The Mind from the Wheel of Life exhibition by Joelle Kurdy. Courtesy Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi
The Mind from the Wheel of Life exhibition by Joelle Kurdy. Courtesy Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi
The Mind from the Wheel of Life exhibition by Joelle Kurdy. Courtesy Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi
The Mind from the Wheel of Life exhibition by Joelle Kurdy. Courtesy Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi

5 things to do: Catch the Wheel of Life exhibition or have some fun with Yalla Laughs

Our daily round-up of things to do: Catch the exhibition Wheel of Life by Lebanese artist Joëlle A Kurdy; sttend Ataya 2016, the Emirates Red Crescent charity event; register to take part in the drypoint masterclass by Ukrainian printmaker Oksana Stratiychuk; visit Noor Dubai’s Mobile Eye Clinic for a free eye test; or break up the week with some fun with the gang from Yalla Laughs.

Ellen Fortini

May 10, 2016

  • English
  • Arabic

Catch the opening of the exhibition Wheel of Life by Lebanese artist Joëlle A Kurdy. It features works, including The Mind, that combine images with no relationship to each other yet create a dialogue between elements. From 6pm to 8:30pm, main atrium, Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi, www.joellekurdy.com

Attend Ataya 2016, the Emirates Red Crescent charity event. The initiative aims to raise funds to build schools in war-torn countries. Browse a range of distinctive fashion, jewellery, home accessories and furniture created by regional and international designers and artists. Open from 3pm to 10pm, Dh50, ladies only (family day is Thursday), Ipic Arena, Zayed Sport City, Abu Dhabi, www.emiratesrc.ae/Ataya

Register to take part in the drypoint masterclass by Ukrainian printmaker Oksana Stratiychuk. The course will include an introduction to the technique, drawing and sketching, engraving, printing in black and white and in colours, and trying different printing techniques. Saturday to May 19, 10am to 1pm daily for the morning group; 3pm to 6pm on Saturday and 6.30pm to 9.30pm from Sunday to May 19 for the afternoon group, Dh2,350, N2N Gallery, first floor, Nation Towers Galleria, Corniche, Abu Dhabi, registration ends today at 055 283 2642, www.n2n-gallery.com

Visit Noor Dubai's Mobile Eye Clinic for a free eye test. The clinic is fitted with sophisticated medical equipment and technologies to provide quality services to patients. The UAE-based charity focuses on the prevention of blindness and visual impairment. From 10am to 2pm, outside Precinct Building 2, DIFC, Dubai, www.noordubai.ae

Break up the week with some fun with the gang from Yalla Laughs. Top local and regional comedians will tickle your funny bone. At 8pm, free entry, Barosa, 10th floor, Ramada Downtown, Abu Dhabi, www.facebook.com/yallalaughs

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Transgender report
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if you go

The flights

Emirates have direct flights from Dubai to Glasgow from Dh3,115. Alternatively, if you want to see a bit of Edinburgh first, then you can fly there direct with Etihad from Abu Dhabi.

The hotel

Located in the heart of Mackintosh's Glasgow, the Dakota Deluxe is perhaps the most refined hotel anywhere in the city. Doubles from Dh850

 Events and tours

There are various Mackintosh specific events throughout 2018 – for more details and to see a map of his surviving designs see glasgowmackintosh.com

For walking tours focussing on the Glasgow Style, see the website of the Glasgow School of Art. 

More information

For ideas on planning a trip to Scotland, visit www.visitscotland.com

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

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Tomorrow 2021
More on Quran memorisation:

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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Which honey takes your fancy?

Al Ghaf Honey

The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year

Sidr Honey

The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest

Samar Honey

The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments

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