It has been a hyperactive couple of years for Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Dubai's multitasker par excellence.
The 52-year-old member of the emirate's ruling family, uncle to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has expanded his portfolio of jobs to the point where he now has a presence at or near the top of virtually all of the entities that make up Dubai Inc.
If the post-crisis economic strategy of the emirate is to go "back to basics", focusing on the three Ts of transport, trade and tourism, Sheikh Ahmed sits firmly at the pinnacle of that triangle.
As chairman of The Emirates Group and its eponymous airline, he transports the tourists and businessmen whose spending is a vital part of Dubai's GDP.
Just last year, he was made chairman of Dubai World, the indebted conglomerate that holds a large part of the emirate's troublesome property interests. It also puts him at the top of DP World, the port operator that generates most of Dubai's global commerce.
At the same time, he is chairman of the Supreme Fiscal Committee, the ultimate holder of the emirate's purse strings, and chairman of the Supreme Council of Energy, the body deciding the direction of Dubai's crucial oil, gas, electricity and water needs.
This is in addition to a string of other jobs in the emirate's corporate infrastructure, as well as private business interests and charitable pursuits.
"He has a helicopter view of Dubai's economic strategy, and is perhaps the single most important individual in the emirate's future, after the Ruler, of course," says a Western banker who knows Sheikh Ahmed well. To add to that already crowded schedule, last week Sheikh Ahmed assumed responsibility for the UAE's biggest banking group, Emirates NBD, taking over as chairman from Ahmed Humaid Al Tayer. The appointment widens the horizon of the "helicopter view" and has prompted much speculation among Dubai's financial professionals as to the future direction of the emirate's banking industry.
It also got the "majlisologists" chattering, wondering what Sheikh Ahmed's new job means for the inner circle of advisers to the Ruler.
But first things first. How will he cope with the added workload involved in chairing the emirate's banking "champion" in the fragile global financial climate?
"I don't know how he manages to read all the daily reports," says an old friend and colleague, "but he gets through them sure enough.
"And it fits in nicely with his management style. He believes in teamwork and he is not afraid to delegate responsibility. He is great at motivating people, who are then determined to deliver for him," says the friend.
The new board of directors at Emirates NBD will be the newest group to sample the Sheikh Ahmed managerial style.
"He will assess them to make sure the right people are in place, but then he will give them their freedom. But he'll always be there to oversee strategy and give guidance," says the friend.
In the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), there was much speculation that Sheikh Ahmed's appointment could provide increased stimulus to the round of consolidation that has been long forecast in the financial sector.
Certainly, the Ruler seems to be taking a closer interest in the emirate's banking sector. On the day that Sheikh Ahmed took over the top job at Emirates NBD, another member of the family, Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, was made chairman of Noor Islamic Bank.
A few weeks ago, another rising family star, Sheikh Maktoum Hasher Al Maktoum, became chairman of Shuaa Capital, the country's oldest indigenous investment bank.
"They are bringing it all back home," says one adviser.
Whatever path Emirates NBD takes under its new chairman, it is unlikely to replace the Emirates aviation and transport conglomerate as his first love. The airline, in particular, is "his baby" according to the friend, and Sheikh Ahmed is justifiably proud of his achievement of building it from scratch in 1985 to become one of the biggest carriers in the world today.
Just recently, Emirates Airline declared a profit of US$1.6 billion (Dh5.87bn) for the financial year ending on March 31, making it one of the most profitable airlines in the world. The International Air Transport Association projects that total profit in the global aviation industry will be only $4bn this year.
"The airline, the duty-free business and the airport, these really are his main interests, and he gets very involved on day-to-day issues. If he were to reduce his commitment to the group, it would be a big gap, but I really don't see that happening," says the friend.
The airline's international exposure and success have been another source of strength for Sheikh Ahmed over the years.
His involvement with Emirates rounded off his education in business and statecraft, after a degree course in political science at the University of Denver in the US, by introducing him to international business methods and standards.
It also increased his standing in the global business community and widened his circle of influential friends there.
Dubai has used his international standing to good effect: when global markets took fright after the restructuring of Dubai World was announced in 2009, Sheikh Ahmed was at the head of the delegation sent by the Ruler to brief global bankers and businessmen on the state of the emirate.
He was the human face of Dubai business, and his missions to London, New York and other financial capitals were designed to show that there was a new team, and new spirit, in place to tackle the emirate's problems.
Along with Mr Al Tayer, who remains governor of the DIFC after stepping down as chairman of Emirates NBD, and Mohammed Al Shaibani, the director general of the Ruler's Court, Sheikh Ahmed has convinced global financial markets that the Dubai recovery strategy is sound.
There is one other essential factor in his power base: the enduring and close familial relationship with his elder nephew, the Ruler.
"They have grown up together as family and friends, but each has a genuine mutual respect for the other, though of course Sheikh Mohammed is the boss, and Sheikh Ahmed calls him that," says the friend.
There appear to be only a couple of small regrets concerning the responsibilities that have been placed on him in the past couple of years.
"He doesn't travel as much as he used to, he's just too busy in Dubai, and the hobbies have suffered," says the friend. "He loves deep-sea fishing, and there isn't much time for that any more."
fkane@thenational.ae
EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
SCHEDULE
Thursday, December 6
08.00-15.00 Technical scrutineering
15.00-17.00 Extra free practice
Friday, December 7
09.10-09.30 F4 free practice
09.40-10.00 F4 time trials
10.15-11.15 F1 free practice
14.00 F4 race 1
15.30 BRM F1 qualifying
Saturday, December 8
09.10-09.30 F4 free practice
09.40-10.00 F4 time trials
10.15-11.15 F1 free practice
14.00 F4 race 2
15.30 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
Cheeseburger%20ingredients
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Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
'Moonshot'
Director: Chris Winterbauer
Stars: Lana Condor and Cole Sprouse
Rating: 3/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
Pari
Produced by: Clean Slate Films (Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma) & KriArj Entertainment
Director: Prosit Roy
Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani
Three stars
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
Moving%20Out%202
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20SMG%20Studio%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Team17%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsoles%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nintendo%20Switch%2C%20PlayStation%204%26amp%3B5%2C%20PC%20and%20Xbox%20One%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Dubai World Cup factbox
Most wins by a trainer: Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor(9)
Most wins by a jockey: Jerry Bailey(4)
Most wins by an owner: Godolphin(9)
Most wins by a horse: Godolphin’s Thunder Snow(2)
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
Hunger and Fury: The Crisis of Democracy in the Balkans
Jasmin Mujanović, Hurst Publishers
Zidane's managerial achievements
La Liga: 2016/17
Spanish Super Cup: 2017
Uefa Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
Uefa Super Cup: 2016, 2017
Fifa Club World Cup: 2016, 2017
if you go
The flights
Fly direct to Kutaisi with Flydubai from Dh925 return, including taxes. The flight takes 3.5 hours. From there, Svaneti is a four-hour drive. The driving time from Tbilisi is eight hours.
The trip
The cost of the Svaneti trip is US$2,000 (Dh7,345) for 10 days, including food, guiding, accommodation and transfers from and to Tbilisi or Kutaisi. This summer the TCT is also offering a 5-day hike in Armenia for $1,200 (Dh4,407) per person. For further information, visit www.transcaucasiantrail.org/en/hike/
