Aldar Properties, Abu Dhabi’s biggest listed developer, appointed Mariam Saeed Ghobash as the new vice-chairperson of the company.
The development comes following a decision by Waleed Ahmed Almokarrab Al Muhairi to step down as vice-chairman “in compliance with regulations by the UAE’s Securities and Commodities Authority related to membership of multiple boards of public entities”, the company said in a statement to Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange where its shares trade. Mr Al Muhairi will continue as a board member of the company.
Aldar, the developer behind a number of projects in Abu Dhabi including the Gate Towers on Al Reem Island and Yas Mall, reported Dh1.76 billion in revenue for the first quarter of 2020, unchanged from the same period a year ago, despite the coronavirus pandemic.
“Mariam’s investment expertise and her experience on the boards of some of the UAE’s largest entities will benefit Aldar during a very exciting period ahead,” said Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of Aldar.
Ms Ghobash joined Aldar’s board of directors in 2018 becoming the company’s first woman on the board.
Ms Ghobash is currently the director in the Global Special Situations Department at the Abu Dhabi Investment Council. She is also the vice-chairman of Invest AD and serves as a member of the board of directors at Etisalat and Emirates Development Bank, according to her biography on Aldar website.
Previously, she served on the boards of National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Al Hilal Bank and National Takaful Company.
“I look forward to continue to work with the board of directors and the executive team at Aldar, as we collaborate to deliver its sustainable growth strategy and ensure shareholder value,” Ms Ghobash said.
Earlier this year, Aldar increased its support to property, education and retail customers to Dh190m to supplement the government's efforts to soften the blow of the coronavirus pandemic on the emirate’s economy.
The developer also set aside Dh4bn to make sure its contractors, suppliers and consultants are paid on time.
Ms Ghobash holds a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania in the US.
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
