Some of children's favourite characters and TV shows are being brought to life in the UAE this year, with the likes of Rocky and Ryder from Paw Patrol and Peppa Pig set to hit stages in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Here are some of the best family-friendly performances coming up this year.
Paw Patrol Live! Race to The Rescue
When: June 8-11
Where: Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
What: The pups and their human pals from Paw Patrol are hitting the Abu Dhabi stage for a weekend of shows in a Broadway-style musical led by protagonist Ryder and his popular pooches. They're on a mission to save Mayor Goodway. Expect an interactive experience where guests get to engage with the characters and dance the Pup Pup Boogie.
June 8-11, 11am, 2.30pm and 5.30pm; from Dh105; etihadarena.ae
Alice in Wonderland
When: June 10
Where: The Theatre – Mall of the Emirates, Dubai
What: Presented by The National Ballet Studio, student dancers aged five to 18 will bring to life the enchanting world of Alice in Wonderland in a vibrant one-hour ballet performance aimed to entertain the entire family. Embark on Alice's whimsical journey through dancing doors, exquisite gardens, eccentric characters and enchanting transformations.
June 10, 11am and 1pm; from Dh90; dubai.platinumlist.net
Peppa Pig's Adventure
When: September 16 and 17
Where: Cola-Cola Arena, Dubai
What: The show follows Peppa as she gets ready for an exciting camping trip to the woods with George and her playgroup, including Pedro Pony, Suzy Sheep and Gerald Giraffe. With lunchboxes packed and Daddy Pig driving the bus, Peppa and friends are excited about their outdoor adventure, full of games, laughter and live music. The characters in are brought to life through life-size puppets, which take the audience on an immersive journey.
September 16-17; various timings; from Dh106; coca-cola-arena.com
Matilda The Musical
When: October 3-12
Where: Dubai Opera
What: The musical, now in its 12th year on London's theatre circuit, from the Royal Shakespeare Company, brings Roald Dahl's beloved tale to Dubai Opera for a nine-day run.
It tells the story of a little girl with a vivid imagination, a sharp mind and a hunger to devour knowledge as she takes control of her own life in the midst of hardship.
The show, which has 99 international awards to its name, is directed by Tony Award winner Matthew Warchus, who helms this production with a book by Tony Award-winning playwright Dennis Kelly and music and lyrics by Tim Minchin.
October 3-12, 2pm, 7.30pm and 8pm; from Dh325; dubaiopera.com
Disney on Ice presents 100 Years of Wonder
When: October 11 to 15
Where: Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
What: Disney favourites such as Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and stars from Frozen, Moana, Coco, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Tangled, The Princess and the Frog, and more will take to the ice. Expect top-notch ice skating mixed with high-flying acrobatics and stunts, while enjoying sing-alongs from classic Disney films. Each show is one hour and 40 minutes long with a 15-minute intermission.
October 11-15; various timings; from Dh84; etihadarena.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
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)
Date started: August 2021
Founder: Nour Sabri
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace
Size: Two employees
Funding stage: Seed investment
Initial investment: $200,000
Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East)
