WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017 BUSINESS

KUWAIT: Daniel Khayat, MEA HTC Product Manager, speaks during HTC U Play HTC U Ultra the interview. HTC to unveil new in Kuwait HTC U Ultra and HTC U Play challenge everything that people expect from smartphones

By Faten Omar The HTC U series features the best in class company for 2017 and is a premium offering. phone will learn your travel route so if you have ficial intelligence, the HTC Sense Companion cameras with both main cameras featuring HTC U Ultra features a 5.7-inch display, a virtual a flight and there is heavy traffic outside, it will gets to know you through machine learning to KUWAIT: HTC, a global leader in mobile inno- optical image stabilization, phase detection assistant and a secondary screen above the tell you that you are going to be late,” Khayat present customized and personalized sugges- vation and design, unveiled its new smart- autofocus (PDAF), a dual-tone LED flash and regular one. The 5.7-inch display is a super LCD said. He added that HTC U Ultra uses a sonar tions and quietly support you in your pursuit of phone series, HTC U with two new models, the pro-mode among others. The HTC U Ultra 5 screen with a QHD resolution. The 2-inch technology headset to analyze a person’s brilliance,” Khayat explained. HTC U Ultra, which is a flagship phone and HTC comes with a 12MP ultra main camera screen above it offers a resolution of 160x1040 unique inner ear to adapt to you and the noise Khayat confirmed that HTC will bring the U Play. Incomparably beautiful to look at and and the HTC U Play features a 16MP main cam- and can be used to show contacts, notifica- levels around you and this feature enhances the latest revolutionary smartphones to Kuwait. hold with the technology and to era. Both devices include a 16MP selfie camera tions, music controls, and so on. This way you experience sound through the deliv- HTC continues to push the limit of the per- match, the HTC U series challenges everything with a wide-angle lens for panorama selfies comes with a glass finish, which ery of clear and superior audio. formance and advanced features of its smart- that people expect from smartphones. “In and the option to switch to an ultrapixel mode the company calls ‘Liquid Construction’. “HTC introduces the HTC Sense Companion, phones, making them the ideal smartphones March, HTC will launch its newest smartphone for unparalleled light sensitivity. The HTC U Ultra includes four microphones which is a personal companion that is consis- to support business users and complement the series in Kuwait - the 5.7-inch HTC U Ultra and The brilliantly designed and powerful new on the device, which capture positional sound tently learning from the user, with voice recog- lifestyle of consumers in general. “It is bringing the 5.2-inch HTC U Play smartphones,” Daniel series is beautifully 3D contoured with a liquid and allow for immersive audio recordings. “It is nition capabilities. The phone features voice genuine choice to the category by delivering Khayat, MEA HTC Product Manager, told the surface that’s designed to reflect the best you. meant to learn your habits and tune the recognition, so it can actually recognize your stunning design and high-end performance at Kuwait Times yesterday. The HTC U Ultra is the first device from the phone’s behavior accordingly. For example, the voice and respond to commands. Through arti- unbelievable value,” Khayat added. ITS Group appoints Essam Al-Khashnam as CEO

KUWAIT: International Turnkey during his tenure at the CBK. ITS Systems Group (ITS), affiliated to Group, which was established in Kuwait Finance House (KFH) 1981, offers world class quality IT announced the appointment of solutions and services for more Kuwaiti national, Essam Al- than 75 banking and financial insti- Khashnam as Chief Executive tutions, in addition to several Officer. This comes in line with the clients in the government and oil company’s efforts to improve its sectors. ITS implements solutions businesses and services in the for clients throughout the Middle Middle East and the world, not to ing his career. He holds a Bachelor’s East, South Africa, and the mention to achieve further mile- degree in Computer Engineering Caribbean through high caliber stones in providing high end inte- from the University of the Pacific staff that includes 1200 experts grated IT solutions and software (United States) in 1991. He com- and specialists in 7 offices around services for several sectors such as pleted Strategic Management and the world. MUMBAI: Natarajan Chandrasekaran, the new chairman of Tata Group, the financial and banking sectors. Successful Management studies at Moreover, ITS Group received arrives at Bombay House the conglomerate’s headquarters to take charge in Al-Khashnam enjoys 25 -year the Harvard University. many international appreciations Mumbai yesterday. India salt-to-steel conglomerate Tata Sons’ new chair- long experience in the fields of IT, Al-Khashnam served as and awards in the field of informa- man Natarajan Chandrasekaran took over officially following the company’s management, marketing and busi- Manager of the IT Strategic tion technology such as “Best ness development. This comes in Provider of Information Technology” acrimonious management dispute with its former chief. —AFP Planning Department at the line with ITS Group’s plans and aspi- Essam Al-Khashnam Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK). He from CPI Financial, “Best IT rations towards further growth and Information Technology and soft- held many senior positions in dif- Institution for Islamic Financial comprehensive development. Al- ware solutions. He is credited with ferent companies specialized in Consultancies 2016” and Best IT Export firms tell US Congress Khashnam is considered as a the innovation and management of the IT sector. He was working Provider for Islamic Financial to push tax code rewrite notable figure in the field of several advanced IT solutions dur- closely with the banking sector Institutions 2016” from GIFA.

WASHINGTON: Chief executive officers of retailers and auto manufacturers, against 16 companies, including Boeing Co, those that export much of their goods and Caterpillar Inc and General Electric Co, have therefore support the tax code changes. urged the US Congress to pass a compre- A group of retail CEOs met last week hensive tax code rewrite, including a con- with President Donald Trump and congres- troversial border tax. In a letter to sional leaders to argue against the border Republican and Democratic leadership yes- adjustment tax. Trump is expected to terday, the CEOs said a Republican-pro- release his own tax proposal in the coming posed border adjustment tax would make weeks. While he has said the border adjust- US-manufactured products more competi- ment tax is too “complicated,” his adminis- tive abroad and at home by making import- tration has said taxing goods from Mexico ed goods face the same level of taxation. could fund construction of a wall along the “If we miss this chance to fundamentally nation’s southern border. reshape the tax code, it might take another The letter supporting the border tax was 30 years before we have another chance to signed by 16 CEOs: Dennis Muilenburg of try,” the group of CEOs wrote in the letter, Boeing, John Coors of CoorsTek, Jim according to a copy that Reuters obtained. Umpleby of Caterpillar, Andrew Liveris of It is the latest move in a back-and-forth lob- Dow Chemical Co, Mark Rohr of Celanese bying effort from companies that proposed Corp; Jeffrey Immelt of GE, Mark Alles of changes to the tax code would affect. Celgene Corp, David Ricks of Eli Lilly and Co Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan , Tony Simmons of McIlhenny Co, Thomas has proposed lowering the corporate Kennedy of Raytheon Co, Kenneth Frazier income tax to 20 percent from 35 percent, of Merck & Co Inc, Douglas Peterson of S&P imposing a 20 percent tax on imports and Global Inc, Safra Catz of Oracle Corp, excluding export revenue from taxable Gregory Hayes of United Technologies Corp income. The proposal has pitted large US , Ian Read of Pfizer Inc and Dow Wilson of corporations that require imports, like Varian Medical Systems Inc. —Reuters PSA will existing Opel job guarantees SURABAYA: Indonesian job seekers visit a job exhibition in Surabaya yesterday. According to the Indonesian bureau of Statistics FRANKFURT/PARIS: PSA Group has the UK and in Spain resulting in at least pledged to respect existing Opel and 5,000 manufacturing job cuts. In the end, (BPS), Indonesia’s economic 2016 grew 5.02 percent higher than 2015 at 4.88 percent. —AFP Vauxhall job guarantees if it buys the an integrated General Motors Europe will European arm of General Motors, likely have 20 to 30 percent fewer work- though some analysts say thousands of ers,” Evercore analysts said in a note. Saudi sees deflation in over jobs are eventually likely to go for the Germany accounts for about half of deal to work. Opel’s 38,000 staff, while 4,500 are in As part of a broader charm offensive, Britain where Opel operates as Vauxhall. PSA Chief Executive Carlos Tavares met Two sources close to PSA told Reuters a decade, may be short-lived with representatives of powerful German last week that job and plant cuts were labor union IG Metall and Opel’s European part of the tie-up talks, with the two works council on Monday to discuss the Vauxhall sites in Britain in the front line. Low oil prices slash govt spending impact of any deal on existing sites. Paris-based PSA said in an emailed “PSA Group reaffirmed its commitment statement it planned to work closely with DUBAI: Consumer price deflation hit Saudi Arabia because of a strong US dollar, to which the Saudi The government plans to raise fees for foreign- to respect the existing agreements in the Opel unions including IG Metall to “find a in January for the first time in over a decade, offi- riyal is pegged. The kingdom imports much of its ers’ work permits and their dependents’ visas, European countries and to continue the path to the creation of a European cham- cial data showed yesterday, but plans for basic foods. A third factor was the government’s starting this year, and intends to introduce a 5 dialogue with all parties,” Peugeot maker pion with Franco-German roots.” increased state revenues mean prices are unlikely decision to raise prices of domestic fuel and utili- percent value-added tax in the first quarter of PSA said in a statement yesterday. “Tavares communicated convincingly to continue falling for more than a few months. ties around the end of 2015 in order to cut its next year. General Motors (GM) has pledged not to in the talks that he is interested in a sus- Prices fell 0.4 percent from a year earlier last budget deficit. Those hikes dropped out of calcu- Also, the non-oil economy appears to be impose forced redundancies on some of tainable development for Opel/Vauxhall month, their first drop since the early 2000s, and lations in January this year, causing a sudden recovering moderately as the government its German workforce until the of end as an independent company,” European decreased 0.2 percent from December, the decrease of inflation. resumes paying its debts to the private sector, 2018, IG Metall said, while some existing works council chief Wolfgang Schaefer- Central Department of Statistics said. after a freeze on many payments for most of last agreements about building certain mod- Klug said in a separate statement. The falls were partly due to the weakness of Pressure up year. The recovery will boost underlying price els at Opel stretch beyond 2020. Britain’s Unite union has yet to receive the Saudi economy, where low oil prices have Pressure for prices to rise is expected to pressures, London-based Capital Economics said However, some analysts say PSA will assurances from PSA officials regarding slashed the government’s export revenues and increase within months, however. The govern- in a report. eventually need to make big cuts to turn the possible takeover of Vauxhall, with forced it to cut spending. ment plans another round of fuel price increases “We think this period of deflation is likely to around loss-making Opel and sister brand the first opportunity at the works council Last year’s economic slowdown pushed retail- in mid-2017 and has said it will impose a 50 per- prove short-lived,” said Capital Economics, which Vauxhall in a European car industry that on Wednesday followed by a meeting ers and many other companies into discounting cent tax on soft drinks and a 100 percent levy on has predicted inflation will bounce back above has struggled for years with overcapacity. between Tavares and union head Len their products. Food and beverage prices sank 4.2 tobacco and energy drinks in the second quarter 4.0 percent after the value-added tax is intro- “It’s about hard restructuring in Germany, McCluskey in London on Friday. —Reuters percent from a year earlier in January partly of this year. duced. —Reuters