Deals of the Week: Mashreq centre to help entrepreneurs


Alice Haine
  • English
  • Arabic

Running a small business in the UAE can be hard work for any budding entrepreneur which is why Mashreq bank has launched a dedicated contact centre for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) to ease the burden.

Mashreq, one of the UAE's leading financial institutions, says the centre will act as a single point of contact for all SMEs with customer service queries handling issues such as account maintenance, updating trade licences, chequebook issuance and inward and outward remittances. The SME-dedicated staff will also be able to advise clients on trade-related services such as factoring and cash management products.

The new centre comes on the back of Mashreq's recent launch of its Majestic SME Finance product offering flexible business loans and trade finance, highlighting the bank's commitment to supporting SME owners.

For more information, contact Mashreq SME call centre on 04 4244763

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Fancy winning one of 10 brand new Mazda 3 models or a lump sum of cash? Then head along to your nearest Al Ansari Exchange.

The UAE's largest exchange house network has just launched its winter promotion, which will see 100 winners walk away with a share of Dh1 million in cash or a brand-new car. To be in with a chance, simply pop along to any of Al Ansari Exchange's 100 branches, carry out a transaction and you will automatically be entered into the electronic raffle. Any customers purchasing National Bonds or making Cash Express transactions will be entitled to two raffle entries.

The lucky winners will be picked from a draw on January 8 next year.

For more information log onto www.alansariuae.com

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Leading local and international banks across the UAE have welcomed the imminent introduction of the International Bank Account Number (IBAN) in the UAE.

Mashreq, Standard Chartered Bank, Emirates NBD, Citibank and Union National Bank UNB) have all lauded the new system which they say is a safer, easier and faster way to carry out electronic transactions.

"IBAN has proven to be an effective method to minimise the risk of transfer errors and reduce payment delays at both sending and receiving banks," says Atiq Ur Rehman, chief executive, Middle East & Pakistan, Citibank. "With IBAN, the UAE is maintaining its record of applying global standards in fund transfer security."

IBAN, which will come into effect in the UAE on November 19, will be the single standard for identifying all bank accounts in the UAE. It has already been adopted by more than 50 countries worldwide and the Central Bank's current system for domestic transactions and salary payments will be revamped to enable the full adoption of IBAN by the second quarter of 2012.

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MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League, last-16, second leg (first-leg scores in brackets):

PSG (2) v Manchester United (0)

Midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports

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Citizenship-by-investment programmes

United Kingdom

The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).

All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.

The Caribbean

Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport. 

Portugal

The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.

“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.

Greece

The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.

Spain

The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.

Cyprus

Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.

Malta

The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.

The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.

Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.

Egypt 

A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.

Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties

Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Contracted list

Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Matt Renshaw, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye.

Total eligible population

About 57.5 million people
51.1 million received a jab
6.4 million have not

Where are the unvaccinated?

England 11%
Scotland 9%
Wales 10%
Northern Ireland 14% 

Genesis G80 2020 5.0-litre Royal Specs

Engine: 5-litre V8

Gearbox: eight-speed automatic

Power: 420hp

Torque: 505Nm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.4L/100km

Price: Dh260,500

Match info

Karnataka Tuskers 110-3

J Charles 35, M Pretorius 1-19, Z Khan 0-16

Deccan Gladiators 111-5 in 8.3 overs

K Pollard 45*, S Zadran 2-18