February 1 marks the anniversary of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed becoming Crown Prince of Dubai.
In his 14 years in the role, Sheikh Hamdan has become a much-loved figure across the UAE and around the world.
His love of adventure and animals, and his forward-thinking nature and passion for the country, have gained him millions of social media followers and countless celebrity friends.
Sheikh Hamdan, regularly referred to by his nickname Fazza, has also been instrumental in shaping Dubai into what it is today, launching initiatives to make the city an even more vibrant, healthy and enjoyable place in which to live and visit.
To celebrate his 14 years as Crown Prince, here are 14 things you need to know about him:
1. Why we call him Fazza
Like his father, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan writes poetry, which he sometimes shares online.
Fazza means "a person who speeds to the help and support of others". From the Emirati dialect, it's a term often used in Nabati poetry, which is a common art form in the UAE.
Sheikh Hamdan has described his poetry as "my identity and poetic character through which I humbly attempt to rekindle joy in the hearts of people, alleviate their suffering in my own simple way. I express their hopes and aspirations".
Some of his poems have been turned into songs.
2. He is at home in the great outdoors
Whether it be skydiving, jet-skiing, hiking, snowboarding or zip-lining, Dubai's Crown Prince is a verified action man. His adventures are often shared on his Instagram page.
3. He studied at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
More than 200 Emiratis have studied at the British military school, including his father, Sheikh Mohammed.
Over the years, Sheikh Hamdan has shared photos from his time at Sandhurst, which he attended after studying at Rashid School For Boys.
Of his education, he told Vision magazine in 2012: "Education is so important in life – it is the key to everything that follows.
"My studies here in Dubai, then in the United Kingdom, opened my eyes to a world of possibilities. Education, knowledge and understanding enable you to look beyond today to new horizons.
“What you learn in prominent military academies like Sandhurst revolves around the values of discipline, responsibility and commitment. These values are practically essential to carry out your responsibilities competently.”
4. He is a keen fisherman
The UAE royal often shares photos of himself free-diving and deep-sea fishing.
A photo of his catch-of-the-day frequently follows soon after:
5. He is a real animal lover
Sheikh Hamdan seems to have a natural affinity with animals – from dogs and falcons to giraffes and baby deer.
He has even gone with a group of UAE conservationists to assist in trimming a giraffe’s hooves.
6. He is particularly passionate about horses
Although many animals are posted on Sheikh Hamdan's Instagram, horses seem to be a favourite.
The royal has ridden horses since childhood, taking part in endurance racing on horseback. He also owns race horses.
Sheikh Hamdan has won international and regional endurance riding medals.
7. He is very fitness-focused
Sheikh Hamdan is on a mission to make the UAE a healthier place.
Through the Dubai Fitness Challenge, he encourages residents of the emirate to workout for 30 minutes a day for 30 consecutive days.
He often posts photos of himself working out, whether it's in a gym, cycling or on an obstacle course, such as Sandstorm DXB, in which he took part in 2017.
8. He is a real family man
Barely a month goes by without a photo of one of his nieces or nephews popping up on his Instagram.
The posts often include a heart emoji, or an "I miss you" message to his young family members.
9. He is a new father
In 2021, Sheikh Hamdan became a first-time father – to twins. The Crown Prince and his wife, Sheikha Sheikha bint Saeed, welcomed a boy and a girl, Rashid and Sheikha, in May.
Since their birth, Sheikh Hamdan has shared a few snippets of the twins on social media, including a post introducing them to his champion horse, Adayar, at Godolphin, the Maktoum family's private stables in the UK.
"Training and education should start early on. Rashid and Shaikha came to see Adayar & wish him the best!", he captioned the snap.
10. He's certainly not afraid of heights
Over the years, Sheikh Hamdan has cemented his reputation as an adrenalin-lover.
But perhaps his scariest exploit was in December, when he climbed to the top of Burj Khalifa, filming himself harnessed on the spire of the world's tallest building.
The video, which he posted alongside the caption “828 metres of excitement”, has been viewed more than 1.8 million times.
Ahead of Ain Dubai opening in October 2021, he also stood on top of one of the observation wheel's pods at the top of the 250-metre structure.
11. He has many celebrity friends
From training with Cristiano Ronaldo to hanging out with UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, Sheikh Hamdan spends time with more than a few A-list celebrities who have become his friends.
He is often pictured meeting stars for meals or in the gym when they visit Dubai. Most recently, he was spotted with Ronaldo visiting SushiSamba on Palm Jumeirah as well as Aura Skypool.
12. He loves photography
For a man who goes on as many adventures as Sheikh Hamdan, it's only natural that an interest in photography should follow.
His Instagram page is awash with stunning photos of Dubai and other landscapes around the world, but he has also been instrumental in attracting other people to the art form, founding the Hamdan International Photography Award in 2011.
13. He is keeping the art of falconry alive across the UAE
Only 15 kilometres inland from Jumeirah Beach, Sheikh Hamdan has a private falconry centre the size of an aircraft hangar.
The "mind-blowing" centre, which The National toured last year, has a falcon hospital and control room.
It plays a crucial part in the Crown Prince's many impressive competition wins in the sport. The centre is home to Fazza's breeding and training programme.
14. He's passionate about the environment
Much like his love for animals, he has also shown his support for many environmental causes over the years.
Most recently, he joined Dubai's Jumeirah Group in its conservation work, releasing turtle hatchlings back into the ocean.
To help mark World Turtle Day in June, Sheikh Hamdan and the team released 45 hawksbill turtles, and 20 hatchlings from the Emirates Marine Environmental Group’s Jebel Ali Reserve.
- An earlier version of this story first appeared on The National in February 2021
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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Joker: Folie a Deux
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Her most famous song
Aghadan Alqak (Would I Ever Find You Again)?
Would I ever find you again
You, the heaven of my love, my yearning and madness;
You, the kiss to my soul, my cheer and
sadness?
Would your lights ever break the night of my eyes again?
Would I ever find you again?
This world is volume and you're the notion,
This world is night and you're the lifetime,
This world is eyes and you're the vision,
This world is sky and you're the moon time,
Have mercy on the heart that belongs to you.
Lyrics: Al Hadi Adam; Composer: Mohammed Abdel Wahab
A Dog's Journey
Directed by: Gail Mancuso
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad, Marg Helgenberger, Betty Gilpin, Kathryn Prescott
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
