Alfardan Automobiles celebrates 10 years of success with BMW Group

Sales of BMW Group automobiles in Qatar have risen by 500 per cent, from 180 vehicles to almost 900 last year. This strong upward trend has continued into 2006, with first quarter sales up 44% on the same period in 2005.

The 10th anniversary of the partnership was marked with a glittering VIP reception hosted by Omar Alfardan, President of Alfardan Automobiles. Among those attending the celebration were Klaus Berning, Senior Vice President Sales for Asia Pacific, Africa, East Europe and Middle East, BMW Group, and Guenther Seemann, Managing Director, BMW Group Middle East.

"By any measure, our partnership has been an outstanding success - one achieved through our joint commitment to deliver, not just the ultimate driving experience, but also the ultimate ownership experience,"

Omar Alfardan told his guests.

"The success of Alfardan Automobiles has mirrored that of Qatar under the wise leadership of H.H. the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Today we enjoy one of the highest per capita incomes in the world. This is attributed to the incisive social and economic policies adopted by Qatar's leadership."

Alfardan highlighted the commitment of Alfardan Automobiles' management as a key factor in the company's success. He also said success would not have been achieved without the continuous support of BMW Group.

Berning, who was making his first visit to Qatar, said BMW Group's partnership with Alfardan Automobiles symbolizes the growth and vision of Qatar and the vision of BMW Group.

"We have seen incredible and dynamic growth in Alfardan Automobiles. Constant sales growth has been matched by continuous investment in professional people and in facilities. The company has also developed unique partnerships with government and private sectors.

"Alfardan Automobiles has taken BMW in Qatar to a very high level in the past ten years," said Berning. "The Alfardan family shares the vision of BMW Group and we are confident with their outlook to the future, their love of their nation and desire to support its development, Alfardan Automobiles will continue to see constant growth."

On BMW Group's plans, Berning said the company was committed to double-digit growth for 2006. "We believe that Alfardan Automobiles, with their professional approach to the business and their continuous growth, will too achieve double-digit growth in 2006 and hopefully for many more years to come."

"Alfardan Automobiles started its partnership with BMW Group in 1996 with a small showroom at Sheraton Hotel with only four cars on display. Currently, Alfardan Automobiles has an independent main showroom that can display more than 25 BMW cars, in addition to Rolls-Royce and MINI vehicles. We also have a separate Used Cars showroom," said Ahmed Sorour, Senior Vice President at Alfardan Automobiles.

"We are looking to reaffirm our commitment to BMW Group, and for that we have plans to expand our Qatar network by investing in state-of-the-art showrooms and new service centers. We will also be launching a number of new products that will accelerate future sales growth."

Alfardan Automobiles was presented with numerous awards throughout its history, the latest being the "Best Dealership for BMW in the Middle East" award for the third consecutive month. The award is given every month to the region's importer that receives the highest customer ratings recorded by BMW Group's Customer Relations Management system (CRM).