I'm feeling cheesed off with the sisterhood this week. I know we're not supposed to get "catty" about other women, but this week, I just need to get it off my chest.
Of course, you'll immediately know that I'm talking about the American reality TV star Kim Kardashian. Of course you've heard of her. You know, famous for, er, well, being famous and doing publicity-generating things to make her more famous. She filed for divorce only 72 days after getting married.
This wasn't any kind of arranged marriage, selected by third parties, introduced on the wedding night and subsequently found unsuitable. No, Kardashian had been dating him for almost a year before they tied the knot. So there weren't any surprises waiting to leap out at her. What did she discover in the handful of days after the nuptials that she didn't know before? It all seems a little fast to have broken it off, given that she knew him beforehand. The acres of media coverage certainly bear out rumours that it was just all a fabulous publicity stunt.
From one extreme of marriage to the other. This time it's the Obedient Wives Club that is back in the news trying to keep marriages going longer by getting wives to be more submissive as well as offer up more sex. They have just opened a London chapter of their controversial organisation, which was set up in Malaysia earlier this year.
I've hung back from writing about them before, thinking - nay, hoping - that they would just fade away into a quick, forgettable obscurity, a bit like Kardashian's marriage. But oh no, it's on the rise. The club says that it wants to put an end to social problems such as prostitution and gambling by showing Muslim wives how to be submissive and keep their spouses happy in the bedroom. If he is straying, indulging in naughty activities, or just not doing his bit in the marriage, the solution according to the Obedient Wives is to engage in more bedroom antics.
Now, we're all adults here and there is no need to be prudish. The bedroom is a great place to strengthen a marriage, and there's no harm in encouraging partners to be more sensitive towards each other. But if a man is out there indulging in some extramarital hanky-panky, or spending some bucks at a local gambling den, then it's not the wife's fault - it's his.
Last week the club published a manual to be given to wives on Islamic sex. It was banned by the government in Malaysia who said it could cause confusion among readers about what is acceptable.
The club says it will share the book internally within members. Since this is aimed at women, I wonder if there is a similar one for men? Or better still, I'd like to see the husbands given manuals on cooking and housekeeping. Otherwise you will find us lay-deez will be out on the town, because our husbands are not looking after us properly. We'll give you more than 72 days to prove yourselves though.
Call me crazy, but marriage should not be a publicity stunt, nor a tick-box on a life experience checklist. It does not work well in short bursts, but only after long-term investment. It does not work when you think the other person's lack of involvement is your fault.
Sadly, this week women from East and West have both spectacularly diminished marriage by reducing it to just sex and money. How disappointing. Message to the sisterhood: must do better.
Shelina Zahra Janmohamed is the author of Love in a Headscarf and writes a blog at www.spirit21.co.uk
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.”
Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
If you go
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Santiago, via Sao Paolo cost from Dh5,295 with Emirates.
The trip
A five-day trip (not including two days of flight travel) was split between Santiago and in Puerto Varas, with more time spent in the later where excursions were organised by TurisTour.
When to go
The summer months, from December to February are best though there is beauty in each season
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
Where to apply
Applicants should send their completed applications - CV, covering letter, sample(s) of your work, letter of recommendation - to Nick March, Assistant Editor in Chief at The National and UAE programme administrator for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, by 5pm on April 30, 2020.
Please send applications to nmarch@thenational.ae and please mark the subject line as “Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism (UAE programme application)”.
The local advisory board will consider all applications and will interview a short list of candidates in Abu Dhabi in June 2020. Successful candidates will be informed before July 30, 2020.