One torn cruciate ligament, two damaged meniscuses, three years and four operations after becoming the first Emirati to play international representative rugby, Mohammed Hassan Rahma is back.
Having been told by his surgeon he should look for another sport, Rahma returned to the field for the first time last weekend, and played a lead role in the inaugural competitive victory for his new club, the Abu Dhabi Saracens.
News of his comeback has travelled fast. He says he has received a call and been asked to provide copies of his passport, ahead of a possible trip to Thailand with the UAE sevens team for the next leg of the Asian Sevens Series.
The past three years have told him to caution against making any assumptions. He is treading softly, but he is allowing himself to hope, at least.
"I would love to represent my country, to have the chance to raise the UAE flag and to have that flag on my chest," Rahma, 24, said.
"If I was selected to play, and get the chance to sing my national anthem it would be perfect.
"Playing internationally for the UAE is something I have really dreamed of doing since I started playing rugby. I would love to have that opportunity."
The Dubai-born wing was an integral part of the Arabian Gulf squad in the lead-up to the 2008 World Cup Sevens, and made a try-scoring international debut in a preparatory tournament in Singapore.
His hopes of playing in that showpiece event at The Sevens were extinguished at the last, however somewhat predictably, by injury.
He has barely played since, and made a sporting diversion when he thought his knee would forever preclude him from a return.
"I thought maybe rugby is not meant for me, so I took up surfing to keep fit," he said.
Having initially converted from being a football goalkeeper to take up the oval ball game, he always cut an unusual figure for a rugby player.
He was given the nickname "Paperboy" by his first team, the Dubai Falcons, on account of the fact, he says, his coach wanted him to deliver the ball to the try line. He was paper-thin, too.
"I'm still skinny, but I have more upper-body strength now with the surfing and swimming, which has given me a lot more confidence going back into the game," he said.
He now has a part share in a surf shop in Dubai, but his first love has beckoned him back.
He recently moved to Abu Dhabi, having joined Etihad Airline's graduate training management scheme.
Continuing the spirit of the change, he joined the capital's new club, Saracens, in pre-season, and has now assumed the role of first-choice place-kicker.
"He slotted in straight away," Brett Bowie, the Saracens captain, said. "I was very impressed when he arrived, mainly because he has a really good attitude.
"I really didn't realise how good he was until the last couple of weeks. He has serious gas - he can really run - but his kicking has also been a major bonus."
Buoyed by their maiden win over the Dubai Frogs on Friday, Saracens go into their UAE Conference meeting with the Dubai Wasps second-string this weekend on a high.
It will be a special occasion for Rahma.
Wasps have the largest contingent of Emirati players of any club, a number of whom first cut their teeth in the game in the same Dubai Falcons team of which Rahma was a founding player member in 2005.
Under the guidance of their coach, Trevor Leota, the former Samoan international, the novice Wasps players know all about how to tackle now.
The confrontation could be a daunting one for someone recently returned from such a long time out with injury, but he is just happy to be back.
"My knee felt all right so I decided, you know what, I'll go back and play," said Rahma, who was mentored by his rugby hero, Jason Robinson, during a week's training exchange at Sale Sharks in the UK in 2006.
"After so long out and not having played rugby for so long, I still feel a little unsure about the injury. I get nervous about making big steps, or big manoeuvres because I don't want to snap my knee again.
"That is the only thing holding me back, but at least I am back on that green pitch now."
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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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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
