NICE // Four thousand kilometres from the horrors of Syria’s civil war and its devastating impact on his home city of Aleppo, Hassan Harastani has rebuilt a comfortable, productive life in France.
His four grown-up children are also safe, living far from the conflict zone, and he has a good job as a master soap maker, maintaining a long family tradition but in the suburbs of Paris.
However, ask Mr Harastani, 62, what he really wants and he answers without hesitation: a return to Aleppo to revive the once-flourishing business he founded there, when – or perhaps if – a lasting peace can be found. Bombed out of his factory, Mr Harastani left the Middle East and arrived in France with his wife and daughter with just a small suitcase two years ago.
Fortunately, the wrench of having to flee his homeland was mitigated by a helping hand from France.
The lifeline was provided by Samir Constantini, who was also born in Syria but has lived almost his entire life in Paris, where his company, Alepia, produces Aleppo soaps, shampoos, shower gels and similar products.
And Mr Harastani has already made his mark following in the footsteps of his father, who was like him a master soap maker – but in an industrial zone at Santeny, 30 kilometres south-east of the French capital.
It would appear to be a good time to be producing natural soaps. While sales of mainstream bars are slipping in the United State and Europe, natural cleansers such as Alepia’s are finding favour.
"Natural ingredients have sustainable benefits, and consumers are paying more attention nowadays on products' ingredients and the risks some products' fabrication can bring to their health and the environment," Juliana Martins, an analyst for the market researcher Mintel, tells Natural Products Insider.
“The interest in using natural and organic beauty products will continue to grow as consumers are interested in living greener and healthier lifestyles, with use of natural and organic personal care products viewed as a key component of green living,” she says.
The market for natural and organic cosmetics, including natural skincare products such as those made by Alepia, is set for strong growth, according to a report by Global Markets Insight.
The researcher says the European organic cosmetics market size was estimated to be worth more than US$2.5 billion in 2015. “The organic personal care [global] market size was valued at over $9bn in 2015. The organic fragrance ingredients market was valued at $13bn in 2015 and is expected to reach around $19bn by 2023, growing at a CAGR of more than 4.5 per cent from 2016 to 2023,” the report says.
That would buck the trend of standard soap in general. According to data from the International Trade Centre (ITC), in 2015, global sales from exporters of all types of personal soap amounted to $9.8bn. That represents a 2.1 per cent decline since 2011 and a 10.8 per cent drop from 2014 to 2015.
For standard bars, “the United States is declining in value, alongside other mature European markets, where mainstream fragrance brands are struggling to gain consumer interest,” Ms Martins says.
According to the ITC, the fastest-growing soap exporters between 2011 and 2016 were: Japan (up 71.7 per cent); China (up 27.8 pre cent); and Canada (up 17.2 per cent). Of the top 15 global soap exporters in 2015, Germany led the way with exports worth $1bn, or 11.1 per cent of the global market, with France at number 10 with exports valued at $338.2 million and a 3.6 per cent share of the world market. The UAE came in 15th spot, with exports worth $152.1m and a total market share of 1.6 per cent, ITC data show.
The Alepia Premium Aleppo soap range sells for about €8 (Dh31) apiece, according to its website, although the company says its soaps can last up to six times as long as ordinary soap.
Bars of around 200 grams are cut by hand and left to dry for up to three years before being sold.
The soap of Aleppo is authoritatively regarded as the first hard, authentic soap to be created in the world, manufactured commercially since the 8th century – or long before on some accounts – and based to this day on essentially the same ingredients and techniques.
Without the misery into which Syria has descended in the worst of the violent conflicts to be seen after the Arab Spring, Mr Harastani would still be producing soap at his own factory.
"I left Syria when my factory was bombed and partially destroyed, my house robbed and my car stolen," he tells The National. "I lost everything in a few days."
Initially unsure of what to do next, he took refuge in Lebanon, where he once been a student at the American University. He is not even certain about the subsequent fate of his dozen employees. “During the bombing of my factory, there were no casualties but I do not know what has happened to them since. I do not even have any information about the state of my factory.”
Mr Harastani and Mr Constantini had collaborated on soap making since a meeting in Aleppo in 2005. Alepia, founded a year earlier, prospered and Mr Constantini gave up a medical career to keep pace with its growth.
"I took steps to bring Mr Harastani to France as a worker," Mr Constantini tells The National. "He did not want to come as a refugee."
For Mr Constantini, the presence of a master soap maker has been of huge benefit to the business, which has 15 staff and turns out about four tonnes a week for distribution to pharmacies, para-pharmacies, organic shops and internet outlets in France. The business is profitable and he sees ample scope for further development.
As Syrians, both were worried at the onset of the Arab Spring, although they had hope – in Mr Harastani’s words, a wildly optimistic hope – “the people and the government would reach an agreement without conflict”.
Prudently, Mr Constantini bought 100 tonnes of soap when the violence began, calculating that it might be enough to see his business through the duration of a conflict. That, too, proved to be the product more of hope than reality but it also gave him the motivation to step up production at his French factory.
In Santeny, Mr Harastani, who studied chemistry and specialised in oils and fats before obtaining a master’s degree in public health after a course in Lebanon, maintains the centuries-old soap making tradition. This involves blending olive oil and laurel oil with water and lye, also known as caustic soda, to produce a natural soap with what the trade website National Cosmetics News calls “remarkable qualities” for all skin types.
Mr Constantini sees no contradiction in producing Aleppo soap “made in France”, which simply describes the place of manufacture, he says. “ [In this case] made by a grand master of soap making, Mr Harastani, using the ancestral way of production transmitted from generation to generation, and therefore the authentic soap of Aleppo”.
And the company’s burst of publicity, especially a recent 30-minute documentary on French television, have boosted business. “It has made us known to the public, and given us a good image,” Mr Constantini says.
“Individual customer orders are up by 30 per cent, orders by professionals have also increased and we are recruiting three more employees to strengthen our team.”
But does either he or the master soap maker plan to one day return to Syria? “I would like to, but I don’t think it will be possible for 10 years,” Mr Harastani says.
“I have investments in Syria and would ideally like to go back, reopen the factory and manufacture both there and in France.”
Talking about his formative years, Mr Harastani says: “Life was pleasant when I was young. I remember playing in the soap factory among soaps with subtle scents.”
Mr Constantini also longs for the day he can rebuild a life in the Middle East. “My wish is to return to Syria for my retirement 15 years from now and then I hope my children would follow me,” he says.
“But I am rather pessimistic and do not think that the conflict will be resolved. There are too many clans and countries involved, too many conflicting interests.”
business@thenational.ae
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The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
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Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
IF YOU GO
The flights
FlyDubai flies direct from Dubai to Skopje in five hours from Dh1,314 return including taxes. Hourly buses from Skopje to Ohrid take three hours.
The tours
English-speaking guided tours of Ohrid town and the surrounding area are organised by Cultura 365; these cost €90 (Dh386) for a one-day trip including driver and guide and €100 a day (Dh429) for two people.
The hotels
Villa St Sofija in the old town of Ohrid, twin room from $54 (Dh198) a night.
St Naum Monastery, on the lake 30km south of Ohrid town, has updated its pilgrims' quarters into a modern 3-star hotel, with rooms overlooking the monastery courtyard and lake. Double room from $60 (Dh 220) a night.
Mubalada World Tennis Championship 2018 schedule
Thursday December 27
Men's quarter-finals
Kevin Anderson v Hyeon Chung 4pm
Dominic Thiem v Karen Khachanov 6pm
Women's exhibition
Serena Williams v Venus Williams 8pm
Friday December 28
5th place play-off 3pm
Men's semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Anderson/Chung 5pm
Novak Djokovic v Thiem/Khachanov 7pm
Saturday December 29
3rd place play-off 5pm
Men's final 7pm
The BIO:
He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal
He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side
By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam
Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border
He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push
His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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.”
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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