Masters chair, Dh1,037 at Kart Design.
Masters chair, Dh1,037 at Kart Design.
Masters chair, Dh1,037 at Kart Design.
Masters chair, Dh1,037 at Kart Design.

Six of the Best: Slimline chairs


Selina Denman
  • English
  • Arabic

Technological advancement suggests that the smaller and slimmer a product, the better it is. We're applying the same premise to chairs. And with their clean lines, lean shapes and inherent sense of lightness, these seats are as practical as they are striking

Room to spare

Pretty, pink and practical, the Nisse chair folds flat when not in use and, for maximum space saving, can even be hung on the wall. The chair also comes in black and high gloss white. Dh55, Ikea, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, www.ikeadubai.com

Master of minimalism

Designed by Philippe Starck for Kartell, the Masters chair honours three contemporary design icons, the Series 7 by Arne Jacobsen, the Tulip armchair by Eero Saarinen and the Eiffel Chair by Charles Eames. Interweaving lines meet in the middle to create the chair's distinctive back. Dh1,037, Kart Design, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai, 04 348 8169, www.kartdesign.net

All angles

The Pli chair is defined by its elegant angularity. A 10mm thick, semi-transparent pink altuglas sheet folds in on itself to create a simple but striking seating solution. Dh2,950, Les Contemporains collection, Roche Bobois, Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Barsha 1st, Dubai, 04 399 0393 www.roche-bobois.com

Channel

Crate and Barrel's Channel proves that slimline chairs can be sinuous too. The chair is made of strips of solid bentwood in a clean white matte finish, combined with a chromed steel base. Dh999, Crate and Barrel, Mall of the Emirates and Mirdif City Centre, Dubai, 04 399 0125, www.crateandbarrel.com

Light and bright

Sculpted acrylic seats are paired with the skinniest of lacquered legs in BoConcept's Cavona chair. The transparent orange version is guaranteed to perk up any space. Dh679, BoConcept, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, 04 341 4144, www.boconcept.ae

Colour me happy

Pantone is responsible for granting every conceivable colour under the sun with its own reference number. So if you're a stickler for making things match, the Pantone chair will make sure you get exactly the shade you're looking for. The tongue-in-cheek chairs are available in a range of colours but we particularly love this one in bright yellow or, more precisely, 14-0848. Dh225, Bloomingdale's, Dubai Mall, 04 350 5333

Monday's results
  • UAE beat Bahrain by 51 runs
  • Qatar beat Maldives by 44 runs
  • Saudi Arabia beat Kuwait by seven wickets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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

Family: Parents and four sisters

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing at American University of Sharjah

A self-confessed foodie, she enjoys trying out new cuisines, her current favourite is the poke superfood bowls

Likes reading: autobiographies and fiction

Favourite holiday destination: Italy

Posts information about challenges, events, runs in other emirates on the group's Instagram account @Anagowrunning

Has created a database of Emirati and GCC sportspeople on Instagram @abeermk, highlight: Athletes

Apart from training, also talks to women about nutrition, healthy lifestyle, diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure

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THE NEW BATCH'S FOCUS SECTORS

AiFlux – renewables, oil and gas

DevisionX – manufacturing

Event Gates – security and manufacturing

Farmdar – agriculture

Farmin – smart cities

Greener Crop – agriculture

Ipera.ai – space digitisation

Lune Technologies – fibre-optics

Monak – delivery

NutzenTech – environment

Nybl – machine learning

Occicor – shelf management

Olymon Solutions – smart automation

Pivony – user-generated data

PowerDev – energy big data

Sav – finance

Searover – renewables

Swftbox – delivery

Trade Capital Partners – FinTech

Valorafutbol – sports and entertainment

Workfam – employee engagement

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
  • Flexible work arrangements
  • Pension support
  • Mental well-being assistance
  • Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
  • Financial well-being incentives 
TOUCH RULES

Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.

Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.

Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.

A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.

After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.

At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.

A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.

Dunki
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The Uefa Awards winners

Uefa Men's Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

Uefa Women's Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Lyon)

Best players of the 2018/19 Uefa Champions League

Goalkeeper: Alisson (Liverpool)

Defender: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

Midfielder: Frenkie de Jong (Ajax)

Forward: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

Uefa President's Award: Eric Cantona