Two Slovenian chess champions took a break from the Gibraltar Chess Tournament when they visited the offices of Gibtelecom, the main sponsor of the event. The visit was the idea of the Chess organisers, whose interest was sparked by the fact that Gibtelecom is now half-owned by the major Slovenian telecoms company, Telekom Slovenije.

The two players were at both ends of the age spectrum. Anna Muzychuk is already an international chess star at the age of 17 and has been playing since she was three years old, representing Slovenia at the remarkable young age of 15. The more mature Alexander Beliavsky, is a Slovenian grandmaster whose games are frequently used as examples in books on chess. Alexander was originally born in the Ukraine and has been a former Soviet champion and participated in many famous Linares tournaments.
Anna attends something like ten tournaments around the world each year, yet still finds time to study at university and pass her exams.
The players were accompanied by Manuel Weeks, a former captain of the Australian men’s chess team and also the official press officer for this tournament which is now one of the main open events in the international chess calendar.
The meeting, at Gibtelecom’s Europort offices, was friendly, informal and wide-ranging.
With the help of Francis Lopez (Business Director), Adrian Ochello (Sales & Marketing Manager) and Widette Gomez (Corporate Affairs), the Company’s CEO Tim Bristow, gave the players an illustrated presentation on Gibtelecom – including tracing its origins back to the Falmouth to Gibraltar and Malta Telegraph line in 1869 – and also on the wide-ranging activities of their own country’s predominant service provider, Telekom Slovenije.
The guests showed a lot of interest, especially in the internet services of both Gibraltar and Slovenia, as computers play a major role in professional players’ equipment. They have an enormous database of games played so that they can analyse the way a prospective opponent makes his or her moves, as well as to follow commentaries on matches. Gibtelecom is providing technical support for such internet services for this Gibraltar tournament, held as always at the Caleta Hotel.
It wasn’t all technical though. There was a lot of talk from both sides about Slovenia itself – Tim, Francis and Adrian had all visited Slovenia in the course of their duties, and Tim said the Company was encouraging as many of the management team as possible to get to know Telekom Slovenije, and their mobile subsidiary, Mobitel, for themselves.
The picture that emerged, from the Slovenians and the Gibraltarian side, was that Slovenia is not only a beautiful country but also one that is still comparatively safe and where English is widely spoken at various levels.
Tim and Francis agreed that Gibraltar and Slovenia have another thing in common – the love of good food. A feature of Slovenian gastronomy is the taking of slow meals – made up of a large number of small courses that are spread over four or five hours. They also produce their own wine, every last drop of which is consumed within Slovenia.
The picturesque charm, however, has not prevented Telekom Slovenije from making the country one of the most advanced in Europe in the field of telephony and internet services.
After the 45 minute meeting, Gibtelecom arranged for their guests to see something of the Rock and also the salvage works on the New Flame wreck off Europa Point.

The Gibraltar Classic Vehicle Association has secured for its Club members the services of Argus Insurance.

So for all you avid classic car owners, by simply joining the GCVA you too can enjoy reduced rates on your classic car insurance from Argus in Gibraltar.
“With policies offering various options including all risks, agreed valuations, along with limited annual mileages, Argus have provided significantly more affordable cover for the owners of classic cars, which, in reality do very little “mileage” each year.” said Stefan Nicholson, President of the GCVA.

Andy Baker, MD of Argus commented, “this type of insurance cover for the classic vehicle has been widely available in the UK for many years, so we saw this as a natural addition to the portfolio of Argus insurance products. In turn this supports the GCVA with its membership, which is a very modest £20 per annum.”
Classic car owners cherish their vehicles and invariably keep them under lock and key:They tend only venture out on “sunny days and Sundays” and so from an Insurance point of view they would appear to be a good risk.
That said, should anything untoward happen to one of these babies, then finding spares can be harder work, as most of them went out of production many moons ago!

‘I would like to thank Mr Alwani for yet another example of his magnificent generosity,’ said Minister for Health Yvette del Aqua as she accepted a £500 camera for the KGV Activity Centre

The patients with an interest in photography had been making good progress – including an exhibition of their work at the John Mackintosh Hall last September, where the quality of their work attracted a lot of praise.
The only problem was that the Centre, part of the facilities provided by personnel at the KGV hospital, did not have a camera – so the patients had to rely on the generosity of staff members who lent their own equipment.
Eventually, the staff wrote to Kishin Alwani, chairman of The Alwani Trust, with details of the camera they thought would be the most appropriate, and asked if the charitable trust, funded by Mr Alwani, could help.
So it was that he came along to the hospital to present a £500 Nikon camera to Health Minister Yvette del Agua at the Activity Centre, in the presence of staff and patients. She in turn presented the camera to one of the patients, a member of the photographic group, as shown in the photos.
The Activity Centre (formerly known as the Occupational Therapy Unit) has various groups of up to twelve patients, covering such interests as arts & crafts, gardening, weekly outings, cooking, and an elderly group who mostly enjoy getting together for bingo.

NatWest Bank is launching a new 100% mortgage in Gibraltar.

It is one of a number of new features from NatWest designed to demonstrate its ongoing commitment to the mortgage market in Gibraltar and to highlight its determination to help more first time buyers onto the property ladder.
The new 100% mortgage is available to first and second time buyers and there are a choice of schemes. Applicants will need to show that they can afford to meet the monthly repayments but there will be no need to provide an upfront deposit.
Robert Mancera, Area Retail Manager , NatWest, commented: “As one of the most experienced mortgage lenders in Gibraltar, we are aware of the difficulty that first time buyers, in particular, find in raising the up front funds required to provide a deposit on their first home, especially in a market where property prices continue to rise. Equally as responsible lenders, we also want to ensure that potential homebuyers take on a financial commitment that they can afford and we help them in this regard also.”
NatWest is extending the term applicable to all its mortgage schemes from 30 to 35 years giving customers greater flexibility with repayments and introducing a new mortgage calculator facility which helps in determining how much a customer can afford to repay each month.

Barclays Wealth Gibraltar is delighted once again to sponsor the Gibraltar Rhythmic Gymnastics for the 2008 season.
The Gibraltar Rhythmic Gymnastics Association (GRGA) was formally constituted in 1996 and aims to promote Rhythmic Gymnastics for girls, starting as young as four years old.
Rhythmic Gymnastics is an Olympic sport that combines flexibility, elegance of movement and the co-ordination of apparatus (Ball, Rope, Hoop, Clubs and Ribbon) in various routines.
The popularity of the sport has grown tremendously in Gibraltar and is considered one of Gibraltar’s strongest sports. The GRGA continues to nurture the growth and development of the sport through its enthusiastic committee and dedicated coaches as well as by maintaining relations with the British Gymnastics Association and Spanish colleagues. The GRGA has been very successful in the last few years, and have been promoted to the Andalucía “A” level of competition, giving them a high standing in the region and allowing the GRGA to compete in important competitions throughout Spain.
The GRGA school of excellence is run by a National Coach, two club coaches and two assistant coaches (all qualified by British Gymnastics). The gymnasts are divided by age group and ability and depending on their potential, may be moved into alternative groups. The GRGA places great emphasis on the importance of fitness and movement in our youth, and achieves this in a safe, fun environment that gently nurtures competitive sport.

The integration of capital markets, fuelled by globalisation, deregulation and new technologies, has made it imperative for multinational companies to have managers who understand the challenges and opportunities of international finance and financial reporting within an increasingly intertwined, yet culturally diverse, business world.

This dedicated masters degree from the OU Business School will enable specialist managers to handle the complexities of capital investment and financing and prepare them for careers in financial organisations and multinational companies, or in consulting firms, advising corporations on worldwide financial strategies and reporting.
Who is it for?
This specialist masters degree is designed for people working in accounting and finance who want to broaden their perspectives by adding international accounting and finance knowledge and wider management skills, typically:
• Those who want to work as Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) for larger corporate organisations.
• Those who want to develop in professional investment and want to advise, for example, pension or mutual investment funds.
• Those aiming at an (international) career in banking and finance.
What does it deliver?
This programme was developed in response to a growing need for accounting and financial experts who are rigorously trained and well-equipped to analyse and solve often complex financial issues. It provides excellent academic education in finance discipline areas such as corporate finance, financial decision-making, risk analysis, international financial reporting and the management of financial services, among others. It prepares professionals for international accounting and financial management careers at a managerial level.
The objectives of the programme are to:
• Provide participants with an up-to-date view on both theory and practice.
• Strengthen participants’ ability to keep pace with future developments in global financial management.
• Acquaint participants with the most important tools for problem analysis and decision support.
• Promote a problem-oriented approach to solving financial-economic problems.
• Promote attention for the international aspects of, and interdependencies within, the financial world.
• Provide participants with skills for communication within both the national and international financial world; skills for ‘getting things done’.
Learning with the OU Business School
The benefits of our practice-based learning stem from the distinctive features of our courses, which:
• Blend high quality printed and electronic distance learning materials with online and/or face-to-face workshops and seminars.
• Allow skills and techniques to be applied as soon as they are learned, and developed further throughout the programme.
• Use reflection on practice as the basis for creating ongoing performance improvements.
• Include personal support provided by experienced staff from business and industry, research establishments, higher education and government.
• Provide opportunities for mutual support and networking at tutorials (face-to-face and/or online), residential schools and through our extensive online forums.
What is special about the OU Business School?
The OU Business School is dedicated to high quality, practice-based learning in business and management. When you come to us, you’re joining one of the most highly-regarded centres of learning in the world. We are one of a select group of schools worldwide to be accredited by the leading international management education associations and industry bodies for our high standards of programmes and teaching.
AACSB
We were the first exclusively distance learning school to be awarded international accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) – the leading US-based accreditation body.
EQUIS
We’ve been awarded the prestigious European quality kitemark EQUIS by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD). Based in Brussels, EFMD is Europe’s forum for information, research, networking and best practice in management development. The EQUIS award is an international standard for the auditing and accreditation of higher education institutions in management and business administration.
CEL
We were the first business school to receive Certification of e-learning (CEL), also awarded by the EFMD.
The Association of MBAs
Our MBA programmes are accredited by the Association of MBAs (AMBA).
AMBA is unique in representing the interests of MBA students and graduates, leading business schools and MBA employers. The AMBA accreditation service has international credibility.

Established jewellers for fifty years, Cohen & Massias, have just given a facelift to their flagship shop at Tisa House on Main Street, after the refurbishment of their ICC unit four years ago had already put them in line with the trendiest European boutique décors.

Spacious interiors, spotlights, bow-windowed shelves, mirrors to diffuse and amplify the brightness, wooden counters, cream leather soft furnishing have nothing to envy the poshest Italian and Swiss brand names whose exclusive stockists in Gibraltar are Cohen & Massias. They provide a comfortable and welcoming environment for browsing a wide selection of gemstones, pearls, platinum, gold and silver, at leisure. From classic cuts like traditional engagement rings in all shapes and sizes, to the most modern fancy designs and status-symbol watches such as Cartier and IWC.
This family-run business prides itself on quality and value for money as well as impeccable after-sales service, thanks to the lifelong experience in fine diamonds, ruby, emeralds and sapphires the management can count on, sprung from true passion for all that luxuriously and hedonistically glitters and sparkles.
All happy milestones in life can be catered for at any of the four Cohen & Massias shops: dainty bracelets, and earrings for newborns, holy communions
and confirmations medallions, engagement and wedding jewellery for him and her, anniversary gemstones, Christmas and Saint Valentine’s gifts.
Cohen & Massias are indeed reputable for amazing value in some of the clearest, virtually inclusion-free stones, with carat weight to leave you breathless and price tags that won’t, but they also cater for affordable jewellery that doesn’t need waiting for a special occasion
to be given to loved ones.

Ibex Insurance Services Ltd (Ibex) and RJ Kiln & Co Limited (Kiln) have announced that Kiln, the international insurance and reinsurance underwriting group with a total syndicate capacity in excess of £812 million, has acquired a minority shareholding in the Gibraltar-based Lloyd’s Coverholder.

Ibex Insurance was founded as a Lloyd’s of London Coverholder in 2001 and is the largest provider of expatriate insurance in the Iberian Peninsula and in Gibraltar, where it trades under the name of ‘Trafalgar Insurance Brokers’.

Kiln’s investment in Ibex is the next stage in the evolution of the relationship between the two businesses. Ibex and Kiln share a common interest in expanding the Ibex platform over time, in order to extend the product range. In particular there are plans to leverage an online service delivery system to expand the franchise into the Spanish market.
Ibex Chairman, John Harrison, commented: “We have great respect for Kiln and the Kiln brand. I am delighted that Kiln has joined Ibex as a business partner and that they are to provide us with future underwriting capacity for us to expand into the Spanish and Portuguese marketplaces. Apart from our own direct web-based offerings, we will also be able to offer Spanish Insurance Brokers access to the Lloyd’s market. In addition, our staff will have the opportunity to undertake training and career enhancement in London and at Lloyd’s.”
Charles Franks, CEO of Kiln, commented: “This is an excellent development for Kiln, and plays to the strengths of our business strategy, which is to build and nurture strong relationships with high quality distribution partners such as Ibex Insurance. We are delighted to invest in a business like Ibex, where we know there is strong leadership and management locally which will continue to be fully active and to direct Ibex’s development plans.”

The Ibex Group
Ibex is a Lloyd’s Coverholder providing a portfolio of specialised insurance products throughout the Iberian Peninsula for both national and international clients.
The two operating divisions of the Ibex Group are Ibex Insurance Services Limited, with offices in Gibraltar and Iberian Agencia de Suscripción S. L., with offices in Spain.
Ibex and Iberian products are underwritten at Lloyd’s, the world’s leading insurance market. The products are distributed online and through an established network of Brokers and Intermediaries throughout Spain and Portugal.
Further information is available at www.ibexinsure.com

The Kiln Group
Kiln is an international insurance and reinsurance underwriting group with a portfolio of specialist risks. Since 1962, it has built its business on the strength of its underwriting and its relationships.
R J Kiln & Co Limited has four syndicates at Lloyd’s and, in terms of capacity, is one of the largest agencies trading in the Lloyd’s insurance market. In addition to Bermuda and the UK, Kiln has offices in Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa and Belgium.
A recognised leader in each of the five main business areas in which it operates: reinsurance, accident and health, aviation, marine and special risks, and property, Kiln syndicates enjoy a security rating of ‘A+’ (Strong) assigned to Lloyd’s by Standard and Poor’s.
Further information is available at www.kilngroup.com