The red carpet will be rolled out for a dazzling array of movie stars on Wednesday, December 9, who will turn heads at gala premieres in Madinat Arena. While those with premium Dh100 gala tickets can catch a glimpse of celebrities as they pose for the cameras, others can watch the ceremony broadcast live on Dubai TV, or at The Beach, JBR.
International talent anticipated to grace the opening night red carpet between 5pm and 8pm includes Slumdog Millionaire's Dev Patel, who features as the Indian mathematical prodigy Srinivasa Ramanujan in The Man Who Knew Infinity, screening on Saturday.
Distinguished French actress Catherine Deneuve, who has starred in more than 120 films, and Bollywood veteran Naseeruddin Shah, whose latest flick Waiting is premiering in Madinat Theatre on Friday, December 11, are also expected.
Jaws star Richard Dreyfuss will be there, too, ahead of the free screening of his film Jaws on Saturday, December 12 at The Beach, JBR.
As well as seasoned stars, the opening night will play host to those just starting out in the profession – including 9-year-old actor Jacob Tremblay, who stars in the opening night film Room. Fantastic Four's Michael B Jordan will also be present – his second Diff appearance after promoting his film Fruitvale Station two years ago.
Among the throng of journalists and TV presenters hoping to catch the attention of passing stars will be E! News anchor Terrence J. And on Thursday, December 10, Oscar-nominated actor Terrence Howard, best known for playing lead character Lucious Lyon in the TV series Empire, will hit the red carpet.
Global Gift Gala
On Saturday, December 12, Howard will join Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria and Golden Globe and Bafta-nominated British actor Rupert Everett at Dubai's Four Seasons Hotel to help raise funds at the annual Global Gift Gala. The evening will be a glamorous event with a cocktail reception, dinner, live auction of prestigious prizes, and live entertainment from singer Kym Mazelle. Last year's auction raised over US$400,000 (Dh1.46m). This year, the women and children's charities the stars are fundraising for include Dubai Cares; the Eva Longoria Foundation which provides education and entrepreneurship opportunities to women; and Sunrise K Foundation, which raises awareness of childhood glaucoma.
Arab stars
On Friday, December 11, the 2013 winner of Arab Idol, Palestinian Mohammad Assaf, will sing to the audience at JBR's The Beach after the screening of the biopic movie about his life, The Idol. Other Arab personalities attending the festival include Emirati Mohammed Saeed Harib, creator of the animation series Freej, Tunisian actress Hend Sabry, and Egyptian actress Menna Shalabi.
Bollywood celebs
A host of Indian celebs will make appearances, too.
On Saturday, December 12, the entire cast of the hotly anticipated Indian film Dilwale will be waiting for the click of the cameras on the red carpet before attending an exclusive gala evening to celebrate the five years that cinema magazine Filmfare Middle East has been present in the region.
That includes Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon, stars of the new film Dilwale opening in the UAE on December 17, along with South Indian star Nivin Pauly, renowned musician and singer Bappi Lahiri, who will be presented with a lifetime achievement award at the event, and Emirati director Ali F Mostafa.
Saturday's red carpet begins at 8pm, but SRK might not be punctual – he was two hours late on the red carpet at last October's Dubai premiere of his film Happy New Year!.
Although SRK does not star in any movies showing at Diff, he is a key plot conceit of the children's film Dhanak (Rainbow), screening on Friday, about a young girl who writes to the superstar in the belief he can cure her brother's blindness.
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
