Jovago Supports BrandArena, Gives 25% Discount On Nigerian Hotel Booking To Its Readers

With the support of Africa’s largest online hotel booking platform jovago.com , local audience of BrandArena (http://brandarena.blogspot.com/), a brand and marketing blog in Nigeria, can now enjoy 25% discount off their first hotel booking.

To enjoy these benefits, the blog readers are to send the code 'BRANDARENA' to discount@jovago.com for their unique code when making their booking.

According to Miss Chinelo Ngene, Head of Marketing and Public Relations at jovago.com , the blog readers will get a 25% discount off their first Nigerian hotel booking and subsequent 5% when they use the code.

"This is part of our little way of showing our appreciation to our teeming readers who have always been with us since we started this weblog in 2011", says Mr. Oloyede Lukmon Moyosore, the founder of BrandArena.

He pledged that the platform will continue to feed all brand savvy readers with news update from product launch to events, product review, digital and multicultural marketing, sports branding, art, agency rankings, and also give exclusive reports on arising marketing communications matters.

Liverpool’s LFCTV to launch new HD channel, moves to subscription model

English Premier League football club Liverpool's LFCTV will be launching a brand new HD channel, providing bigger and better content for fans 24 hours a day.

It will also alter its in-house television channel LFCTV from a free-to-air to subscription-based model when it re-launches next month.

The new-look channel will launch on Tuesday 4 November with live feeds from Spain’s capital city as the team take on Real Madrid.

The club says the first day will include live broadcasts from the Spanish capital. In return for the £84 a year service fans will get to see “a new-look interactive studio, regular live news bulletins from Melwood training ground every day, more behind the scenes access, exclusive interviews, features and documentaries.”

The club also claim: “Match days will be like never before, with extended pre-match build up and post- match analysis with Anfield legends, extensive coverage from every European Liverpool game and full match replays of every First Team game. Fans will also get exclusive, live coverage of all U21s and U18s home fixtures as well as coverage of the Liverpool Ladies’ season.”

O'Keeffe To Become New MD at Guinness as Adetu Bows Out

Guinness Nigeria Plc, a subsidiary of Diageo Plc, has announced that Mr. Seni Adetu will be bow out as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the company in November.

After two and half years in the position, Mr. Adetu will be replaced by Mr. John O’Keeffe.

Mr. John O’Keefe has been in Diageo for over 20 years, and has had a very strong career. He started his career as a graduate trainee for Guinness Ireland, holding many marketing roles in Ireland before moving to Jamaica as Marketing Director.

“Having completed his assignment, Adetu will report to Nick Blazquez, President, Diageo Africa and Asia, starting January 2015. The details of Seni’s next role will be the subject of a further announcement,” a statement from the company says.

"During his time in the role, he creditably led the business and successfully completed the expansion project and commenced a major transformation in the company’s Route-to-Consumer," it went on.

Airtel introduces free mobile access to Twitter

Bharti Airtel’s prepaid customers in Kenya will now be able to access Twitter on their mobile phones for free till 15th January 2015, enabling them to enjoy posting Tweets, keeping up with news and what’s happening across the world.

This limited period Twitter offer by Airtel will allow customers to enjoy free access to Twitter through web browsers by visiting http://mobile.twitter.com and official Twitter Android app and This offer is only available for android users and subscribers using BlackBerry handset will not be able to avail this offer.

With over a hundred million of active users worldwide, Twitter is an information network that connects people everywhere to what’s most meaningful to them. People can share and read Tweets of up to 140 characters, which can also include photos, videos or links to websites and news stories.

While announcing the new offer, Airtel Kenya CEO Adil El Youssefi said, “Customers are increasingly relying on the mobile devices for accessing everything from emails to music to social networks. In conjunction with this trend, we are pleased to introduce 3 months of free access to Twitter to our prepaid customers. Our customers will now be able to enjoy Twitter’s rich interface on their mobile web browsers free of charge. This initiative will introduce new users to an exciting world of possibilities that mobile internet enables, thus providing an impetus to data services market”.

President Jonathan Appoints Bernard Otti as First Deputy GMD of NNPC

President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the creation of a new office of Deputy Group Managing Director in the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

According to a statement obtained by our correspondent which was issued by the Presidential Spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati,  he said that in furtherance of ongoing efforts to transform the NNPC into a commercially-driven entity, President  Jonathan has approved the creation of a new office of Deputy Group Managing Director of the corporation.

Otti is currently the NNPC’s  Group Executive Director (Finance and Accounts). He will still retain the Group Executive Director (Finance and Accounts) of the corporation. Mr Otti hails from Anambra State.

He has held senior positions in some of the largest financial institutions in Nigeria and internationally, and has also served on the boards of numerous public and private institutions.

The new office of Deputy Group Managing Director is expected to strengthen the corporate governance structure of the NNPC and help ensure that value for money and return on investment increasingly become key factors in all operational decisions.

Total appoints Patrick Pouyanné Global CEO

Christophe Margerie

The Board of Directors of Total of France has named Patrick Pouyanné its Chief Executive to succeed Christophe de Margerie, who died in an airplane accident in Moscow on the night of October 20-21, 2014.

Patrick Pouyanné, Total’s President of Refining & Chemicals, was selected by Total’s board in Paris today (22 October) to be the company’s new CEO and President. The board of dircetors also appointed a new chairman, Thierry Desmarest. Today, Total’s board also paid homage to its former chairman and CEO, describing him as an “exceptional human.”

“He dedicated his brilliant career to the development of the group, enabling its glowing success in the oil and gas sector and more recently in solar energy,” Total said in a statement.

“The exceptional human and professional qualities that Christophe de Margerie exhibited during his time at Total were largely responsible for the success of the Group.”

Alcatel-Lucent closes sale of Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise to China Huaxin

Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) announced today that it has closed the sale of its subsidiary Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise to China Huaxin Post & Telecommunication Economy Development Center. Cash proceeds to Alcatel-Lucent are Eur 202 million.

As previously announced, Alcatel-Lucent will retain a 15% minority stake in the divested business, as well as maintaining a commercial relationship with it in support of its growth ambitions under new ownership.

The divestment of Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise forms part of Alcatel-Lucent’s commitments under The Shift Plan, launched in June 2013, to refocus itself as a specialist in IP, Cloud and Ultra-Broadband Access, while realigning its balance sheet, implementing cost savings of Euro 1 billion and generating at least Euro 1 billion through selective asset sales by the end of 2015.

Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise is a world leader in communications and networking solutions for businesses of allsizes, serving more than 500,000 customers worldwide.

Zuriel Oduwole featured in COMPLETE FASHION MAGAZINE

Arguably Nigeria's most detailed and professional glossy fashion magazine with a who is who of the entertainment industry covering each edition, Zuriel Oduwole has just been featured today in the e-edition of the magazine, with her fashion debut at the recent Nollywood Movies Awards.

Zuriel Oduwole

Called Mt ZAAI, a style she created with her younger siblings, it is an expression of control, influence, color, married with innocence and simplicity. Zuriel, who made her first formal appearance at anything "Nollywood" at the awards night in the Intercontinental Hotel in Lagos last week, was the toast of cameras and many TV stations, who waited patiently to speak to this award winning documentary film maker.

Featured in Forbes magazine at age ten in 2013 - and still the youngest person in the world to be accorded that honor, she was listed in New Africa Magazine as one of Africa's 100 Most Influential people in 2013, and New York based Business Insider named her the most powerful 11 year old in the world in April 2014, because of her influence and ability to speak with a variety of business and political world leaders, especially Presidents, on issues that relate to children and education.

So, it is fitting that Mt ZAAI reflects a combination of power, influence, but the innocence and colors of a child at ease, and in control. We would look our sometime in the future, possibly for the formal launch of her casual but powerful brand and style of dressing.

Blackberry Passport Now Available At Slot Nigeria

Are you one of those who have pre-ordered the Blackberry Passport or awaiting its availability in Nigeria? If yes, then this is a good news for you. The device is now available at SLOT outfits all across the country.

The Blackberry Passport is the latest smartphone from Blackberry; the device went official last month and was instantly on sale in the U.S ($599), Canada ($649), France & Germany (€649) and the U.K (£549).

Slot Nigeria is offering the Blackberry Passport for a retail price of ₦130,000 and the device comes with One Year Warranty.

For the hard core Blackberry users, the Passport joins the likes of the Blackberry Z10, Blackberry Z30, Blackberry Q10, Blackberry Q5, Blackberry Z3 amongst others on the Blackberry OS 10 list of smartphones.

Ojo- Apapa Region Lift ICOC Football Competition Trophy

After an interesting tie at the just concluded finals of the 11^th International Church of Christ (ICOC) Football tournament, the youthful Ojo-Apapa Region have lifted the male and female trophies of the competition after defeating hard fighting Ogba/Agege Region 4 goals to 2. The female team also won their match by 3goals to nil over the Egbeda Region after regulation time. The finals took place at the National Institute of Sports Training Ground, National Stadium Surulere.

Vice Chairman Local Organizing Committee, Tonye Sawari, Member LOC, Afam Uwadi, General Secretary, Abideen Muritala presenting the ICOC 2014 football tournament trophy to captain Ojo-Apapa Region football team, Sylvester Madubuike at the National Institute of Sports Training Ground in Lagos.

In the third place match played earlier in the day, Surulere edge pass the Campus team on penalties, while the Surulere female team  carried the day over Ikeja Region’ female football team. The highlight of the day was the novelty match played by the veterans that have participated in the tournament in time paste.  The game ended goalless.

The tournament which kicked off about four weeks ago witnessed competitive displays of skills and talent from the ten teams that participated.

SkyVision Donates to The National Commission Against Ebola in Guinea

 SkyVision Global Networks Ltd., a global leader in communications has announced today that it has made a generous donation to the National Commission against Ebola in Guinea.

“We have strong ties across the African continent, with partners and regional offices throughout the region, including an office in Guinea, making this cause particularly close to our hearts. It is a troubling time for our customers and businesses alike, therefore, SkyVision stepped forward and took the opportunity to help.” Commented SkyVision CEO, Ori Watermann. 

This commission was set up by the Guinean government, in order to respond to the threat of the Ebola outbreak across the region. Guinea, which has been one of the worst hit areas from this spreading virus, has dealt with the outbreak in a number of ways. Initially flights were cancelled temporarily to surrounding areas, in order to stem the flow of the virus. The Commission also set up emergency units across hospitals in the area and trained rapid response staff to be able to manage the patients and also reach out to those people that had come in to contact with the infected people during the 21 day incubation process, in order to test and isolate them.

According to the Chairman of the Commission, Mr Bangoura, “We are most grateful for the invaluable help that SkyVision has given to assist the fight against Ebola. The fund will be used to cover expenses and the needs of Ebola patients and affected families. News of this generous donation has also been featured on local news in Guinea.”

Your Chance to Tee Off with Justin Rose in Dubai

British Airways is offering golfers around the world a once in a lifetime opportunity to receive personal coaching from Justin Rose at an exclusive golf clinic in Dubai.

Justin Rose, an integral part of the European team’s victory at the Ryder Cup recently, will be hosting the clinic at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai on Tuesday 18 November 2014, where he be sharing his knowledge with two lucky winners, a guest of each winner and VIP guests.

image source: godubai.com

Each winner will receive two return economy class flights to Dubai via London, three nights stay at the spectacular JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai, access to the golf clinic and a cocktail party with the golf legend at the famous Emirates Golf Club.

To be in with a chance of winning visit www.britishairways.com/flights-and-holidays/partners/justin-rose-competition and correctly answer the below question to be entered into a draw to win the trip.

PATHCARE TURNS 10, BAGS INTERNATIONAL AWARD

(L-R) Chief Executive Officer, Europe Business Assembly, United Kingdom, Professor John Netting, PathCare Representative, Bose Oladehinde and the Executive Director, Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce Group and President International Club of Leaders, United Kingdom, Paul Briggs at the presentation of Best Enterprise Achievement 2014 Award to PathCare Laboratories at the Europe Business Assembly (EBA) in United Kingdom yesterday.

PathCare Laboratories, an indigenous laboratory operating with international standards, has been awarded ‘The Best Enterprise Achievement 2014’ at ‘The Europe Business Assembly (EBA) which was held recently in Oxford, United Kingdom. This is coming as the company marks ten years of its corporate existence.

Presenting the award, the Director General, EBA, John Netting said that ‘The Best Enterprise Award’ project was established to present the best regional companies to the European Society. He added that the award selection process was based on recommendations of the Europe Business Assembly partners, which includes the European Market Research Centre (Belgium), Baden-Vurtennberg Academy (Germany), the Institute of Quality Standards (Switzerland), and the International Congress of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (Moscow Russia) among others. The process also included data collection from national and international ratings and is supported by Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Ms. Bose Oladehin, who received the award on behalf of PathCare said, “We are elated at this recognition which could not have come at a better time than now because it coincides with PathCare’s 10th year anniversary. We are honored to work in Nigeria and being recognized on a global stage. We are challenged at this time to increase our level of commitment to the healthcare system in Nigeria. We want to thank all who nominated us and show our sincere gratitude to the Europe Business Assembly for honoring PathCare Laboratories with this prestigious award.“

PathCare Laboratory has the distinction of being the first laboratory in West Africa to attain International Accreditation (ISO 15189). Well known for delivery of accurate and reliable services, PathCare currently offers the widest range of pathology tests, many of which were previously not available in the country. With an exemplary customer service,  PathCare has raised the standard of customer service in the health sector by bringing world class pathology services to the region through the use of the most modern technology and an established quality management system.