Latest news with #Swiss-level
Gulf Weekly
15-05-2025
- Business
- Gulf Weekly
A timely initiative
Qannati Objet d'Art, in collaboration with Bahrain Polytechnic, welcomed one of Switzerland's most respected horological educators, Pierre Christe, for a week-long training residency at Qannati Lab this month. The partnership between Swiss expertise and Gulf innovation is 'the region's first hands-on horology programme', Qannati Objet d'Art said in a statement. Hosted within Bahrain Polytechnic's campus, Qannati Lab is the first hands-on watchmaking education and production facility in the Gulf. The residency by Pierre, who is renowned for his work as a certified trainer at the Fondation Haute Horlogerie and instructor at WOSTEP (Watchmakers of Switzerland Training and Educational Programme), offered Bahraini students the opportunity to learn under Swiss-level mastery in movement assembly, polishing, and fine finishing. 'We are honoured to host a figure of Pierre's standing,' Qannati Objet d'Art founder Mahmood Qannati, who established the brand seven years ago, said ahead of the programme. 'His residency symbolises a new era for horological education in the region. This partnership brings global craftsmanship to local talent and reinforces our ambition to position the GCC as a future hub for high-end watchmaking,' he added. Founded in Geneva, Fondation Haute Horlogerie is the global reference in fine watchmaking. Its mission is to safeguard and promote the art, history, and values of haute horlogerie through education, certification, and expert training worldwide. Qannati Objet d'Art creates bespoke wearable art inspired by Mesopotamian heritage and modern craftsmanship. Its educational arm, Qannati Lab, pioneers horology training in the GCC, with a long-term vision to establish the region as a centre for high-end watchmaking. Bahrain Polytechnic has played a critical role in enabling Qannati Lab's success, providing space, academic infrastructure, and cross-disciplinary collaboration with engineering, business, and design departments. The Polytechnic sees this as a step towards contributing to Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030, supporting creative industries as a driver of non-oil growth and regional innovation. 'At Bahrain Polytechnic, our mandate is to prepare a new generation of creative, technically skilled graduates who can contribute to Bahrain's economic transformation. This collaboration reflects our commitment to aligning education with future-focused industries – luxury design and watchmaking included,' Bahrain Polytechnic chief executive professor Ciarán Ó Catháin noted.
Daily Tribune
09-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Swiss horology enters Bahrain classrooms
Qannati Objet d'Art has partnered with Bahrain Polytechnic to host Swiss horology master Pierre Christe for a week-long watchmaking residency, marking a milestone in luxury craftsmanship education in the Gulf. The residency, which began on Sunday at Qannati Lab on the Bahrain Polytechnic campus, will run until Thursday. It gives students a rare opportunity to learn fine watchmaking techniques—such as movement assembly and finishing—directly from a certified trainer of the Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH) and instructor at Switzerland's WOSTEP. Hands-On Breakthrough Qannati Lab is the first practical horology education and production centre in the GCC. Its goal is to position Bahrain as a future hub for high-end watchmaking. The programme also aims to bridge Swiss-level craftsmanship with Gulf-based talent. 'We are honoured to host a figure of Pierre's standing,' said Mahmood Qannati, founder of Qannati Objet d'Art. 'This partnership brings global mastery to local hands and signals a new era for horological education in the region.' National Vision Bahrain Polytechnic CEO Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin said the collaboration reflects the institution's mission to prepare skilled graduates in future-focused industries, including luxury design and creative technology. The initiative aligns with Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030, which seeks to diversify the economy through innovation and non-oil sectors. Supported by the Polytechnic's academic infrastructure and cross-disciplinary teams, the residency is part of Qannati's broader effort to elevate Bahrain's standing in the world of haute horlogerie. The programme also follows Qannati Lab's international recognition in The New York Times, which highlighted it as the region's first serious effort to bring luxury watchmaking education to the GCC.
Business Mayor
05-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Customer is king? You must be joking
Maybe once upon a time – when dinosaurs roamed Earth and customer service meant a smile – customer was, indeed, king. These days, most companies treat customers like distant relatives: politely ignored, quietly redirected, and secretly hoping they'll vanish after one conversation… and paying up. And they've perfected the ancient dark art of chanting, 'Your call is important to us. Please stay on the line…,' before unleashing bots trained to drain your will to live. A think tank report backs this up in yonder Britain : 78% of Britons reportedly feel frustrated dealing with customer service, and customers lose between 28 and 41 mins each week locked in these pointless battles. In India, of course, bad customer service isn't a glitch. Across sectors, it's practically a proud tradition. First, when they want your attention – and wallet – customer reps fall over each other with the sweetness of a hundred jars of gulab jamuns, treating you like some nawab. But the minute you sign up? Welcome to the mayajaal. Out go the humans, in march bots, tirelessly repeating, 'Sorry, I didn't understand that.' Of course, we customers must shoulder some blame too. We let things slide, shrugging, 'We are like this only,' while expecting Swiss-level efficiency everywhere else. Somewhere between the hold-music and chatbot, the customer's crown just slipped off.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Customer is king? You must be joking
Maybe once upon a time - when dinosaurs roamed Earth and customer service meant a smile - customer was, indeed, king. These days, most companies treat customers like distant relatives: politely ignored, quietly redirected, and secretly hoping they'll vanish after one conversation... and paying up. And they've perfected the ancient dark art of chanting, 'Your call is important to us. Please stay on the line...,' before unleashing bots trained to drain your will to live. #Pahalgam Terrorist Attack Pakistan's economy has much more to lose than India's due to the ongoing tensions, warns Moody's Ratings The day Pakistan got the power to poke India FM Sitharaman meets ADB chief and Italian FM, discusses economic issues; no mention of Pakistan A think tank report backs this up in yonder Britain : 78% of Britons reportedly feel frustrated dealing with customer service, and customers lose between 28 and 41 mins each week locked in these pointless battles. In India, of course, bad customer service isn't a glitch. Across sectors, it's practically a proud tradition. First, when they want your attention - and wallet - customer reps fall over each other with the sweetness of a hundred jars of gulab jamuns, treating you like some nawab. But the minute you sign up? Welcome to the mayajaal. Out go the humans, in march bots, tirelessly repeating, 'Sorry, I didn't understand that.' Of course, we customers must shoulder some blame too. We let things slide, shrugging, 'We are like this only,' while expecting Swiss-level efficiency everywhere else. Somewhere between the hold-music and chatbot, the customer's crown just slipped off.
