Manager Roberto De Zerbi to leave Brighton at end of season

Roberto De Zerbi will quit as manager of Brighton and Hove Albion after their final game of the season against Manchester United, the Premier League club announced on Saturday.

The Seagulls, who currently sit 10th in the table, face Erik ten Hag's side at the Amex Stadium in the final round of fixtures on Sunday.

The Italian joined the south coast team in September 2022 on a four-year contract after a short spell as coach of Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk.

He had previously managed Sassuolo in Italy's Serie A for three seasons and, before that, several other Italian clubs including Foggia and Palermo.

But on Saturday, Brighton chairman Tony Bloom said: "We have mutually agreed to end Roberto's contract at a time that suits both parties allowing us the earliest opportunity to plan for next season, and Roberto plenty of time to consider his next move and his future,

"Roberto has given us two excellent seasons of service in which he has led the club to new heights, not least our first ever European campaign which will live long in the memory of Albion fans."

Brighton finished sixth in the Premier League last season, the club’s highest ever top-flight finish. That finish gave them European qualification for the first time in their history.

In the Europa League this season, Brighton recorded victories Ajax, Marseille and AEK Athens to top their group before being knocked out in the last 16 by Roma.

"I am sure our fans will give Roberto and his staff a wonderful and fully deserved send off at the Amex before, during and after tomorrow's match," Bloom added.

"In the meantime, I'd like to thank Roberto and his staff for all their hard work in the past two seasons. They all leave our club on good terms and with our very best wishes for the future."

De Zerbi, who arrived at Brighton after Graham Potter departed for Chelsea, said: "We have agreed to end my time at Brighton so that the club and I can continue to work in the way that suits each of us best, following our own ideas and visions, as well as our work and human values.

"Leaving now provides me with time to take a break before deciding on my future plans.

"I am very sad to be leaving Brighton, but I am very proud of what my players and staff have achieved with the support of everyone at the club and our amazing fans in the past two historical seasons."

Brighton 0 Manchester City 4 - in pictures

Kevin de Bruyne of Manchester City is challenged by Jan Paul van Hecke of Brighton during the Premier League match at Amex Stadium on April 25, 2024 in Brighton, England. Man City won the match 4-0 to move up to second in the table. Getty

Kevin de Bruyne puts Manchester City ahead with a looping header. Getty

Manchester City's Phil Foden, right, evades Brighton's Joao Pedro. AP

Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele fails to save a free-kick from Phil Foden of Manchester City as the visitors went 2-0 up. Getty

Manchester City's Phil Foden celebrates scoring his team's second goal. AFP

Manchester City's Phil Foden in action. Reuters

Julian Alvarez of Manchester City is tackled by Simon Adingra of Brighton & Hove Albion. Getty

Julian Alvarez of Manchester City celebrates scoring his team's fourth goal. Getty

Manchester City's Phil Foden manager Pep Guardiola share an embrace at the final whistle. AFP

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Date started: January 2017, app launched November 2017

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Private/Retail/Leisure

Number of Employees: 18 employees, including full-time and flexible workers

Funding stage and size: Seed round completed Q4 2019 - $1m raised

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Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

How to vote

Canadians living in the UAE can register to vote online and be added to the International Register of Electors.

They'll then be sent a special ballot voting kit by mail either to their address, the Consulate General of Canada to the UAE in Dubai or The Embassy of Canada in Abu Dhabi

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Miguel Cotto world titles:

WBO Light Welterweight champion - 2004-06
WBA Welterweight champion – 2006-08
WBO Welterweight champion – Feb 2009-Nov 2009
WBA Light Middleweight champion – 2010-12
WBC Middleweight champion – 2014-15
WBO Light Middleweight champion – Aug 2017-Dec 2017

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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