 500 person hours (and 270 metres of fabric) to make, and is priced at tens of thousands of pounds?” Haute couture is no stranger to derision, often written off as the folly of wealthy spouses and Hollywood A-listers, but there is so much more to it than that. This is what Paris’ couturiers and the Féderération Française de

la Couture du Prêt-à-Porter des Couturiers et des Créaters de Mode hopes to preserve.

France’s resistance to change can be frustrating, but it is also one of the country’s greatest strengths, as the French are inherently patrimonial, fiercely

protecting long-established artisanal skills like no other country in Europe. While the West

takes the moral high ground over slave labour – many top fashion companies

enjoy vast profits at the expense of underage and underpaid workers

toiling in sweatshops in developing countries – the craftsmen and

women of the haute couture ateliers receive respect, rights

and, of course, a decent salary compared to their overseas counterparts.

There is also the magic of haute

couture, which should never be underestimated. Watching the

theatricality of the costumes created by

the big houses like Christian Dior, Chanel and Jean Paul Gaultier is a

spectacular sight, guaranteed to grab headlines, but more importantly the twice-yearly presentations have become

justifiable marketing investments. Although the number of clients remains as guarded as haute couture itself, the allure of its quality, exclusivity and therefore desirability rubs off on

ready-to-wear sales and revenue made though licensed products from accessories to fragrances. In addition, PR garnered through front row and red carpet celebrity

endorsements is priceless. However, for the smaller couturiers that cannot

boast such lucrative licensing deals, such a costly exercise can be a gamble, as the closure of the house

of Christian Lacroix last year proved. Despite the ancillary

01 Franck Sorbier demonstrates the craftsmanship of haute couture.

02 Full-on glamour from red carpet favourite, Elie Saab.

03 youthful femininity from Alexis mabille

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This season Chaumet celebrated the tiara, featuring a collection of 200 tailor made tiaras.

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income from diffusion lines in ready-to-wear, home accessories and fragrances, the company reportedly never recorded a profit throughout its 20-year history.

While houses like Givenchy, Dior and Balenciaga operate within the security of luxury conglomerates LVMH or PPR, independent French couturier Franck Sorbier’s atelier, which is modest and has seen tough times during the recession, remains one of the best examples of the patrimony and craftsmanship that is the foundation of haute couture.

His collection of beautiful gowns constructed from recycled food packaging, discarded hat raffia and horsehair with flurries of silk organza, handmade Soltiss lace from Lyon and silk crepe, set an example to both the influx of guest members and to well-established houses of what haute couture is about. Maison Martin Margiela also followed a kind of “couture povera” style, created from recycled garments collected since the founding of the fashion house.

While the pomp and circumstance of Dior and Chanel’s shows are undoubtedly what keeps Paris’ two main couture houses and their star designers, Galliano and Karl Lagerfeld respectively, on top, over recent years it has been felt by some that such houses seem to have lost sight of the original purpose that the haute couture show serves. Historically the intimate shows that took place in the salons, witnessed by the chosen few, were to present new designs to clients, allowing such privileged customers to see each outfit up close before investing grand sums.

Ironically, it was not a budget-conscious newcomer, but the 21-year-old Maison Martin Margiela and the even older house of Valentino Garavani that opted for a more traditional, downscaled alternatives to the usual big-budget presentations. Set within the luxurious settings of the brand’s Paris headquarters in the prestigious Place Vendôme, Valentino’s new creative directors, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli, presented their third couture collection since their appointment in late 2008.

Valentino’s was a youthful collection, with 60s-inspired mini dresses and girlie flounces that is sure to appeal to the rising number of young couture clients. The most successful houses have been quick to tap into this growing market. As Carolina Castro, of Jean Paul Gaultier, notes:

sTyle

“They are getting younger and younger, many of them are in their 20s and 30s, and

usually come first with their mothers and then become regulars.”This season there was also a clear emphasis on

wearability and versatility. Designers presented separates, offering clients a haute couture capsule

collection. It was certainly a contemporary approach and judging by reports that the industry is finally seeing better days, maybe that’s exactly what it needs.

As Lebanese couturier and newcomer, Rabih Kayrouz, says: “Today’s clientele seek a new approach to ‘couture’,

one that is more accessible, less venerated and less restricted. They seek instant empathy and comfort in order to keep up modern life while benefiting from artisanal innovations and craftsmanship. In short: a

passion for couture moulded into the rigour of ready-to-wear.”

alexis maBille, one of the Fédération Française de la Couture’s guest members and a former protégé of the house of Dior, continued the ready-to-wear inspired theme with a

collection based predominantly on separates. Trademark bows adorned bolero jackets and neat lace tops, along with layers of tulle and silk chiffon. The effect was contemporary, youthful, wearable and incredibly chic.

Even Giorgio Armani Privé displayed plenty of daywear pieces, but it certainly didn’t lack the sophisticated glamour for which the Italian designer is famed. Ladylike suits with feminine, fitted peplum jackets evoked a 50s siren style. Paired with classic caramel coats and chunky wood and ceramic details, they exemplified the traditional luxury of haute couture, while responding to the modern-day demands of today’s couture wardrobe.

“Daywear is definitely as equally important as evening wear, particularly within Middle Eastern culture where the emphasis is on always looking your best, irrespective of whether it is day or night,” Kayrouz says.

Kayrouz seems to be on the right track, but will he be able to match the success of compatriot Elie Saab? Since making his Paris couture debut seven

01 Dior Fine Jewellery’s Coffret de Victoire earrings, designed by Dior’s famed haute joaillerie designer, Victoire de Castellane.

02 Plume Necklace, from Chanel’s Plumes de Chael from Chanel’s Fine Jewelry collection.

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years ago, Saab has risen to become one of biggest names, particularly among Middle Eastern clients – his strong point is that he designs for women.

If you’re looking for statement pieces go to Dior, but Saab has mastered the balance of glamour and commerciality admirably, and this season was no exception. His mix of trademark shiny red carpet gowns, sexy goddess dresses and heavily embellished kaftans that were modest for the Middle Eastern woman, were interspersed with nifty daywear ensembles, such as ruffled chiffon and frayed tweed suits. From A-list Oscar actresses to ladies who lunch, the couturier certainly knows his clients.

As part of the Fédération Française de la Couture’s efforts to get the rarefied industry back on track, haute joaillerie has been added to the mix. Previously restricted to the catwalk, or to low-key showroom appointments for privileged clients, for the past two seasons the haute joaillerie houses of Place Vendôme and rue de la Paix have opened their doors and collections to the public, offering a rare glimpse at exquisitely crafted bespoke and special edition jewels.

Costume jewellery crafted by master paruriers, such as Robert Goossens, Roger Scémama and the house of Gripoix – which continues to produce for Chanel, has always played an integral role throughout the history of haute couture. Today they continue to inspire fine jewellery, as the collections on view attested.

Chanel’s Plumes de Chanel collection took inspiration from the house’s iconic founder, while Chaumet celebrated the return of the tiara, as it delved into its collection of more than 2,000 produced by the house since the late 18th century. These extravagant adornments may appeal to young debutantes, but according to Diane-Sophie Lanselle of the 17th century joaillers, Mellerio dits Meller, Saudi clients mainly opt for rings and watches, due to strict dress codes.

Since the birth of ready-to-wear, haute couture’s future has seemed precarious, but does this upturn signal a winning formula on the part of the Fédération Française de la Couture, or is it just a lucky spell? How can the chosen few continue to produce creations worthy of their five-figure price tags?

Haute Couture designer Franck Sorbier believes that it is experience that keeps the clients coming back each season. “For the couture client,” he says, “coming to Paris for the sake of discovery is an important part of the quest.”

01 Flowing lines from Lebanese couturier Elie Saab.

02 Bague Caroline from mellerio dits meller’s Reines de Coeur collection, inspired by the pieces made by the jeweller for Caroline Bonaparte, sister of Napoleon and Queen of Naples, in the early 1800s.

03 Dior Fine Jewellery’s Précieuses rose earrings in white gold and diamonds.

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armed with skills akin to those of a couturier, and a design philosophy that reflects an equal commitment to thought and activism, Natalia Allen represents the future of the fashion industry.

The accolades that made her a rising star were immediate. In 2004, Allen was a recipient of the highly coveted Parsons Designer of the Year Award, a title she shares with designers such as Marc Jacobs. Soon after, she founded Design Futurist, a boutique design firm that creates technological and sustainable products with textile companies such as DuPont

for clothing companies such as Calvin Klein, Quiksilver and Donna Karan.

Her innovative approach quickly made her a central figure in the global conversation on design and sustainability. In 2009, the World Economic Forum honoured Allen with the title 0f Young Global Leader, and in 2010 Fast Company magazine named her one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business, an accolade she shares with luxury designer Tom Ford.

But despite its au courant-sounding cache, Allen reminds us that design futurism has ancient origins. “The origins of

science are found in the study of nature for knowledge and enjoyment. Historically, great thinkers wanted to understand the natural world and work with it. Today science generally rejects what is natural.

“My vision is perhaps uncommon for our time. I believe an understanding of how nature works is fundamental to problem solving in the built environment,” she says.

Allen stresses the importance of having a symbiotic relationship with nature: “I do not want to pave over, eradicate or isolate the natural world. I recognise our inter-dependency with nature and am much more interested in learning from it.”

She also references the importance of biomimicry, seeing it as “a tool for innovation that enables a constant study and adaptation of nature for the improvement of modern human life”.

“Using its principles, I have collaborated with engineers to develop new products made from light-emitting textiles and organic water resistant fabrics,” she adds.

Allen works in an industry that sells visions and ideas about beauty, and she is re-imagining what they should be. Frequently lecturing around the globe, she shares her expertise on sustainable design and production with audiences at Davos, Wearable Futures and Textiles the Next Horizon.

“I often refer to the work of George Santayana, who noted that beauty adds to a life in as much as the lack thereof takes away. In a world with many problems, it is easy to forget that the wonder of beauty is a gift with the potential to make life better.”

Her perspective is rooted in important philosophical considerations, as well as technological expertise. “In my opinion, there are two general types of beauty: One that is objective and can be explained by math and science, and the other is subjective and unique to the participant. When designing, I reflect upon both objective and subjective beauty. Considerations such as scale, color and shape can pleasure or disturb the eye. I also bring my cultural and personal tastes to the table: I am both an urban dweller and world surfer.”

According to the design futurist, what lies ahead is ambiguous. “I hope that my generation rises to the unprecedented challenges it has inherited with great success,” she says.

Allen understands these trials by making a nod to the past. “In one century, nations were designed to waste and destroy a limited supply of natural resources necessary for life. Today, there is a moral bankruptcy that is threatening our global prosperity and well-being.”

She sees the description of environmental problems as just being part of a trend as a concern: “Sustainability may be viewed as a trend, but it is an environmental and economic imperative.”

Allen also suggests that the answers aren’t easy. “The challenge ahead will be motivating a majority to make the difficult decisions required to significantly improve our situation.”

Still, she has high hopes: “I already see dramatic changes taking place. New businesses are leveraging technologies to manufacture more efficiently. Disruptive innovations are changing how products are packaged and distributed, and new business models are inviting employees to become owners. I believe these bright spots will soon become one bright light.”

AS THe AMbASSADor To THe WorLD eCoNoMIC foruM’S INDuSTry AgeNDA CouNCIL oN CoNSuMer ProDuCTS AND A MeMber of A SoCIAL veNTure NeTWork, DeSIgN fuTurIST NATALIA ALLeN HAS ProveN THAT fASHIoN DoeSN’T NeeD To be frIvoLouS.

The design fuTurisTwriTTen By joanne molina

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A NeW PHoTogrAPHy CoMPeTITIoN HAS SougHT To CAPTure THe eSSeNCe of 21ST-CeNTury SAuDI ArAbIA THrougH THe eyeS of ITS INHAbITANTS.

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for a counTry so well known in the media, few people have an accurate grasp of what Saudi Arabia really looks like. As an attempt to present a real picture of 21st-century Saudi Arabia to the wider world, this year SAGIA, in collaboration with THINK magazine, launched the country’s very first National Photographic Competition.

“We believe that art is a reflection of creativity and innovation; it is most importantly a universal language, that bridges between countries, cultures and people,” says Fahd M Hamiddadin, marketing and communication manager at SAGIA, part of the team who established the competition. “[We are] proud to communicate Saudi Arabia’s development and transformation that unveils exceptional business opportunities. And there is no better means of communication than the art captured by the lenses of talented people living in Saudi Arabia.”

Entrants were invited to submit images that showcase the Kingdom’s development, design, economy, innovation,

people, arts and culture. A panel of expert judges were then called upon to select the winning photographs.

With a torrent of entries of an extraordinarily high standard, the jury had the difficult task of selecting a winner for the US$15,000 first prize. After much wrangling, it was awarded to Abdulmajeed Ali Althiban for his stand-out image of an ocean of dunes, entitled Sand Waves.

The former painter has dedicated himself to “documenting and capturing moments for many generations” over a photographic career of just five years to date. Speaking of his decision to enter, Althiban says: “It’s a new competition with worthy prizes and a multinational jury. I was impressed by the panel and it was great to be rated by those creative minds; it’s a wonderful experience for any photographer.”

 It was the scale of his work that impressed the judges. “I think Sand Waves is the best picture as it captures the wildness of this country in harmony with the common citizen in a delicate symbiosis,” says judge Daniel Bernardo.

01 New Makkah City, Saeed Salem (12th place).02 Umm al-Qura University, hatem Abdulrazaq haneef

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01 58, mohammed Rashed Al-Buainain (10th place).

02 510, Abdullah Altihani (14th place).

03 Prophet’s Mosque, Bayan muhammad al-manea (3rd place).

04 History and Civilization, Dhafer moshabab hasen Alshehri (4th place).

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“The observer is invited to reflect about the scale of a landscape that emanates grace. The monochromatic theme reinvents itself every second through infinite variations of form and tone and pace.”

Echoing these sentiments, fellow panel-member Rachel Hotchkiss adds: “This stunning image captures the vast and impressive natural beauty of Saudi Arabia. It is a proud, bold image that is beautifully composed and well executed.”

Second prize was awarded to Hatem Haneef for his graphic representation of Saudi architecture. “This simple, graphic black and white image features Saudi Arabian architecture with a modern twist,” judge Adam Scholes says.

A relative newcomer to photography, Haneef was astonished with the results, but says that he finds inspiration in natural and man-made beauty alike. “I like to photograph the beauty of nature, the beauty of people, the beauty of what Allah has made for us. Anything that you stand before and can say nothing but ‘wow’,” he says.

With the bar set so high in its opening year, the next round of the annual competition promises to be even more impressive.

01 Poverty, habeeb Jawad Al haddad (9th place).02 Tales Do Not Forget, Adel Abdarahman hamed

Al-Ghamdi (11th place).03 Running For Life, Abdulmajeed Aljuhani (6th place).04 Life of Authenticity, Abdullah mutlaq Al Balawi

(7th place).05 Urban Development, Faisal mushref Alshehri (13th place).06 1231, Saud Basheer Al Jethli (5th place).07 Spring-Arrival, mohsen mohammed al-Dajani (8th place).

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iva BaBajaDesigner and photographer, vice-president, icograda/ international Design AllianceIva babaja has worked extensively as a photographer, art director and freelance designer for major advertising agencies, publishers and cultural institutions. She is currently creative director at the euro rSCg agency in Zagreb, working for many local and international clients. Her work has been included in many exhibitions and publications internationally.

She is founder and president of the Association for Promotion of visual Culture and Communication, and has worked extensively on the organisation and execution of ZgrAf and many other international exhibitions and projects. babaja is also a member of Croatian Designers Society, Association of Artists of Applied Arts and Art Directors Club New york. Since 2007, she has served as a vice-president of Icograda, a partner of the International Design Alliance.

hrh Princess reem al faisal Photographer, www.reemalfaisal.comA member of the Saudi royal family, Princess reem Al faisal was born in Jeddah and now lives between Jeddah and Paris. After graduating from Manarat High School in Jeddah, she studied Arabic Literature at the king Abdul Aziz university before leaving to pursue a photography career in france at the Speos School.

daniel BernardoLead designer and creative director, inskin Media Daniel bernardo is lead designer and creative director of InSkin Media, an innovative media agency based in London. He is also co-founder and chief designer of Lodren Studio, an independent experimental Design House in brazil.

bernardo’s cultural and artistic background includes social and environmental design, art

direction (european Institute of Design, IeD, Torino, Italy), anthropology/sociology and history of art and culture (Pe federal university, brazil). With an interest in photography, anthropology and cultural relations, bernardo brings cultural sensitiveness and design profession to the THINk Saudi Arabia Photography Competition. He is based in London with frequent travel to Milan, Sao Paulo and Torino.

rachel hoTchkissCreative director, image source Prior to joining Image Source, rachel Hotchkiss held senior creative positions at image agencies in Ireland and New york. She studied art at Central St Martins in London and then graduated from edinburgh College of Art (Heriot-Watt university) with a bA (Hons) in art and design in 1996. She has also graduated from New york university with an MA in studio art. Hotchkiss personal photographic work has been exhibited in galleries in New york, California and London.

andrea sPringer Programme director, World Design Capital Andrea Springer is an accomplished international management professional with a strong track record in the creative industries. A

strategic and creative thinker, she comes with extensive experience that includes corporate communications, international relations and partnership development. She currently works for the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design as the programme director for the World Design Capital programme – an initiative which seeks to showcase cities that have leveraged design as a tool to improve social, cultural and economic development.

adam scholesGlobal creative director, JWT  Adam Scholes has done some award-winning work for Lynx and Murphy’s, launching Levi’s “twisted jeans” and projecting a 300 metre-high woman onto The Houses of Parliament in London. In 2000, David Droga invited him over to Saatchi and Saatchi. He is now global creative director at JWT, but still enjoys contributing to the creative work. A campaign for golden Skins crisps won a D&AD pencil and Poster of the year at The Campaign Poster Awards. Last year, an anti-drink driving film for MTv, Idiots, received half a million hits on you Tube and won more awards including a Cyber Lion at Cannes.

michal j sTeckiwJury panel moderator & consultant, projects managerCreative professional and photographer, founder of MJS Creative, Michal Steckiw has been working as a project manager and consultant for various companies in the creative industry and international design bodies in Canada, britain and Poland. recently he has been working on Design Weeks in Qatar, Australia, Cuba, Italy and Spain and the World Design Congress in beijing. MJS Creative is a project management consultancy. Steckiw is affiliated with the International Council of graphic Design Associations, Supremum group multimedia agency and Dreamstime stockphotography.

fahd hamiddadinGeneral Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications, sAGiAfahd Hamidaddin is chief of marketing and corporate communications at SAgIA. regarded as an accomplished speaker and presenter, his background includes 10 years in the corporate world with a focus on Marketing and business Development. under his stewardship, SAgIA has been awarded over five global and regional awards for best strategic campaigns and advertising websites.

Among his significant previous positions, Hamidaddin effectively co-founded a database business. In 2008, he was elected as a judge at the Maribelle Advertising Award for MeNA. Hamidaddin holds a degree in industrial management from king fahad university for Petroleum and Minerals and his international business career developed through programmes in Stanford for executive studies. In his current role, Hamidaddin is responsible for creating and implementing SAgIA’s communication strategy with the goal of enticing knowledge based industries to the biggest economy in the gulf.

The Panel

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mayor Antonio Villaraigosa wants to dramatically increase Los Angeles’ renewable energy sources over the next decade, and he may have found a way.

Swedish architect Mans Tham believes he has a successful plan in which solar power could play a key role in meeting those needs, while generating thousands of new jobs and changing the way the city looks.

Tham, who is also an urban strategist, has pointed out that the installation of solar panels on the roofs of private and public buildings will provide only a limited amount of power. So, as well as these relatively small-scale endeavours, why not also construct ‘solar serpents’ over the 800km network of existing roads, thereby turning freeways into power plants?

These tunnels would be covered in solar panels which could generate colossal amounts of electricity. The Santa Monica highway, for example, has an average width of 40

A SWeDISH ArCHITeCT’S AMbITIouS PLAN for HArveSTINg SoLAr PoWer uSINg roADWAy TuNNeLS CovereD

IN PHoTovoLTAIC PANeLS.

metres for its 24 km length, and could accommodate the equivalent of more than 600,000 domestic market panels. These could potentially meet the power demands of an entire medium-sized city, with minimal transmission costs.

These serpents – constructed over roads built on public land, with existing access points for maintenance – would provide shade, thereby decreasing the use of air conditioning on sunny days, and also lessen the UV degradation of paved surfaces.

Another spin-off would be the construction of ‘Power Place’ charging stations for electric cars under main road overpasses.

And CO2 rich air on the road could be piped into linear-covered algae ponds alongside the freeway. These in turn would create ‘green jobs’, such as the farming, harvesting and processing of biofuels, in areas that, by the nature of their proximity to freeways, are traditionally disadvantaged.

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bOOKsreviews By laura collacoTT

The why of workBy Dave Ulrich and Wendy UlrichAt some stage in your career, chances are you have asked yourself “Why?” as you’ve struggled to your desk armed with a sugar-laden bagel and strong coffee. Authors Dave and Wendy ulrich suggest in this book that managers can tap that vein of thought and use it to motivate, engage and inspire their employees.

Prominent business writer Stephen Covey rightly praises the book’s pertinent suggestions for fostering a culture of common purpose, pointing out that this is critical to a successful organisation.

In writing the book, the psychologist and management pair interviewed thousands of people across the working hierarchy.

managemenT sTraTegies for The cloud revoluTionBy Charles BabcockHow much do you let google do for you? Search? Do you hold your email account with the internet giant? Have you accessed their calendar service? Do you use picasa? If you do, it’s likely to be in part because you enjoy the convenience of being able to log on to your documents, emails and images regardless of where you are. That’s more or less the concept of “cloud computing” that babcock tackles in this book. In the not-too-distant future, tech-heads believe that home computers will no longer hold individual files and a surfeit of corruptible software. They call it the biggest game-changer since the creation of the internet.

earTh inc: using naTure’s rules To Build susTainaBle ProfiTsBy Gregory UnruhIn contrast to khanna and Palepu’s book, earth Inc focuses less on ruthless capitalism and more on the softer – but no less business-minded – principle of sustainability.

unruh recognises the modern day conflict between wanting to progress your business goals and acting in an environmentally friendly, socially responsible manner. He aims to counter the clash by recommending eco-friendly practices that also foster profitability.

“business sustainability? embed it and forget it,” he says. unruh believes that sustainability can be “solved” and is a destination, not a journey.

winning in emerging markeTs: a road maP for sTraTegy and execuTionBy Tarun Khanna and Krishna PalepuIf you’ve worked in any emerging markets you will know what khanna and Palepu mean when they talk of institutional voids – no credit card systems, creaky banking services, lack of intellectual property rights, few data research firms. but the pair, who have 15 years of experience in the field, argue that these same challenges can be exploited for commercial advantage.

Their research pulls together strategies for how to spot useful development gaps and either fill them or devise cunning ways to take advantage of them.

When it opens in 2013, the Library of Birmingham, designed by avant-garde Dutch architects mecanoo, will be Britain’s biggest ever public library. At a cost of over US$300 million, the 31,000 square metres glass and steel facility will centre around an airy atrium filled with touch-sensitive computer screens and regularly changing exhibitions.

wriTTen By elsa mclaren

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The search for extraterrestrial life has fascinated the public for

decades. The subject of countless films and books, it has also baffled the science community and seen billions of dollars spent in the quest to find intelligent life on another planet.

Nick Pope, who ran the British Government’s UFO project for the Ministry of Defence (MoD), is regarded as one of the world’s leading experts on UFOs, the unexplained and conspiracy theories. Initially sceptical, his research and investigation into UFOs, as well as his access to classified government files, eventually convinced him the phenomenon was real.

“These are the real-life X-Files,” Pope says of the MoD files which were released in 2008. “Most UFO sightings had conventional explanations, but a small percentage remained unexplained. These included cases where UFOs were seen by police officers, chased by pilots and tracked on radar.”

Applying the knowledge he has acquired in this space to the business community, be believes the search for alien life can be regarded as a low probability/high impact scenario. At the upcoming Global Competitiveness Forum, hosted by the Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority, Pope is speaking about the various ways in which people and organisations search for extraterrestrial life.

“The search involves innovative thinking...it also involves competitiveness, on the basis that not all these programs attract funding and many are, effectively, in competition with each other when it comes to attracting official funding and/or private donation,” he says.

During the three years he worked exclusively on the UFO project, Pope investigated between 200 and 300 reported sightings a year, but admits he has never seen a UFO himself.

His most high-profile case involved Britain’s most famous UFO sighting – the Rendlesham Forest incident, which took place in December 1980. Pope took on a cold-case review in 1994 and concluded that the original investigation had been fatally flawed. However, he was unable to reach a definitive conclusion on what took place and the case remains unexplained to this day.

More recently Pope has investigated various conspiracy theories including the events surrounding 9/11, the death of Princess Diana, the moon landings and the assassination of John F Kennedy. But it is the UFO programme that remains his greatest passion.

oNe of THe WorLD’S LeADINg exPerTS oN ufoS, NICK POPE beLIeveS THe key To HuMAN SurvIvAL LIeS IN SPACe.

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