Sketched collectibles
Calling all stamp collectors: keep your eyes peeled for these British-issued Roald Dahl stamps inspired by the writer's best works. Our faves have got to be "The Witches" and "Fantastic Mr Fox". They're so sweet it almost makes us want to start collecting stamps ourselves, just as our fathers and grandfathers did back when people used "snail" mail.
From approximately Dh27, www.royalmail.com/roalddahl
A bibliophile bonanza
Bookaholics, here we go. Business meets culture at the 22nd annual Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, offering access to industry professionals and key players in the publishing world across the Middle East and North Africa region. Visitors will get a great chance to fill in the gaps in their libraries (with more than 500,000 titles on display), plus a chance to enjoy lectures, book signings, workshops, poetry recitals, live cooking shows and more. We're planning stops at the "Discussion Sofa", for talk and debate on books and topics ranging from Islamic art and sociology to cinema and travel; "The Tent", a new, less-formal venue inspired by the traditional majlis; and the "Signatures and Authors' Corner". Now where did we put those reading glasses?
Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, March 28-April 2, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, 9am-10pm daily except Friday, 4-10pm Friday, www.adbookfair.com
Doorstop library
Read 'N' Enjoy is not only the latest community library to open in Dubai, but also is the UAE's first online book rental service that provides free door-to-door delivery and pickup. Joining is easy - just visit the website to register and become a member for Dh50 per month (which includes one free delivery per month and unlimited exchanges). Then you can choose from thousands of titles for both adults and children. Radha Janardhan, a mother of two, was frustrated at the lack of good libraries in the area of The Walk, JBR, so she set up her own last year. Now run by like-minded parents, the library also keeps children entertained with puppet shows, arts and crafts, educational reading schemes and weekly storytelling workshops. Whether you go online to rent your books or pop in, Read 'N' Enjoy is open to everyone, and there are no late fees for slow readers.
Read 'N' Enjoy, The Walk, Rimal Plaza, JBR (next to Figaro's Pizza); for further information see www.readnenjoy.com or contact Radha Janardhan on 055 990 4571 or email contact@readnenjoy.com
Cups of inspiration
We just love to curl up with a good book, lightly toasted crumpets and a mug of steaming tea in hand. Embrace your inner Shakespeare with this delightful Emma Bridgewater Romeo & Juliet mug. Saturday afternoons just got a lot more relaxing.
Dh120, available at Harvest Home, Jumeirah Centre, 04 342 0225
Perfect penmanship
"Some authors type their works, but I cannot do that. Writing is tied up with the hand, almost with a special nerve," said Graham Greene, who specified that he used a fountain pen. Now you can get an instrument tailored for you, as Montblanc - they of the exquisite and elegant pens - are offering an exclusive service where they identify the personal characteristics of your handwriting and use this info to create a customised pen nib. Clever Montblanc will conduct an in-depth analysis on your writing style - including writing speed, writing pressure, pen rotation, swing range and inclination angle - in order to handcraft the perfect gold nib for you. Plus, at no extra cost, they can even inscribe it. That best-seller written in longhand awaits you.
Writing analysis and customised nib, Dh5,807, exclusively available at the Montblanc boutique, Jumeirah Emirates Towers Boulevard, 04 330 4810
Writers in a box
We all know about Penguin Modern Classics - we've bought some, watched the ones that got turned into films and bought different editions of the ones we loved the most. Now we can also add postcards to our list with this beautiful box set of 100 photographs of eminent authors. Whether you use them as actual postcards or get some framed, this stack is well worth an order.
Approximately Dh87, www.penguin.co.uk
More coverage from the Future Forum
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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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
MATCH INFO
Schalke 0
Werder Bremen 1 (Bittencourt 32')
Man of the match Leonardo Bittencourt (Werder Bremen)
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last-16, second leg:
Real Madrid 1 (Asensio 70'), Ajax 4 (Ziyech 7', Neres 18', Tadic 62', Schone 72')
Ajax win 5-3 on aggregate
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Sukuk
An Islamic bond structured in a way to generate returns without violating Sharia strictures on prohibition of interest.
HOW TO WATCH
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Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO:
Second Test
Pakistan v Australia, Tuesday-Saturday, 10am daily at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Entrance is free
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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