It would be easy to run away from your bespectacled alter-ego when you have fronted this generation's biggest movie franchise, yet Daniel Radcliffe is in no rush to banish his Harry Potter heritage.
At the tender age of 22, this fresh-faced British actor insists he will always be "proud and honoured" to have starred in the eight movies that established him as an international superstar at an unnaturally early age, even though typecasting may be an inevitable by-product.
It will be hard for this acting protégé to shake association with such a groundbreaking brand, yet that did not stop him fielding a host of questions on his Harry Potter odyssey as he promoted his latest project, The Woman in Black, in London.
The gothic ghost tale, which is now playing in UAE cinemas, sends chills down even the most warm of spines. The Woman in Black provides Radcliffe a dramatic breakaway from his previous persona and while it has been hailed as a triumph for its leading actor, he accepts his youthful wizardry will haunt him in a positive way forever.
"Even if this movie becomes a major film and everything I do from here is a huge success, I'm always going to be seen as Harry Potter by some people and I'm perfectly happy with that," begins Radcliffe. "I'd never say I don't want to talk about a set of movies that made US$6 billion (Dh22bn) around the world, while I am trying to move on from that fantastic chapter of my career with The Woman in Black. I don't expect people to watch this and forget what I've done before.
"Hopefully, I get to do some work that earns me respect for something else in the years to come, but I'll always be proud to be associated with the Potter movies. They gave joy to millions of people, which is a wonderful legacy for all of us."
Radcliffe has certainly been bold in identifying his post-Potter career path, with his appearance in the London play Equus requiring him to shed all his inhibitions (not to mention his clothes), while this latest project puts another different shade on his acting abilities.
Playing the role of a young single father in a haunting tale that sees Radcliffe come of age, he warns this film is "not one for kids" as he concedes the success after its initial opening in the UK has taken him by surprise.
"Everyone pays a lot of attention to how much money a movie makes in the first weekend and The Woman in Black was tipped to make £8m, but it made nearly treble that amount and that means loads of people wanted to see it," says a smiling Radcliffe. "What I like about this film is it gives me a good start after Potter. I look very different in this movie, the role I play is completely contrasting to what I'm known for, yet I constantly remind myself that fame can disappear as quickly as it came for me.
"The way I see it, you are only as good as your last piece of work. If I do some bad work from here, no one will want to know about me any more, so it's important I make the right choices from now on.
"For me, the main ambition is to make sure I keep working, taking on fresh challenges and working with new people. This is all I have known since I was 10 years old and I don't want to stop acting just because money is no longer a motivation."
Questions about his relationship with his girlfriend Rosie Coker are handled with the sort of politeness few in Radcliffe's position may offer when being probed by a stranger recording his every word, but he has clearly become used to growing up in the eyes of the watching world.
"It was odd initially when people were interested in my private life and I had to smile when there were stories in the media questioning whether I was gay," says Radcliffe. "I've always been open about everything in my life, so when photos appeared of me and Rosie together, I just confirmed we were dating and that was the end of it.
"Rosie is very patient to put up with my busy personality and the mess I tend to leave everywhere I go. I think she loves all the bits about me that I hate, such as my oddness and the way I talk incessantly. She makes me very happy."
artslife@thenational.ae
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.”
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
RESULTS
5pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner: Yas Xmnsor, Sean Kirrane (jockey), Khalifa Al Neyadi (trainer)
5.30pm: Falaj Hazza – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Arim W’Rsan, Dane O’Neill, Jaci Wickham
6pm: Al Basrah – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Kalifano De Ghazal, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi, Helal Al Alawi
6.30pm: Oud Al Touba – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Pharitz Oubai, Sean Kirrane, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7pm: Sieh bin Amaar – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Oxord, Richard Mullen, Abdalla Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Jebel Hafeet – Conditions (PA) Dh85,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: AF Ramz, Sean Kirrane, Khalifa Al Neyadi
8pm: Al Saad – Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Sea Skimmer, Gabriele Malune, Kareem Ramadan
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
RESULT
Manchester United 2 Burnley 2
Man United: Lingard (53', 90' 1)
Burnley: Barnes (3'), Defour (36')
Man of the Match: Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Results
2pm: Al Sahel Contracting Company – Maiden (PA) Dh50,000 (Dirt) 1,200m; Winner: AF Mutakafel, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
2.30pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: El Baareq, Antonio Fresu, Rashed Bouresly
3pm: Shadwell – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,950m; Winner: Lost Eden, Andrea Atzeni, Doug Watson
3.30pm: Keeneland – Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,000m; Winner: Alkaraama, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
4pm: Keeneland – Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Lady Snazz, Saif Al Balushi, Bhupat Seemar
4.30pm: Hive – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
5pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – (TB) Handicap Dh64,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Lahmoom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
