A new type of chief executive has emerged, but you won't find them in the boardroom or that much-vaunted corner office with sweeping views.
You certainly won't catch them sporting a Savile Row custom-designed suit or heading off to a high-powered meeting with their assistants in tow.
No, you'll probably find they are more comfortable with the casual approach, including their choice of attire. They have time for everybody, are always happy to do you a favour and you don't have to go through a minder to make an appointment with them.
But there's no doubting they are the boss and - collectively - control billions, if not trillions, of dollars around the world.
Their spending power is becoming legendary. And their fiscal decisions have far-reaching consequences for a very important group of people if they get them wrong: their families.
Allow me to introduce you to the "Family CEO", a title coined by IPC Media, a London-based publishing company, to describe the growing power of a band of women - both stay-at-home and working mums - over the age of 40.
According to a new survey by IPC, nine out of 10 British women in this demographic control the family finances. But the trend can be seen in many countries around the world, including in the UAE.
Women, of course, have known this for years.
We are the quiet achievers; the ones who keep the home fires burning, the bills paid, the family investments clipping along, the budgets on track, the schedules on time and do the leg work on price comparisons for household purchases, including the family car.
As usual, it's surprising that it's taken so long for so many to wake up to this so-called phenomenon.
Even more surprising is that the banks are getting in on the act - at least one of them, anyway.
We ran a story last week about Deutsche Bank, which has finally realised that the only way it can move forward and rebuild its tarnished reputation is to employ mature, tech-savvy women.
"You could say having trustworthy bankers is enough to rebuild trust in the banking industry," Stephan Leithner, the head of human resources and compliance at Germany's flagship lender, was quoted by Reuters as saying. "It is not enough. In future, you need to have other qualities.
"Let me be provocative: the banker of the future will be more female, more international, older, more team oriented and more mobile, and needs to enjoy working with technology."
But back to the Family CEO.
"Through our research, we have discovered that the words [these women] use to describe themselves and their role at the centre of the family are also the words that appear on a CEO's job description," Amanda Wigginton, the director of IPC Insight, the publisher's consumer research arm, said in a press release.
"Words like visionary, passionate, confident, knowledgeable and networker all came up frequently amongst respondents, so we coined the term Family CEO to describe that role.
"But, just as not all company CEOs are the same, not all Family CEOs are the same and that's why we have segmented Family CEO into three sub-groups: luxury, core and savvy CEOs."
The study found that 93 per cent of the more than 2,000 respondents made all or most of the financial decisions in households, 24 per cent more than their counterparts below the age of 40.
They were also more informed about the economy and twice as likely to have an opinion on it than those under 40, while 45 per cent said their partner would be lost without them to manage the household finances, the study said.
I have a few friends who more than qualify for the title of Family CEO. One of them would certainly agree that her husband, who she says is a "serial shopper", would be lost if she wasn't handling the family finances - although it's not a job she loves doing.
"CEO is a job I hate, but I am very good at it," she says. "I keep books and a calendar and it makes our life go very smoothly.
"It's much better since I took over a few years ago; we may even be able to buy a house soon. Nothing is more boring than paying bills and moving money around, but it makes our life better."
A perfect candidate for Deutsche Bank's new mantra, don't you think?
fglover@thenational.ae
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The biog
Born: near Sialkot, Pakistan, 1981
Profession: Driver
Family: wife, son (11), daughter (8)
Favourite drink: chai karak
Favourite place in Dubai: The neighbourhood of Khawaneej. “When I see the old houses over there, near the date palms, I can be reminded of my old times. If I don’t go down I cannot recall my old times.”
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
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Results
- Brock Lesnar retained the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns
- Braun Strowman and Nicolas won the Raw Tag Team titles against Sheamus and Cesaro
- AJ Styles retained the WWE World Heavyweight title against Shinsuke Nakamura
- Nia Jax won the Raw Women’s title against Alexa Bliss
- Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon beat Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
- The Undertaker beat John Cena
- The Bludgeon Brothers won the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos and New Day
- Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle beat Triple H and Stephanie McMahon
- Jinder Mahal won the United States title against Randy Orton, Rusev and Bobby Roode
- Charlotte retained the SmackDown Women’s title against Asuka
- Seth Rollins won the Intercontinental title against The Miz and Finn Balor
- Naomi won the first WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal
- Cedric Alexander won the vacant Cruiserweight title against Mustafa Ali
- Matt Hardy won the Andre the Giant Battle Royal
The biog
Age: 46
Number of Children: Four
Hobby: Reading history books
Loves: Sports
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
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
5 of the most-popular Airbnb locations in Dubai
Bobby Grudziecki, chief operating officer of Frank Porter, identifies the five most popular areas in Dubai for those looking to make the most out of their properties and the rates owners can secure:
• Dubai Marina
The Marina and Jumeirah Beach Residence are popular locations, says Mr Grudziecki, due to their closeness to the beach, restaurants and hotels.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh482 to Dh739
Two bedroom: Dh627 to Dh960
Three bedroom: Dh721 to Dh1,104
• Downtown
Within walking distance of the Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and the famous fountains, this location combines business and leisure. “Sure it’s for tourists,” says Mr Grudziecki. “Though Downtown [still caters to business people] because it’s close to Dubai International Financial Centre."
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh497 to Dh772
Two bedroom: Dh646 to Dh1,003
Three bedroom: Dh743 to Dh1,154
• City Walk
The rising star of the Dubai property market, this area is lined with pristine sidewalks, boutiques and cafes and close to the new entertainment venue Coca Cola Arena. “Downtown and Marina are pretty much the same prices,” Mr Grudziecki says, “but City Walk is higher.”
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh524 to Dh809
Two bedroom: Dh682 to Dh1,052
Three bedroom: Dh784 to Dh1,210
• Jumeirah Lake Towers
Dubai Marina’s little brother JLT resides on the other side of Sheikh Zayed road but is still close enough to beachside outlets and attractions. The big selling point for Airbnb renters, however, is that “it’s cheaper than Dubai Marina”, Mr Grudziecki says.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh422 to Dh629
Two bedroom: Dh549 to Dh818
Three bedroom: Dh631 to Dh941
• Palm Jumeirah
Palm Jumeirah's proximity to luxury resorts is attractive, especially for big families, says Mr Grudziecki, as Airbnb renters can secure competitive rates on one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations.
Frank Porter’s average Airbnb rent:
One bedroom: Dh503 to Dh770
Two bedroom: Dh654 to Dh1,002
Three bedroom: Dh752 to Dh1,152
The biog
Name: Sarah Al Senaani
Age: 35
Martial status: Married with three children - aged 8, 6 and 2
Education: Masters of arts in cultural communication and tourism
Favourite movie: Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
Favourite hobbies: Art and horseback ridding
Occupation: Communication specialist at a government agency and the owner of Atelier
Favourite cuisine: Definitely Emirati - harees is my favourite dish
