A McLaren 750S supercar unveiled on the opening day of the Geneva International Motor Show Qatar 2023, in Doha. Bloomberg
A McLaren 750S supercar unveiled on the opening day of the Geneva International Motor Show Qatar 2023, in Doha. Bloomberg

Abu Dhabi's CYVN could acquire McLaren’s automotive business under new deal



CYVN Holdings, an investment vehicle based in Abu Dhabi, is set to acquire full ownership of McLaren’s automotive business as part of a non-binding agreement signed with Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat Holding Company.

The Abu Dhabi company will also acquire a non-controlling stake in McLaren Group, the two companies said in a statement on Tuesday. The total value of the deal was not disclosed.

The new investment by CYVN “would bring access to additional capital, advanced engineering expertise and pioneering technology, particularly in the field of electric vehicles,” to McLaren, the companies said.

CYVN's “highly specialised team and existing strategic investments in Nio, Forseven and Gordon Murray Technologies also bring potential synergies to complement and enhance McLaren’s product strategy”.

The Abu Dhabi company aims to create a smart mobility platform by investing in and partnering with industry leaders around the world.

In December, Chinese electric car maker Nio signed an agreement for an investment of $2.2 billion from CYVN Holdings to take the Abu Dhabi's company shareholding to 20.1 per cent of Nio's total issued and outstanding shares, following an investment of $1 billion in July.

CYVN is also backing the UK-based EV start-up Forseven.

Founded in 1963 by New Zealand racing driver and motorsports entrepreneur Bruce McLaren, the McLaren Group produces sports cars, with headquarters in the UK.

The company has reported lower losses of £54.1 million ($70.1 million) for the first half of 2024, compared to £140 million for the same period last year as revenue grew during the period.

“This partnership would look to build on McLaren’s highly successful track record in elite motorsport and grow one of the world’s most prestigious range of high-performance vehicles, with an expanding network of over 110 retailers in 30 global regions,” the statement said.

Bahrain’s Mumtalakat holds stakes in over 50 commercial enterprises with a portfolio spanning a variety of sectors, including industrial manufacturing, financial services, telecoms, real estate, logistics, consumer products, healthcare and education. It took full ownership of the McLaren Group in March.

'THE WORST THING YOU CAN EAT'

Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.

Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines: 

Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.

Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.

Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.

Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.

Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

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Three ways to limit your social media use

Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.

1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.

2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information. 

3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.

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Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
  • Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
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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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Rating: 1/5

Updated: October 29, 2024, 2:54 PM