Before setting up three dental practices in Dubai, Dr Michael Formenius spent most of his childhood in his native Sweden. The 58-year-old graduated from Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet in 1982 and went on to run several private dental clinics and a dental lab in Stockholm for 14 years. In 1996, he and his wife, Dr Christina, moved to Dubai and opened the first Dr Michael’s Dental Clinic in Jumeirah.
5am
My days are structured and I love routine. Every day I wake up at 5am and light candles in my room to pursue meditation by Louise Hay. I have been practising meditation for four years and it is my way of quieting my mind and gaining creative insight for the day ahead. It is a good way for me to ensure I give my patients a completely positive experience.
6am
My health is my top priority, so 6am is gym time. I have two trainers. Three days a week I do cardio plus upper/lower body workouts and two days I do cardio plus electrical muscle stimulation. I end every gym session with 10 minutes of stretching to keep my body flexible.
7.10am
I am back home to prepare for the day. I am extremely conscious about my diet, so I eat a very healthy breakfast. I start by drinking freshly squeezed lime in hot water, with chopped ginger and lemon grass. I then have oats or oatmeal porridge with almonds, walnuts, goji berries, dried apricots, cinnamon powder, etc. I also have one soft-boiled egg if I have to do extensive training at the gym.
8.30am
I am in the office to practise what I love the most – creating beautiful smiles. My patients come not only from within the UAE, but from across the region, the Far East and Europe. On an average, I see two to four patients per day. Five years ago I trained at New York University Rosenthal Institute of Aesthetic Dentistry to create smiles with Facial Aesthetic Design. I was able to design every tooth individually to enhance a patient’s smile, taking into consideration the way the patient talks and his/her facial expressions while speaking, smiling and showing all sorts of emotions. The science, the design ability and principle of artfully creating individualised smiles is what I call Couture Smile – a brand I own; it is patented.
9am
I see patients from 9am to 1pm every day. A typical smile consultation involves listening to the patient’s concerns and wishes about his or her smile. This is followed by a set of facial and close-up photographs, X-rays and models. The fun part is when I get to show my patients how their teeth could potentially look – both in shape, size and colour – with a liquid composite and brush pencil. I create a mock-up of the “new teeth” and temporarily bond it to the patient’s existing teeth to show him/her how it feels like to actually “wear” his/her new smile.
1pm
I gather with my wife, my two children – Louise, 24, and Alex, 22 – my mum and mother-in-law for lunch. I have two full-time chefs at home who prepare the world’s healthiest food, which is usually Thai.
On Mondays, I go to the Rotary Club of Dubai to attend a fellowship lunch; two to three times a month there is a guest speaker. Being in the Rotary is very much like being in a sisterhood or brotherhood, and it is non-political environment. Along with the principle of service above self, we try to help those who are less fortunate and support projects and causes in our community and worldwide.
3pm
I spend around two hours attending meetings concerning the business, as well as board meetings – we discuss finances and, of course, how best we can improve our service.
6pm
At least three to four times a week, I like to be at the beach for my sunset walk. I love going to Jumeirah Corniche to relax, reflect and to do a little more exercise. This is followed by dinner no later than 7pm. I will have something very light, such as salad with fish, crab, mozzarella or salmon.
8.30pm
I look over my day and read a book. I like books about leadership and personal development. I am currently reading Robert Cialdini's The Small BIG, which is about improving customer service. I do not like watching television, as I do not like to imbibe the negativity that we often see on TV. I do, however, read newspapers in the morning to check out business news and important regional news. If there is a good movie, I will go see it at the cinema. I want to end my day ushering in inner peace and calmness.
10pm
My day ends with an immaculate facial cleaning and a night meditation. Candles and some essential oils to complete the aura for meditation is a ritual. I go to sleep at 10pm.
business@thenational.ae
Follow The National's Business section on Twitter
Fast%20X
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Louis%20Leterrier%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Vin%20Diesel%2C%20Michelle%20Rodriguez%2C%20Jason%20Statham%2C%20Tyrese%20Gibson%2C%20Ludacris%2C%20Jason%20Momoa%2C%20John%20Cena%2C%20Jordana%20Brewster%2C%20Nathalie%20Emmanuel%2C%20Sung%20Kang%2C%20Brie%20Larson%2C%20Helen%20Mirren%20and%20Charlize%20Theron%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The years Ramadan fell in May
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The biog
Age: 32
Qualifications: Diploma in engineering from TSI Technical Institute, bachelor’s degree in accounting from Dubai’s Al Ghurair University, master’s degree in human resources from Abu Dhabi University, currently third years PHD in strategy of human resources.
Favourite mountain range: The Himalayas
Favourite experience: Two months trekking in Alaska
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
The years Ramadan fell in May
GULF MEN'S LEAGUE
Pool A Dubai Hurricanes, Bahrain, Dubai Exiles, Dubai Tigers 2
Pool B Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Jebel Ali Dragons, Dubai Knights Eagles, Dubai Tigers
Opening fixtures
Thursday, December 5
6.40pm, Pitch 8, Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Dubai Knights Eagles
7pm, Pitch 2, Jebel Ali Dragons v Dubai Tigers
7pm, Pitch 4, Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Exiles
7pm, Pitch 5, Bahrain v Dubai Eagles 2
Recent winners
2018 Dubai Hurricanes
2017 Dubai Exiles
2016 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
2015 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
2014 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202-litre%204-cylinder%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E268hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E380Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh208%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
