• The tower is 50-storeys high. All photos: Damac
    The tower is 50-storeys high. All photos: Damac
  • Damac Tower Nine Elms comes with fine views across London.
    Damac Tower Nine Elms comes with fine views across London.
  • The project has Versace interiors.
    The project has Versace interiors.
  • The property will have studios and one, two and three-bedroom apartments.
    The property will have studios and one, two and three-bedroom apartments.
  • A rendering of the Nine Elms project.
    A rendering of the Nine Elms project.
  • Floor-to-ceiling windows take advantage of the expansive London views at Damac’s Aykon Nine Elms development.
    Floor-to-ceiling windows take advantage of the expansive London views at Damac’s Aykon Nine Elms development.
  • A rendering of an indoor pool in Damac's Aykon Nine Elms development in London.
    A rendering of an indoor pool in Damac's Aykon Nine Elms development in London.
  • Aykon Nine Elms was designed by architects Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates.
    Aykon Nine Elms was designed by architects Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates.
  • The resident’s lounge at Aykon Nine Elms offers 360-degree views of London.
    The resident’s lounge at Aykon Nine Elms offers 360-degree views of London.
  • Aykon Nine Elms was designed by architects Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates.
    Aykon Nine Elms was designed by architects Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates.
  • A rendering of an indoor pool in Damac's Aykon Nine Elms development in London.
    A rendering of an indoor pool in Damac's Aykon Nine Elms development in London.

Damac Towers Nine Elms in London: Dubai developer completes first European project


Ian Oxborrow
  • English
  • Arabic

Dubai developer Damac Properties has started handing over units at its Damac Towers Nine Elms (DTNE) project in London, marking the completion of its first development in Europe.

The 50-storey development of 450 units including studio and one, two and three-bedroom apartments near the centre of London is a tie-up with Italian fashion house Versace, which has provided the interiors.

As well as 8,010 sq ft of communal gardens, it also has four levels of office space in its South Tower.

“We are delighted to have completed our first project in Europe,” said Niall McLoughlin, senior vice president at Damac. "DTNE is very special to us and we are beyond pleased with the end result."

Average house prices in the UK increased by 12.4 per cent over the year to April, the Office for National Statistics said last week.

The average UK house price was £281,000 ($344,919) in April, which is £31,000 higher than in April 2021.

Damac previously said that Britons, Chinese and Gulf buyers made up the core of the UK customer base for the DTNE development. Homes were on the market from slightly more than £900,000 to £14 million.

“It's an exciting time for Damac and we are rapidly expanding our global footprint by looking at JV [joint venture] opportunities across the world," Mr McLoughlin said.

As well as Versace, Damac has collaborated with various other global brands such as Cavalli, de Grisogono, Paramount, Rotana, Radisson and The Trump Organisation.

The developer last month won a $120m bid to acquire land in the upmarket Miami district of Surfside, where it plans to build a luxury Cavalli-branded condominium project. It will be Damac's first project in the US.

Damac is also developing a luxury resort in the Maldives to be operated by global hotel brand Mandarin International.

In April, it announced it will accept certain cryptocurrencies for property transactions as part of efforts to offer more flexibility to investors, while Damac Group, parent company of Damac Properties, said it plans to invest $100m to build “digital cities” in the metaverse.

Damac's Lagoons project in Dubai - in pictures

  • The Damac Lagoons project in Dubai. All photos: Damac Properties
    The Damac Lagoons project in Dubai. All photos: Damac Properties
  • Damac Lagoons is adjacent to the Damac Hills community.
    Damac Lagoons is adjacent to the Damac Hills community.
  • It will feature eight different clusters.
    It will feature eight different clusters.
  • The eight clusters are inspired by countries based on the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
    The eight clusters are inspired by countries based on the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
  • The community is built around one million square feet of lagoons with white sandy beaches.
    The community is built around one million square feet of lagoons with white sandy beaches.
  • The community was announced late last year.
    The community was announced late last year.
  • The clusters include Venice, Morocco, Santorini, Costa Brava, Nice, Malta, Andalucia and Portofino
    The clusters include Venice, Morocco, Santorini, Costa Brava, Nice, Malta, Andalucia and Portofino
  • The Costa Brava cluster will feature ziplining, rock climbing, kayaking, paddle surfing and wave riding features.
    The Costa Brava cluster will feature ziplining, rock climbing, kayaking, paddle surfing and wave riding features.
  • The project is scheduled to open in 2024.
    The project is scheduled to open in 2024.
  • There will be plenty of entertainment for children.
    There will be plenty of entertainment for children.
Why your domicile status is important

Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.

Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born. 

UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.

A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.

Things Heard & Seen

Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini

Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton

2/5

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.”

Hili 2: Unesco World Heritage site

The site is part of the Hili archaeological park in Al Ain. Excavations there have proved the existence of the earliest known agricultural communities in modern-day UAE. Some date to the Bronze Age but Hili 2 is an Iron Age site. The Iron Age witnessed the development of the falaj, a network of channels that funnelled water from natural springs in the area. Wells allowed settlements to be established, but falaj meant they could grow and thrive. Unesco, the UN's cultural body, awarded Al Ain's sites - including Hili 2 - world heritage status in 2011. Now the most recent dig at the site has revealed even more about the skilled people that lived and worked there.

Classification of skills

A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation. 

A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.

The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000. 

The 24-man squad:

Goalkeepers: Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea), Simon Mignolet (Liverpool), Koen Casteels (VfL Wolfsburg).

Defenders: Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham), Thomas Meunier (Paris Saint-Germain), Thomas Vermaelen (Barcelona), Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham), Dedryck Boyata (Celtic), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City).

Midfielders: Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United), Axel Witsel (Tianjin Quanjian), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Nacer Chadli (West Bromwich Albion), Leander Dendoncker (Anderlecht), Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Youri Tielemans (Monaco), Mousa Dembele (Tottenham Hotspur).

Forwards: Michy Batshuayi (Chelsea/Dortmund), Yannick Carrasco (Dalian Yifang), Adnan Januzaj (Real Sociedad), Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United), Dries Mertens (Napoli).

Standby player: Laurent Ciman (Los Angeles FC).

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20Z%20FOLD%204
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Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut

Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

THE BIO

Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old

Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai

Favourite Book: The Alchemist

Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail

Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna

Favourite cuisine: Italian food

Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman

 

 

Padmaavat

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh

3.5/5

The Perfect Couple

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor

Creator: Jenna Lamia

Rating: 3/5

Sleep Well Beast
The National
4AD

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

While you're here
Updated: June 30, 2022, 10:44 AM