ABU DHABI// Nahla Al Rostamani has always loved motorsport, and admits to being a "petrolhead". The proud owner of two cars and the first Emirati woman to obtain a licence to race in national competitions, she is no stranger to speed.
So the 27-year-old Emirati will be putting her passion into her work this weekend at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Her assignment - enviable yet trickier than one might presume - is to steer the winning drivers to the victory podium.
"I am going to a racetrack, a place where I love to be. I deal with a lot of stress and a lot of work but it's fun and I really enjoy it," she said.
She began her motorsport career at the Dubai Autodrome as a volunteer. Her job was to show VIPs and royalty around the pit lane and to their seats, explaining the ins and outs of the events.
After two years, she was on the Autodrome's payroll as a marketing assistant but she extended her role in the sport.
"I was involved in so many things, from events to paddocks, the racing academy and even in organising the racing," she said.
Her determination behind the wheel caught the attention of her peers at the Autodrome.
"They said I should go to Bahrain [to get the racing licence]," she said.
She did get her Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) C licence, which allowed her to take part in national races, but decided to keep her day job to further her career.
"I wanted to gain more knowledge and experience in motorsport and that's why I left racing," she said.
She sent her CV to Yas Marina Circuit before it officially opened.
"I never put my hopes up. Either if I'm here or there I do enjoy what I'm doing. The difference between the Autodrome was it didn't have a grand prix. That was when I started to make targets and goals in my life and decided what I wanted to do," she said.
The Yas circuit hired her to work as a team relationship officer, and she has been there ever since.
Besides her racing licence, Ms Al Rostamani holds an FIA licence for timing races, making her not only the first person in the UAE to do so, but also the first Arab.
It is more than just holding a stopwatch, she said. "Everyone thinks that. It's a complicated system."
A number of computers are linked to different speed traps around the circuit as well as to transponders in the cars.
"If anything went wrong we'd have to check the system. During the race, depending on the race director, if there are any penalties or any delays we have to reduce or increase the timing. It can get complicated and you have to be really into it," she said.
To get the licence, she needed two years' experience, which she got after assisting at the Autodrome and at Yas.
"It's not really a test. I was observed by an official who assessed me and saw I was capable and could deal with the issues," she said.
This weekend, however, she will be the observer, watching the Formula One race directors when they come to Yas Marina's race control.
She said their requirements to monitor the race can be complicated.
"They are very specific about it," she said. They will want four chairs to be a certain place at a table of a certain size. That's the whole thing about F1, they are so professional and very straight. They know what they want," she said.
On race day, Ms Al Rostamani will be responsible for all the podium ceremonies.
"There is a whole protocol," she said. No one is allowed to talk to the drivers when they first come up.
"When the presenter is out on the podium they have to know what trophy to give to who. From the back drop, the inserts, the carpet, the flowers, the towels, the caps and it's for all races and national anthems," she said.
Communication with the rest of the team is key she said but an appreciation for the job makes it easier.
"If you want to be in motorsport you have to be really passionate about it. Even if it was for nothing, I'd do it," she said.
eharnan@thenational.ae
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
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.”
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.