Dan Dowding is an investment manager with Killik & Co, a financial-planning firm located in the Dubai International Financial Centre. For almost 15 years, he has helped to shape the investment portfolios of both corporate and private clients.
What is your best piece of investment advice?
a It's one that I apply to myself: don't put all your eggs in one basket. Create a balanced portfolio and don't invest until you are sure it's the right thing for you. That's our process here. Before clients see me, they must go through a process and actually understand the requirements. If you are investing in the stock market, you have to take a long-term view.
How do I know if investing is right for me?
There are so many factors. How old are you? What is your disposable income? What is your debt position? Debt is always bad, so pay that off first. The interest payments on debt are extremely painful. We look at property debt as something slightly different because pretty much everyone needs to borrow to buy a house. Credit cards are obviously totally different. Then, with debt gone, you have to look at your overall income and decide if you can afford to invest.
In terms of regional markets, is the recent political unrest a concern?
When the troubles in Egypt started, we saw regional markets go down and there are concerns for frontier markets. But it has also thrown up opportunities. Out of every crisis, there is an opportunity.
What was your worst financial mistake?
When I first started in the investment game, I would take a large percentage of what I had and invest in individual stocks. It was a very high-risk approach and I invested in a lot of start-ups. This was in 1996 and the beginning of the tech boom, which, of course, burst in 2000. As a relatively new player in the market, I was too heavily invested in that sector. Companies went bust and I paid for it. And what I learnt from that was the importance of a balanced portfolio, both geographically and in terms of industries.
What was your best financial decision?
In the UK, I bought a property straight out of university. Even though interest rates were high, London prices weren't too exponential at this point in 1997. My investment doubled over a three-year period.
Are you a saver or a spender?
I'm more of a saver. Investing goes hand in hand with my job. Part of my job is reading about companies and industries. That's what I enjoy. I enjoy these changes and keeping on top of financial news. We spend all day investigating what is going on in the economy.
What do you enjoy spending money on?
I am mad about cycling. I have a couple of bicycles and they cost about £3,000 each (Dh17,635). I do many of the classic cycling tours, such as London to Paris and stages of the Tour de France.
What was money like growing up?
I grew up about an hour away from London. My dad, who worked in the oil and gas industry, was very hard working. As his career progressed, it became slightly easier for the family in terms of finances. I was taught from an early age to work hard and save money. These values definitely rubbed off on me.
How has your job changed since the financial crisis?
Our job has got a bit easier. Our biggest competitor used to be the property market. We would sit down with potential clients and run through the process, telling them about the range of returns through specific portfolios. They were looking at 8 per cent to 12 per cent, depending on a variety of factors. However, the clients asked why they would do that if they could invest in an off-plan property and flip it, earning 25 per cent or more. Now that property has been taken out of the market, people have become more realistic in terms of what kinds of returns you should get and the importance of diversification.
What is your personal approach to investing?
I am more of a high-risk investor than I should be. I was overweight in terms of technology and I have obviously learnt from that mistake. But I still invest on the higher side when it comes to risk. I am very overweight right now in terms of junior mining companies. I'm 38 and retirement is such a long way off for me. It hasn't entered into the equation. If my investments don't perform well, I have enough time to make up the lost ground.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
What is Diwali?
The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.
According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.
In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Explainer: Tanween Design Programme
Non-profit arts studio Tashkeel launched this annual initiative with the intention of supporting budding designers in the UAE. This year, three talents were chosen from hundreds of applicants to be a part of the sixth creative development programme. These are architect Abdulla Al Mulla, interior designer Lana El Samman and graphic designer Yara Habib.
The trio have been guided by experts from the industry over the course of nine months, as they developed their own products that merge their unique styles with traditional elements of Emirati design. This includes laboratory sessions, experimental and collaborative practice, investigation of new business models and evaluation.
It is led by British contemporary design project specialist Helen Voce and mentor Kevin Badni, and offers participants access to experts from across the world, including the likes of UK designer Gareth Neal and multidisciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Sheikh Salem Al Qassimi.
The final pieces are being revealed in a worldwide limited-edition release on the first day of Downtown Designs at Dubai Design Week 2019. Tashkeel will be at stand E31 at the exhibition.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, deputy director of Tashkeel, said: “The diversity and calibre of the applicants this year … is reflective of the dynamic change that the UAE art and design industry is witnessing, with young creators resolute in making their bold design ideas a reality.”
The biog
Year of birth: 1988
Place of birth: Baghdad
Education: PhD student and co-researcher at Greifswald University, Germany
Hobbies: Ping Pong, swimming, reading
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The years Ramadan fell in May
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
Other key dates
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Finals draw: December 2
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Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
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Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
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Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
MATCH INFO
AC Milan v Inter, Sunday, 6pm (UAE), match live on BeIN Sports
Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books
More from Armen Sarkissian
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 420 bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: from Dh293,200
On sale: now
Sri Lanka squad
Dinesh Chandimal, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Lahiru Thirimanne, Niroshan Dickwella, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Rangana Herath, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Lakshan Sandakan, Vishwa Fernando, Lahiru Kumara, Jeffrey Vandersay, Milinda Siriwardana, Roshen Silva, Akila Dananjaya, Charith Asalanka, Shaminda Eranga and Dhammika Prasad.
