benchmark middle east
DECEMBER 2015 / VOL. 4 NO. 11
Work + Play = Life
Published from Dubai Media City
DECEMBER 2015
Sports in Numbers
Here’s Benchmark’s scorecard on the sports business p8
THE BOSS: Interview
Q&A with Colm McLoughlin, executive vice chairman of Dubai Duty Free p34
A Mini with A Big Heart
One of the mightiest punches of Dubai Motor Show 2015 was delivered by one of the smallest members of the packs p42
benchmark middle east
inside
DECEMBER 2015 / VOL. 4 NO. 11
Work + Play = Life
DECember 2015
Published from Dubai Media City
DECEMBER 2015
Sports in Numbers
Here’s Benchmark’s scorecard on the sports business p8
THE BOSS: Interview
Q&A with Colm McLoughlin, executive vice chairman of Dubai Duty Free p34
A Mini with A Big Heart
One of the mightiest punches of Dubai Motor Show 2015 was delivered by one of the smallest members of the packs p42
Cover design Geri Batara Sonny
Work
8
Infographics: sports in numbers To win gold in sport involves being a great athlete – or top of your game in business. Here’s Benchmark’s scorecard on the sports business.
10 sports industry trends 14 Top Benchmark brings you some of the top trends to look out for in the business of sport.
18
How to work in the Gulf sports industry Sport is by nature competitive – and that certainly applies to those looking for a job in the industry.
22
Do mega sports events pay off for the UAE? Dubai may be a city of superlatives – but it is, arguably, yet to make its mark in sports in the same way it did with the Burj Khalifa or world’s biggest mall.
UAE stack up in sport stakes 26 How The game is on in the Gulf. With more and more
competitive events being held in the UAE and Qatar, the two countries are increasingly punching above their weight in the sporting arena.
media right in the Middle East 30 Sports As Benjamin Franklin never said, nothing in life is
certain except death, taxes… and the spiralling cost of sports TV rights.
BOSS: Interview 34 THE In his 32-year career at Dubai Duty Free,
Colm McLoughlin has helped steer the emirate’s rapid rise in the fields of retail and aviation – but also, notably, as a major player in world sport.
Events planner 40 Work: Here is Benchmark’s guide to the top business events of the next two months.
4
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PLAY away with the circus 42 Run The fairyland pink and yellow striped tent of
The Great Vegas Circus houses a talented crew of international artistes who have been wowing crowds during their two-hour shows throughout the GCC.
A Mini with A Big Heart 48 Motoring: One of the mightiest punches of Dubai Motor
Show 2015 was delivered by one of the smallest members of the packs.
54 Travel: British Airways first class review 56 Fashion for Her and Him 60 Top Five Properties For Rent 62 Top Five Properties For Sale Events planner 64 Play: Here’s the lowdown on the top events around the New Year period.
How to be happy at work 66 Health: It is universally acknowledged that quite rarely does an employee find themselves truly and completely happy at work. Here are some emotional health pointers to help you be a happier employee.
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Editor's Note
M
ore than two decades ago Bill Shankly, who famously led Liverpool FC, was asked if his chosen sport was a matter of life and death? “No,” he replied, “It’s more important than that.” The business of sport has grown over the decades into numerous multi-billion dollar industries, and it is certain that staging events has become an important part of the UAE’s revenue generating strategy. In the emirate’s trophy cabinet annually so far are one amazing F1 Grand Prix race, two notable tennis tournaments which attract the world’s best, the world’s richest horse racing tournament, international rugby, test cricket, PGA golf and top class swimming, to name but a few. And so this month Benchmark Middle East deconstructs what sport means to the UAE in possibly our best giant infographic to date. In Work, we look at the best way to work in the UAE’s burgeoning sports industry, look at the top ten trends ahead, examine the market of sports rights and the money sloshing through the region. In The Boss, our Ben Flanagan sits down with Colm McLoughlin, executive vice chairman of Dubai Duty Free, who has helped steer the emirate’s rapid rise as a major player in world sport. DDF is an active sponsor of sports events both at home and internationally, with associations with the likes of the DP World Tour Championship golf, the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, and Dubai Duty Free Irish Open. So does hosting sports pay off? For those who like to play off the pitch we have plenty in Play, including a look at the big success of a small car at the Dubai Motor Show, with mini capturing many hearts. As usual we have fashion for men and women, planners to help you organise your calendar both professional and personal, and we’ve got the Top Five properties to rent or buy courtesy of Luxhabit. From all at Benchmark Middle East enjoy this edition of our magazine, and have a great fun-packed holiday season. Scott Armstrong Chief Executive Editor 6
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Work Sports in Numbers
Work IN NUMBERS
SPORTING
WORLD To win gold in sport involves being a great athlete – or top of your game in business. The global sports industry is worth a staggering $700 billion a year. But the stakes are high for countries hosting big events – and there’s no guarantee of a good return. Just ask Qatar, which according to Deloitte is spending $200 billion on hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, including the surrounding infrastructure works. But according to one recent survey, the Gulf state’s hosting of the football tournament makes people in football-mad Britain *less* likely to want to visit – suggesting the upside in tourist revenues could be limited. Here’s Benchmark’s scorecard on the sports business:
Global sports, big bucks
$700bn Total sports industry value
(including goods, apparel, equipment, fitness)
$80bn
Global sporting events market (revenues from tickets, media rights, sponsorship)
8
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Sports in Numbers
Work
Cost of preparing to host the FIFA World Cup South Africa, 2010
$4bn
Brazil, 2014
Russia, 2018
$15bn $20bn $200bn
Qatar, 2022 (includes surrounding infrastructure projects)
Geographic share of global sports market
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43%
38%
Europe, Middle East and Africa
North America
13%
6%
Asia Pacific
Latin America
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Work Sports in Numbers
Top 10 richest sporting events in the world
How the prize money stacks up for contenders in different sports.
Event
Millions dollars
UEFA Champions League
FIFA World Cup
UEFA European Championships
World Series
UEFA Europa League
World Series of Poker
Super Bowl
FedEx Cup
Dubai World Cup
FIFA Club World Cup
65
31
29
19
12
12
11
10
10
5
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Ten future sport events to be held in the Middle East
UAE
2015
2016
2017
FAI World Air Games
Longines FEI World Endurance Championships
2018
FIFA Club World Cup
2019
2020
2021
2022
AFC Asian Cup
15th FINA World Championships ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships
OMAN
IAAF World Athletics Championships
QATAR UCI Road World Championships
JORDAN
10
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FIFA World Cup
FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup
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Sports in Numbers
Work
Global Sports Nations Index
Sportcal’s ranking of the success of nations in attracting major sports events NUMBER OF EVENTS 50
40
30
20
10
NATION
SCORE
Russia Canada UK China USA Germany France Brazil Italy Japan Korea Spain Netherlands Denmark Australia Austria Sweden Turkey Qatar Poland Czech Republic Switzerland Norway Finland Hungary New Zealand India Mexico South Africa Kazakhstan Colombia Taiwan Malaysia UAE Slovakia Belgium Azerbaijan Argentina Serbia Bulgaria Indonesia Belarus Latvia Portugal Bangladesh Slovenia Singapore Peru Ireland Sri Lanka Greece Croatia French Polynesia Bahamas Uzbekistan Andorra Thailand Ukraine Panama Puerto Rico Algeria Uganda Luxembourg Venezuela Estonia Georgia Egypt Barbados Guatemala Chile Ivory Coast Cyprus Aruba Philippines Oman Guyana St. Lucia Jordan Dominican Republic Romania
41352 40205 37191 36924 33985 28022 24786 24753 24555 22886 21462 19762 18877 15604 15241 15234 14136 12861 12512 12474 12365 12258 11615 10713 8880 8035 7998 7267 6896 6751 6540 5062 4563 4455 4432 4387 4111 3913 3725 3383 3299 3071 2761 2559 2430 2387 2239 2175 1902 1808 1767 1699 1610 1547 1454 1435 1434 1185 1038 937 872 829 674 658 642 631 626 607 516 482 414 369 363 359 344 304 304 302 278 252
0 37 48 30 40 39 39 27 10 33 22 25 18 23 17 19 17 18 15 8 13 15 15 14 14 12 9 8 11 5 8 6 5 6 6 5 6 4 4 4 6 3 2 4 3 2 5 2 2 4 2 2 4 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
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RANK
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 76 78 79 80
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
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Work Sports in Numbers
Global Sports Cities Index Sportcal’s ranking of the top cities for major sports events DOHA IN THE TOP TEN
SCORE 20,000
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
BY REGION
0
London (UK) Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) Moscow (Russia) Tokyo (Japan) Paris (Paris) Doha (Qatar) Copenhagen (Denmark) Kazan (Russia) Beijing (China) Sochi (Russia)
16 Istambul (Turkey)
51
Europe
33 Dubai (UAE)
26 Asia
16 America
5
Oceania
2
Africa
92 Lusail (Qatar)
12
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Sports in Numbers
Work
Holidaymakers cool on Qatar
84% of tourism executives believe major sporting events have a positive effect on tourism. But a survey of British holidaymakers found that 31% said they are less likely to visit Qatar because it is hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Much more likely to visit 2016 Olympics Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
14%
Much less likely
4%
56%
5% 21%
9%
56%
4%
5%
26%
8%
62%
5%
4%
2022 World Cup Qatar
56%
6%
Formula One Mexico
A little less likely
19%
12%
2018 World Cup Russia
Makes no difference
7%
2016 UEFA Euro France
A little more likely
21%
7%
58%
4%
4%
27%
Cricket scores for the UAE
$41m $75m
Direct economic impact of UAE hosting Indian Premier League cricket matches in 2014
Economic boost when 'ripple effect' taken into consideration
20
Number of matches played during the UAE leg of 15-day IPL run
SOURCES: Al Arabiya | ATKearney (2014) | Deloitte | independent.ie | KPMG Sports Advisory Group | Sportcal | USA Today | World Travel Market 2015 Industry Report
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Work Sports Trends
Top ten trends in the business of sports
H
BY Ben Flanagan
undreds of billions of dollars are going into developing the Arabian Gulf ’s sporting industry and the infrastructure needed to support it – notably in Qatar, ahead of its controversial 2022 Fifa World Cup. With all that cash
being splashed, Benchmark brings you some of the top trends to look out for in the business of sport.
IMAGE: 1.Abu Dhabi Grand Prix / CREDIT: Supplied)
1
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Abu Dhabi F1 takes poll position The Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is the most familiar world sport event held in the UAE, according to a recent poll of residents by YouGov. A survey of more than 1,000 people found 57 percent of respondents were aware of the Abu Dhabi F1, followed by 37 percent of people who said they knew about the Dubai World Cup, and 36 percent for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. The Abu Dhabi F1, last held in November at the Yas Marina Circuit, also registered the highest level of attendance, with 18 percent of those aware of the event saying they had been to a race. D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
Sports Trends Work
2
PHOTO: Shutterstock
Sport plays on national pride The same YouGov poll also found that the majority of UAE residents want their nation to host more major sporting events – with 76% saying such events make them proud to live in the country. Around 83% said hosting big events is a good way for the nation to promote itself globally, while 78% believe sports events have a positive impact on the community. “The results from YouGov’s study show that major sporting events are engaging and exciting the general population across the UAE who believe they play an important role in the morale of their country and its recognition on a world stage,” said Scott Booth, YouGov’s Head of Tourism and Leisure research in MENA.
3
Maqbul Dudhia / CREDIT: DSC
Cricket, football top the leagues Despite the high awareness of the Abu Dhabi F1, cricket and football rank as the most popular sports in the UAE, said Maqbul Dudhia, general manager of sports and events business at Dubai Sports City (DSC). “Cricket has the largest participation base and viewing numbers in Dubai and in the UAE, followed by football,” he said. DSC last year hosted Indian Premier League cricket games that drew a 125,000-strong crowd over five match days, marking the Dubai sports zone’s biggest ever event. “It was a huge success for us and of course a pleasure to host such a widely watched league across the world but also offer cricket-mad fans in the UAE a venue to see the action,” said Mr Dudhia.
PHOTO: Shutterstock
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Qatar kicks off regional boost As you may have heard, Qatar plans to host the 2022 Fifa World Cup – something that has attracted considerable controversy internationally. But despite the question marks over the event, regional executives say that Doha’s ambitions in the sporting arena are proving beneficial to the wider Gulf’s sports industries. “The World Cup in Qatar is a positive, as it makes a statement globally that the region is capable of hosting global events,” said Mr Dudhia. “It supports Dubai’s positioning on all matters related to sport and events.” D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
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Work Sports Trends
PHOTO: Shutterstock
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PHOTO: Shutterstock
Golf big business for the Gulf While the F1 is best known, and cricket and football most popular, golf is on par as one of the most economically viable sports in Dubai. According to Deloitte, the gross expenditure on golf in Dubai amounts to $270 million a year – roughly 25 percent of total expenditure on sport in the emirate (excluding the indirect and induced impacts). Roughly 16,000 visitors come to Dubai to play golf each year, playing an average of 2.5 rounds each, bringing golf’s direct economic impact – the amount of additional spending from overseas it creates – to $131m. The emirate has 11 courses (at nine locations), equating to one course per 200,000 people. That will fall to one per 147,000 once the four courses currently under construction are completed, according to Deloitte calculations.
Hot summer, dry for sports Despite Dubai being home to over 300 annual sporting events, these are skewed heavily towards the winter months, with 61 sports events held in January, compared with just four in July, according to a recent report by Deloitte. “A number of leading stakeholders believe the current calendar of events is overcrowded, with significant events clashing on a regular basis, including at a federal (UAE) level,” the report, titled ‘The Economic Impact of Sport in Dubai’, noted. Dan Jones, the lead partner of the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, said Dubai’s sporting calendar was one aspect of the industry that needed attention.
SportsDay / CREDIT: WAM
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16
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Government a major supporter The UAE government has launched numerous initiatives in sport, focusing on both its social benefits – for both people’s happiness and health – as well as economic concerns. One recent one was the first National Sports Day, held on November 25, launched under a directive of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai. Sports clubs, groups and schools were all encouraged to take part in the inaugural event. Part of the reason behind such initiatives is to drive down the UAE’s high level obesity, said to be about double the global average. D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
Sports Trends Work
Emirates / CREDIT: Shutterstock
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ManCity / CREDIT: Etihad.com
‘Trophy’ investments paying off Half the world’s top 10 football club brands are either sponsored or owned by Gulfbased entities, it was reported last summer. Teams including Barcelona, Arsenal and Real Madrid all have deals with Gulf airlines, while teams Paris Saint Germain and Manchester City are both owned by regional investors. Sometimes such deals are characterised as ‘trophy’ investments. But they are proving much more than that – with some paying dividends: Manchester City in October reported its first profit – a reported £10.7 million (Dh59.4m) – since Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bought the football club in 2008.
DubaiSportsCity / CREDIT: DSC
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Sponsorship love not requited Emirates, Dubai Duty Free and DP World are “very significant players” in global sports sponsorship – with the former spending hundreds of millions of dollars outside Dubai in 2015, according to Deloitte. And Emirates also spends big on celebrity endorsements, recently paying former Friends star Jennifer Aniston a reported $5 million to become the face of the airline. Dubai companies are also big spenders on home turf, with the majority of the estimated $100 million local annual sponsorship spending coming from within the emirate. There are some non-Dubai sponsors of local sports events, notably Omega, Standard Chartered, J.P. Morgan. But the relative lack of foreign sports sponsorship of Dubai events limits the positive direct economic impact, Deloitte notes. “An increased level of sponsorship from non-Dubai entities would be necessary for events to increase their direct impact on Dubai’s economy,” its report said.
Infrastructure boom Sport is increasingly the catalyst for wider infrastructure developments in the region. For Qatar to host the World Cup, the cost of building the actual stadiums is a miniscule – relatively speaking, of course – $4 billion, according to government estimates. But the surrounding infrastructure required to host the tournament will cost more than $200 billion, including a reported $34 billion on rail systems, $7 billion on a port and $17 billion on an airport. Dubai has also seen large-scale developments tied up with sport, such as the Dubai Sports City development, which includes sporting as well as residential facilities. D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
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Work How to Work in Sports Industry
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Sports Industry
Work
How to work in the Gulf sports industry
T
by Ben Flanagan
he Sport is by nature competitive – and that certainly applies to those looking for a job in the industry. But the chance of winning gold in the
employment stakes is looking a little brighter in the Arabian Gulf, where the rapid growth in sporting facilities and high-profile events is sparking a recruitment boom in health and fitness, experts say.
There are opportunities in two main areas: Fitness, which includes roles like personal training and coaching, and sports-management positions such as marketing and sales. Recruitment agencies point to the thriving sports market of Dubai as being particularly attractive to jobseekers. The emirate is home to more than 400 gyms and 300 annual sporting events – and has a “significant” workforce to match, according to a Deloitte report published in November. The report found that there are the equivalent of 14,500 full-time employees in Dubai’s core sports industry – a figure that would be even higher were those in ancillary businesses included. Perhaps surprisingly, Dubai’s sport industry constitutes about 0.6 percent of the emirate’s overall workforce – a far higher proportion than in most key European countries, including France and Italy, the report found. “Dubai has got about the same proportion as somewhere like the UK, which I guess to some people would be surprising, because the UK obviously has a very well-developed, mature sport sector,” Dan b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t | D e c e m b e r 2 0 15
Jones, the lead partner of the Sports Business Group at Deloitte, told Benchmark. Stewart King, a London-based senior consultant at SRi – an executive search firm specialising in sports, media and entertainment – said the number of sports opportunities in the Middle East has “expanded pretty rapidly in the last few years”. There has been a surge in activity in both commercial appointments – for roles such as sales directors and sports chief executives – and those closer to the action, such as coaches and performance directors, he added. “The sporting landscape in the Middle East is looking to develop across the piece,” said Mr King. “It’s about developing the broader infrastructure as opposed to just bringing in a superstar name as a coach. It’s about putting the right backroom staff in place.” Mr King said his firm is seeing an increase in the number of regional sports vacancies of about 50 percent a year, although that’s not necessarily indicative of the overall market, he pointed out. Though the different working environment in the Middle East can be a D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
19
Work Sports Industry
There are a lot of opportunities, attributing the increase to the “positive influence” of big events being held in the region, such as the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar, as well as residents’ desire to be fitter and healthier Max williamson Performance Director at Career Sport Fitness Academy
challenge to some expat candidates, Mr King said the region poses an exciting opportunity for professionals interested in being part of the vanguard of a fledgling sports industry. “They’re in an environment where they can really leave a legacy and develop something quite exciting,” he said. Expats working in a country like the UAE could earn about 40 percent more than in the UK, although that varies by role, Mr King said. Max Williamson, performance director at Career Sport Fitness Academy, which runs training courses for fitness professionals in the UK, Middle East and India, says he too has noticed an increase in the number of sports jobs in the UAE. “There are a lot of opportunities,” he said, attributing the increase to the “positive influence” of big events being held in the region, such as the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar, as well as residents’ desire to be fitter and healthier. “Health and fitness is becoming more important in the whole region, due in no small part to the obesity and diabetes problems, which the governments are very aware of,” he said. The Career Sport Fitness Academy runs UK-standard courses that form the basic qualifications for professional fitness trainers. It also has courses in areas including nutrition, sports massage, and 20
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interventions for obesity and diabetes. Mr Williamson said the introduction in 2013 of REPs UAE — a public register that ensures UAE fitness trainers are qualified and working to agreed industry standards — has boosted business for the academy, which now has about 300 UAE students a year. Graduates benefit from a growing range of job opportunities at venues such as private gyms, as well as health and fitness facilities in hotels and private clubs, Mr Williamson said. Salaries “compare favourably” to the UK market, he added. An experienced fitness instructor employed by a UAE hotel can earn about £25,000 to £35,000 (Dh140k to Dh200k) a year, tax-free, with accommodation, transport and food likely provided on top of that, Mr Williamson said. “If you’re good enough, you’ve got the experience and you can do the job, it’s a very attractive salary in the Middle East,” he said. But salaries for fitness instructors can sometimes depend on where an employee is from, said Mr Williamson. While an expat from a country like the UK, Australia or South Africa can expect up to Dh200k a year, those from some Asian countries are often paid less, he pointed out. So while there are more and more job opportunities in the Gulf sports market it isn’t, sadly, a level playing field for all. D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
Sports Industry
Work
Top tips for landing a job in UAE sports 1. G et the right qualification. If you’re looking to work in fitness it’s better to be properly accredited, especially in more regulated markets like Dubai. “Make sure that whatever courses you do, they are accredited by REPs UAE. That is absolutely essential,” said Max Williamson, performance director at Career Sport Fitness Academy. 2. Be an intern. Experience what it is like to work in the industry. “That will allow you to practice and develop your skills,” said Williamson. 3. Present yourself properly. “Once you are comfortable that this is the career that you want to follow, and that you’ve got the necessary skills, then apply for jobs with a professionally prepared CV,” said Williamson. 4. Seek out the opportunities. There’s a lot out there, but you need to get out there. “Speak to your sports council, go into the major gyms and ask them if they’re recruiting,” advises Williamson. 5. Be prepared for a pay-cut. Moving into sports sometimes involves a salary cut, said Stewart King, a London-based senior consultant at SRi. “But once you’ve got your foot in the door, you can build it up,” he adds.
Sports employees as share of national workforce UK Dubai Greece Germany Ireland France Italy Netherlands Belgium Sweden Denmark Spain Portugal
0.61 0.60 0.45 0.39 0.37 0.37 0.33 0.28 0.24 0.19 0.15 0.02 0.02
SOURCE: ‘The Economic Impact of Sport in Dubai’ (Deloitte, November 2015)
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Work Mega sports
22
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Mega sports
Work
Do mega sports events pay off for the UAE?
D
by Ben Flanagan
ubai may be a city of superlatives — but it is, arguably, yet to make its mark in sports in the same way it did with the Burj Khalifa or world’s biggest mall. A report by accountancy giant Deloitte, published in November,
found that the annual sports-related expenditure in Dubai stands at $1.7 billion. The pure economic boost of that — the amount that would be lost to Dubai were the sports industry to somehow cease to exist — is around $670 million.
Those may be big numbers, but they represent just a tiny fraction of Dubai’s overall economy. And Dan Jones, the lead partner of Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, says the level is not out of line compared with other countries’ sports sectors. “It’s less than 1 percent of the economy. And that’s relatively typical across international borders,” he told Benchmark. The report entitled ‘The Economic Impact of Sport in Dubai’, commissioned by the Dubai Government advisory firm Falcon and Associates, said Dubai is home to 300 regular annual sports events. Just seven of those — including the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Dubai World Cup and Rugby Sevens — attract a combined $407m in annual expenditure, over half of all the money spent on sport events. But Dubai’s top events are dwarfed by several other big global sports fixtures. The average direct economic impact of b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t | D e c e m b e r 2 0 15
those seven biggest events stands at $46 million, according to the Deloitte report. That compares with $232 million for the 2012 ATP World Tour Masters in the USA, or $213 million for the 2013 NFL Super Bowl, it found. So while the emirate boasts the world’s tallest building and the Dubai Mall, it still lacks a sports event on a similarly grand scale. Nearby Qatar may be gearing up to host the controversial 2022 Fifa World Cup — but Dubai is yet to host something similar, although a bid to host the Olympic Games has been mooted several times. But does Dubai even need to add sporting superlatives to its lengthy tally of world achievements? Is a mega-event really necessary to cement its arrival on the global sports stage? Khalid Al Zarooni, president of Dubai Sports City, says the emirate has no need to prove anything in this field.
“With or without the Olympics or World Cup, the UAE in its past 44 years has achieved a lot in hosting mega events in sports,” he told Benchmark. “As a young nation, our sporting calendar for the season is repeatedly busy with world class events. I don’t think we need to prove that we can host [events], we just want to maintain the very high standard of events that we do host as a nation.” Deloitte’s Mr Jones says two upcoming fixtures will indeed allow Dubai to show off its ability to host a mega sports event. The first is the planned Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup in 2019, while the second — the Expo 2020 — is not strictly about sports at all. “There are two things coming up on the horizon that — assuming that Dubai does them very well, which I can see no reason why they won’t — would then [allow people to] say ‘ok, are we ready then D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
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Sport has a profile and an ability to cut through and reach people that is way above and beyond its economic scale. It doesn’t matter what language you speak, what culture or religion you are from — you get it
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for the next step, of going for an Olympics?’,” said Mr Jones. “If you can do the Expo really well, then you should have the confidence that you can do something like an Olympics.” Dubai’s existing might in sport is not to be underestimated. Its biggest regular annual event, the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, attracts 100,000 people over three days. The aforementioned flagship airline is one of the most prominent sponsors of sport globally, as well as domestically. And a 2011 feasibility study into Dubai’s capability of hosting the Olympic Games concluded that 70% of the “hard” infrastructure required was already planned or in place. Deloitte’s report did however identify shortfalls, such as a need for Dubai to build a dedicated outdoor stadium for more than 30,000 people. The lack of such a facility “is not in keeping with what Dubai stands for, nor in keeping with peer sporting cities on the world stage, especially regarding aspirations for hosting major events,” the report noted. But do massive sporting events pay off? Mr Jones pointed to the London 2012 Summer Olympics, which he said had brought immense benefits for his native
UK. Though the total cost of hosting the three-week event was estimated at almost £9 billion (Dh50 billion), that money went a long way in terms of regeneration of the areas of East London that hosted the core of the event, Mr Jones said. “To stick the price ticket of ‘£9 billion for three works’, in my mind, just doesn’t work. It’s transformed part of East London that was a heavily polluted, a light industrial wasteland, into a very modernised, vibrant part of London,” he said. But an economic boost is just one factor in hosting big sports events, said Mr Jones. What it can bring to a country is about more than just money. And in that sense, Dubai’s sports industry is already producing more benefits than the headline figures suggest. “It’s less than 1 percent of the economy — but it’s a 1 percent that punches well above its weight in terms of what it can do for the national profile and so on,” said Mr Jones. “Sport has a profile and an ability to cut through and reach people that is way above and beyond its economic scale,” he added. “It doesn’t matter what language you speak, what culture or religion you are from — you get it.” D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
Mega sports
Work
Dubai sports industry in numbers $1.7bn Annual expenditure related to CREDIT: www.dsc.ae
sport in Dubai.
The ROI is right
Dubai Sports City
B
illions of dollars have been pumped into Dubai’s sports infrastructure — but one leading expert in the field says the investment is paying off. Khalid Al Zarooni, president of Dubai Sports City, says putting money in sports brings with it varied economic benefits across areas like tourism, hospitality and ticketing. Al Zarooni manages a massive mixed-use zone that includes homes, retail facilities and $1bn of sporting infrastructure, including a championship golf course and the 25,000-seat Dubai International Stadium. Here he explains the business sense behind sports in Dubai.
$270m Gross expenditure on golf. $670m Total annual economic impact of sport in Dubai.
$709m Gross expenditure on sports events.
57% of expenditure on sports events comes from seven big events: • Omega Dubai Desert Classic • Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon • Dubai Tour • Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships • Dubai World Cup • DP World Tour Championship • Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens
$46m Average direct economic impact of Dubai’s top seven sports events.
KPMG estimated that the direct economic boost of the UAE hosting the 2014 Indian Premier League cricket matches was $41m, or $75m with the ‘ripple effect’. Do you agree? Hosting of the IPL in the UAE raised the bar for the UAE as a host city for a complex international event. The event brought economic boosts to tourism, room nights in hotels, events and ticketing. We had 125,000 people watching games across five days, which is a clear boost for any market.
1m+ Total spectators at Dubai sports events each year.
100,000 Spectators at the Emirates. Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens over 3 days.
80,000 Spectators at the Dubai World Cup, the most-attended single
What is the broader economic advantage of hosting big sports events? It is obviously tourism, employment opportunities and a focus on youth. Inspiring the younger generation to play sports is something Dubai Sports City set out to do when we launched the project in 2004.
day of sport for a regular annual event.
It was reported in July that Dubai Sports City is in talks with financiers regarding the site of a proposed Fifa-compliant 60,000-seat football stadium. What is the latest on that? The 60,000-seater stadium is within the Dubai Sports City masterplan but at the moment we are concentrating are delivering the final areas of the Victory Heights villa community and our sports infrastructure such as Sports Village. Step by step Dubai Sports City will deliver everything it set out to deliver but we will make sure we go about that plan in the most effective way and not rush into major decisions. The stadium designs are getting optimised and we are seeing what is new in the technology; when we are ready we will make an announcement.
$100m Sports sponsorship spend
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25,000 Runners in the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon, the biggest mass participation event in the emirate.
per annum.
11 Number of golf courses in Dubai (at nine locations).
16,000 International golf visitors to Dubai per year. SOURCE: ‘The Economic Impact of Sport in Dubai’ (Deloitte, November 2015)
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How UAE stack up in sports stakes by BEN FLANAGAN
T
he game is on in the Gulf. With more and more competitive events being held in the UAE and Qatar, the two countries are increasingly punching above their weight in the sporting arena. Doha is now the world’s sixth
top city for sporting events, according to the Global Sports Cities Index by the UK consultancy Sportcal, which ranks places by the number of recent and future fixtures. And both Qatar and the UAE advanced in Sportcal’s global country index, to rank 19th and 34th respectively.
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Sports stakes
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Mike Laflin, the chief executive of Sportcal, which provides market intelligence about the industry, told Benchmark what this means for business in Gulf – and why world sports events are missing a trick by not forging closer ties with tourism. Q&A with Mike Laflin, the chief executive of the UK-based Sportcal What’s the trend in terms of Middle East countries hosting sporting events? In Qatar and the UAE – Abu Dhabi and Dubai – sport is on the agenda. So we’re seeing generally those two countries really pushing in the Middle East. The majority of the other [regional countries], not really – there is some stuff going on in Jordan but they’re not really bidding for events. Why is Qatar rising up your sports rankings? They’ve got championships in athletics, they’ve got championships in badminton… they’ve attracted a number of events, which have supported the fact that they’ve got the World Cup. I went to Qatar about three or four years ago and it is amazing what they are doing. b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t | D e c e m b e r 2 0 15
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Qatar is reported to be spending $200 billion on the 2022 World Cup and surrounding infrastructure. Is it worth it? It’s very rare that when you bid for a major sporting event like the World Cup, you don’t have a stadium. In Qatar’s case, they didn’t have the stadium and they didn’t even have the city, for one of the places. But the Qataris are being very astute about it because they realise it’s not just about one event. In the UK, we’ve had this series of the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Rugby World Cup, World Athletics Championships. There’s a sequence being developed. Qatar has worked that out, and they are basically saying ‘let’s have the World Athletics Championships, let’s have the World Swimming Championships, the judo, wrestling and boxing.’ So they are going after a number of events. Qatar’s objective in hosting the World Cup is arguably different to some other nations — some say it’s more about ‘soft power’. What do you think about that? Countries have different objectives around sport. If you look at the top countries in our index – with Russia number one – it’s a power thing. For the Qataris, probably there’s a number of different things: It’s global influence, it’s saying ‘we are Qatar’.
ing assessed on an economic-impact basis. My argument is that economics is part of the equation but it’s not the whole equation. There’s a disconnect between what tourism does and what sport does. And what we’re saying is, if sport and tourism worked closer, hand-in-hand, you could generate a lot more impact. If the organisers or owners of an event don’t really understand how tourism works, then they’re missing an opportunity. What are examples of that? I see it frequently with major events, where the focus of the event becomes the domestic audience and not the overseas audience. Every ticket you sell to a domestic person is a ticket that you don’t sell to an overseas person. In the Hockey World Cup [in the Netherlands] the tickets were sold as day tickets to the event. So it meant that the Dutch people, when Holland was playing, bought the tickets so they could see Holland. And it was pretty much every day that there was a Dutch match. So it meant that the other matches that were going on during the day didn’t have so many people at them. Most major events do not make it easy for overseas people to buy tickets.
And how successful is Qatar being in linking its sports and tourism industries? At the moment if you said, ‘where are you going on holiday, Qatar or Dubai?’, if you were going to the Middle East, there’s no contest really is there? Dubai has built that tourism destination. Is there any reason why Qatar cannot do that? Not really. I think the key for all of these destinations is the link of sports and tourism, and working it together. And how valued is sport in the global tourism sector? Undervalued. I don’t think people really understand all the true impacts that sports events and sport itself delivers. What we frequently see is major sports events be28
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Sports stakes
Work
Business and sport are heavily interlinked. If you think about the amount of business that is done around a major Olympic Games, it’s phenomenal
What about the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 after-show concerts — is that an example of a more joined-up way of attracting visitors? Sport and entertainment are intrinsically linked. Is sport an entertainment, or is it sport? It’s a bit of everything really. If you’ve ever been to America to a NBA or NFL game, there’s a very thin boundary between it being just a pure entertainment thing, not a sporting event. I think sport and sports events need to become more entertaining. So something like the Formula 1 is a very good example – tie in a music concert and actually you’re building something else. Sport needs to think broader. What are the sporting advantages of hosting a big event? If you host an event you’re more likely to win medals for your domestic athletes. For 34 out of the 70 events that we studied last b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t | D e c e m b e r 2 0 15
year, the home nation won more medals when hosting the event than they did in the previous edition. It’s just the home advantage: Look at London 2012 – [the UK] won the most medals that we’ve ever won at an Olympic games. It’s partly because of the investment in domestic athletes to support the event. But it’s also crowds getting behind you; perhaps you get wildcards because you’re hosting the event. So there’s a whole set of factors. What kind of business gets done at these big events? Business and sport are heavily interlinked. If you think about the amount of business that is done around a major Olympic Games, it’s phenomenal. Think about all the leaders that are brought into a country because of an Olympic Games; there’s massive networking, massive business connections going on. And that’s the platform that sport creates. D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
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Sports media rights in the Middle East
A
by Ben Flanagan
s Benjamin Franklin never said, nothing in life is certain except death, taxes… and the spiralling cost of sports TV rights. It’s a truism that certainly applies in the Middle East and North Africa, where
the value of fees paid by regional broadcasters wanting to show big international sports events has accelerated faster than a F1 car at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. But with one regional player – the Qatar-owned beIN Sports, previously known as Al Jazeera Sport – now dominating the Arab airwaves in premium pay-TV sport, will the brakes be applied? Will less competition bring an end to the rapidly rising rights fees commanded by the world’s top sports leagues? Well, to misquote another saying: In sports TV, things are not always as simple as black and white. Benchmark spoke to the experts to get the lowdown. I want to watch the big game. What channel is it on? You don’t say which game – but if you mean anything football-related, it’s probably on beIN Sport. The Qatari network has the Middle East and North 30
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Africa rights to most major world football tournaments, including the English Premier League, Fifa World Cup, Uefa Champions League, Spain’s La Liga, Italy’s Serie A and France’s Ligue 1. It is also the regional rights holder to dozens of tournaments in other sports, from the ATP to the NBA and NFL. That’s just too many acronyms. Surely I must be able to watch sport on other Arab pay-TV channels? You can, but only if you can endure more three-letter acronyms…. beIN’s rival, the Dubai-based OSN, has the rights to broadcast all International Cricket Council (ICC) matches across the region, along with the PGA European Tour and Rugby World Cup, among other tournaments. It
also carries Abu Dhabi Media’s suite of high-definition channels, which include four sports channels. So how dominant is beIN in regional pay-TV sports? The Qatar-owned network certainly has the monopoly on premium sports in the Middle East – but it also has broader global ambitions given its operations in Europe and the US, says Nick Grande, managing director of the Dubai-based TV consultancy ChannelSculptor. “Everything they are doing indicates that they have a bigger plan… to control premium sports internationally. And potentially make that a profitable business by the sheer scale of their subscriber base,” Mr Grande said of beIN. The only other media company that could D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
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potentially compete with beIN Sports in the Middle East is Abu Dhabi Media, said Mr Grande, although he didn’t rule out Saudi Arabia’s Rotana making a play in the business. So what do the rights to broadcast the English Premier League (EPL) football cost in the MENA region? Those rights have grown by more than 30 times over the last 15 years. Mr Grande recalls working in the late 1990s at what was then the Showtime TV network, which shared the EPL rights with rival ART. “For the three years the total cost between the two parties was the princely sum of $9 million,” said Grande. The rights then rose to $40 million, when they went exclusively to ART in 20042007. But then things spiralled, with Showtime spending a reported $120m on the rights from 2007 to 2010. “That was a watershed moment… because it was the first time people were really publicly aware of the mushrooming cost of the EPL rights,” says Grande. “People 32
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were questioning the financial viability of such transactions.” Surely it ended there? Nope. For the 2010-2013 seasons, Abu Dhabi Media bought the rights for a reported $360 million – three times the previous cost. “The whole dynamic changed again when Abu Dhabi Media stepped into the fray three years on,” says Grande. The rights then went to beIN Sports, at a reported cost of $300 million over three years. The Qatari broadcaster recently renewed the EPL rights for another three seasons, from 2016 to 2019. If beIN is now such a dominant player, will the MENA-region EPL rights treble in price again in the next few years? Unlikely, says Mr Grande. “It looks to me that that huge ramping up of the pricing that we’ve seen since 1999 has come to an end. With only one buyer in the market willing to commit to these pricing levels, any increases will be far more modest,” he said.
If you look at the Middle East as a market there are several professional football leagues which are not currently considered premium because they are available free-to-air… The evidence would suggest there is an opportunity there nick grande Managing Director, Dubai-based TV consultancy ChannelSculptor
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Sports media rights
So how typical are such escalations in value in the context of global sports TV rights? Very, says Francois Godard, a media analyst at Enders Analysis: “Sports rights are very expensive everywhere. The inflation in sports rights has not been checked anywhere, neither in Europe nor in the United States.” But is it worth the money? It can be, says Mr Godard. The thing about sports, he says, is that the number of tournaments is limited. It’s not like Hollywood film, whereby a broadcaster can buy movie rights from lots of different studios. “People don’t subscribe to pay-TV just for Hollywood film. But people do subscribe to pay-TV for a national championship,” said Godard. “This content is exclusive, in the very sense that you can’t substitute it with something else. You cannot buy Russian football and say ‘oh, we don’t have British football this year – we have Russian football’. It’s either the Premier League or nothing.” I remember the good old days, when sport was free to watch on TV… Well that’s where it gets interesting. While it is indeed the case that most big international tournaments are on pay-TV networks, the Arab world’s biggest free-to-air broadcaster – MBC Group – is making new moves in the field. The media giant last year launched four channels, dubbed MBC Pro Sports, initially dedicated to showing football games from the Saudi Premier League. MBC had earlier secured the 10-year rights to show Saudi football league matches for a reported $960 million (the deal reportedly included a contribution from the Saudi finance ministry, while a number of matches will also be carried by local Saudi TV). And MBC has also signalled plans to bid for broadcast rights to European football leagues. So what’s the outlook for the TV rights to regional football tournaments? The value is likely to increase in the future. “There’s already evidence of that happening,” said Mr Grande. “Definitely there’s an increased demand and therefore we should expect to see an increase in pricing of rights for domestic football leagues,” he added. “If you look at the Middle East as a market there are several professional football leagues which are not currently considered premium because they are available free-to-air… The evidence would suggest there is an opportunity there.” b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t | D e c e m b e r 2 0 15
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Going global: International media coverage of Dubai sports events In numbers: How selected Dubai sports events were covered in the international media
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Global television audience of
400m
Men's event broadcast for
Women's for
120
across
3,437 2,564
hours across hours across
63 51
international broadcasters
countries
countries
Dubai Tour Broadcast to
1,793
5 111 629 countries on
continents
digital media networks for
online articles posted on
2015
DP World Tour Championship Broadcast live on television for
1,220
Global audience reach of
hours across
458m
51
broadcasters
households
Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens The most televised HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series tournament in history
593
hours of television coverage across
359m
households in
145
countries
BWF Dubai World Superseries Finals
1,600 $25m over
global broadcast hours
in television coverage media value for the Dubai brand
SOURCE: ‘The Economic Impact of Sport in Dubai’ (Deloitte, November 2015)
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Major player in world sport
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by Ben Flanagan
n his 32-year career at Dubai Duty Free, Colm McLoughlin has helped steer the emirate’s rapid rise in the fields of retail and aviation — but also, notably, as a major player in world sport. The affable Irishman was part of the team that set
up Dubai airport’s retail operation back in 1983, and the following year the revenues stood at a modest $20 million.
This year Dubai Duty Free (DDF) is on track to pull in $2 billion – a neat 100 times more than in 1984 – thanks in part, says Mr McLoughlin, to its active sportsmarketing efforts. DDF is an active sponsor of sports events both at home and internationally, with associations with the likes of the DP World Tour Championship golf, the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, and Dubai Duty Free Irish Open. But perhaps unusually for an airport retailer, DDF is itself an owner and organiser of sporting events, with its biggest investment in the field being the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, held in February. Here Mr McLoughlin, 72, explains 34
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how sport has been key to building the DDF retail empire. Q&A with Colm McLoughlin, executive vice chairman of Dubai Duty Free How important has sport been in the growth of Dubai Duty Free? Sports sponsorship is central to Dubai Duty Free’s overall marketing strategy. From the very beginning of our business it was decided that sport provided a great opportunity to focus attention on the city of Dubai and on the fledgling Dubai Duty Free brand. As we are part of the Government of Dubai, it made perfect sense to have Dubai Duty Free as a brand ambas-
sador of the city while promoting the airport and the duty free. The early days of our sponsorship were very much locally based but by the mid-1980s it was clear that the hosting of international sporting events in Dubai was the way to proceed in putting Dubai on the map as a sporting and leisure destination. Dubai Duty Free began its sponsorship of the Snooker Classic in 1988 and this ran for several years and featured the top players of the day. At that time, snooker was a major TV sport, especially in the UK which was a key target market. By the early 1990s Dubai Duty Free began lobbying the ATP for a week on the professional men’s tour, as we felt that the tenD e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
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Packed Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium
DDF Wins Frontier Best Marketing Campaign of the Year by a Retailer
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I think that the Dubai Duty Free brand is very much associated with the growth and development of Dubai. It is worth noting that we were probably the first government entity back in 1983 that was tasked with promoting the destination
nis would provide us with access to a key demographic across Europe... The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships began in February 1993, with the addition of the women’s week in 2001. We have had all of the tennis greats play in Dubai, and this year’s tournament generated $802 million worth of TV exposure, reaching a potential audience of 400 million. How does the return-on-investment (ROI) compare with traditional advertising, when sponsoring events such as the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby? The return on investment is very important to us and we measure each major sponsorship in terms of international media exposure, TV, print and social media coverage, so that we have a dollar value on our investment. We also look at ROI in other ways: how many attendees did the event attract, how many top players, the ‘feel good factor’ generated by the event, etcetera. While conventional advertising is still part of the marketing mix for us, sports sponsorships reach a wide target audience who come together through a shared love of sport. DDF is unusual in that it both sponsors and owns and runs sports events. Why did it choose to pursue the latter – isn’t that a bit of a departure from your core business? 36
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We didn’t intentionally set out to own events, but in the case of the tennis, we felt that we would be in a better and stronger position on the ATP and WTA tour if we purchased both weeks. I suppose it is slightly unusual for an airport retailer to own and run a tennis tournament, but we like the hands-on approach that we bring to the event. Hundreds of our employees are directly involved in the tournament. The ushers are our employees, the box office is run by our IT department, our retail department set up the shop on-site, our marketing team are full-time on the tournament for several months – it is the biggest event they handle. As a result of this, we can ensure that Dubai Duty Free as the title sponsor has great exposure, and that our sponsors are happy with their brand exposure. What is the importance of branding, promotion and sponsorship for DDF, given passengers travelling through Dubai airports are something of a ‘captive audience’? I think that the Dubai Duty Free brand is very much associated with the growth and development of Dubai. It is worth noting that we were probably the first government entity back in 1983 that was tasked with promoting the destination; of course so many more companies have since followed and continue to do a great job in putting Dubai and the UAE on the
ATP 500 Award
2015 WTA
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2015 ATP
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Fashion Boulevard at Concourse A
Dubai Duty Free irish Derby 2015 presentation
Dubai Duty Free Stakes horseracing at Newbury, UK
Jubilant Girls Team Wins the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup 2015
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Biography
DDF irish open 2015
Colm McLoughlin was a member of the consultancy team from Aer Rianta, the Irish Airport Authority, which was contracted by the Dubai Government in 1983 to launch a new duty free operation. He remained in Dubai as general manager of the new operation, later becoming managing director and, in July 2011, executive vice chairman of Dubai Duty Free. Mr McLoughlin has the overall responsibility for the operation and its subsidiaries, which include The Irish Village, the Dubai Tennis Stadium (home to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships) and the Jumeirah Creekside Hotel. He is a recipient of several personal awards including the Frontier ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ and the ‘Businessman of the Year’ from the Middle East Business Awards.
DDF’s annual sales reached almost Dh7 billion in 2014. What’s your target for this year and next? We expect our sales to reach close to $2 billion this year and that figure is expected to reach $3 billion in the next three to four years, and our staffing levels will grow from the current 6,000 to around 9,000 by that time.
opened for business there was a tremendous buzz of excitement among airport employees, passengers and of course the Dubai Duty Free management and staff. On that first day our sales reached $44,000, and in our first year of business our turnover was $20 million. Despite such a positive start to the business, I do not think that anyone at the time foresaw just how successful the operation would become, that it would be the top airport retailer in a single airport and that our retail footprint would grow to 26,000 square metres. I am very proud that Dubai Duty Free has been part of Dubai’s growth and success and thanks to the Government of Dubai, and in particular H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Dubai Duty Free, who is my boss and who has been the source of constant support and encouragement.
You launched DDF back in 1983. Did you have any idea at the time that the business – and Dubai itself – would witness such colossal growth? When I arrived in Dubai all those years ago, I certainly did not envisage that I would still be here, 32 years later, but I’m glad I am! I remember Dubai as a very different city back in 1983, and the same could be said of Dubai International Airport. Prior to the opening of Dubai Duty Free, the retail offer at the airport consisted of a group of independent retailers, many replicating each other’s product offer. The brief to the original team was to develop a retail operation that would rival the best in the world – one that reflected the Government of Dubai’s ambitious plans for Dubai to become an aviation hub. Traffic at the airport was around 3 million back then, compared to almost 80 million this year. On 20 December 1983 Dubai Duty Free
We all know that DDF does a roaring trade in well-priced cosmetics, perfumes and tobacco. But what is the most expensive item it sells – and how popular is that? There are a number of expensive niche products that we sell that appeal to unique customers. One good example is Chivas Regal ‘Royal Salute Tribute to Honor’, priced at $200,000, which is currently on display in Concourse A Departures – Emirates First Class lounge. Highly expensive products may not be the most sought after but they do help to create a halo effect for the brand, thereby encouraging sales of the other stock keeping unit and range around it. In addition of course, we have expensive watches, perfumes, phones, all available at any given time. But our philosophy is to provide something for everyone and as a result our product range is very diverse.
map. So marketing has always been core to what we do and we think it is hugely important. As a result of our marketing spend, I think that travellers passing through Dubai International Airport are ready to experience the retail offer of Dubai Duty Free as they have read about it, seen advertisements or noticed our branding at international sporting events. Our original marketing objective of ‘turning flyers in to buyers’ continues to be relevant to this day.
Rory McIlroy teeing off at DDF Irish Open 2015
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Work Events Planner Sustainability seems to be the hot topic of the conference season in early 2016. A week of high-profile events in Abu Dhabi will see myriad ministerial meetings and discussion panels on what is a particularly pertinent topic – not least in the AC-guzzling Gulf. There are also separate events in Dubai and Jordan geared towards sustainability – and how the approach, when done right,can spell good business sense. Here is Benchmark’s guide to the top business events of the next two months.
2. World Future Energy Summit 2016
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2016 When | January 16-23 Where | Various locations, Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week brings together thought leaders, policy makers and investors to address the challenges of renewable energy and sustainable development. Given the Gulf’s rather poor environmental record, it’s significant that this gathering takes place in this region. Events include the general assembly of the Abu Dhabi-based International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the Zayed Future Energy Prize, and the Festival at Masdar City, which aims to spread awareness and educate the public about sustainability and clean energy. Price: Check website for details www.abudhabisustainabilityweek.com 40
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The World Future Energy Summit is the centrepiece of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, bringing together over 32,000 attendees from 170 countries, including world leaders, international policy makers and industry head honchos. Their aim is to find practical solutions for the numerous challenges surrounding energy security and climate change. Confirmed speakers include the energy ministers of the UAE and Bahrain, and Ahmad Belhoul, chief executive of Masdar. Associated events included the International Water Summit, geared around promoting water sustainability in arid regions, and EcoWASTE, which is about sustainable waste management and recycling. Price: Check website for details www.worldfutureenergysummit.com 3. Arab Health Exhibition & Congress When | January 25-28 Where | D ubai World Trade Centre A visit to Arab Health can be a workout in itself: covering 63,000 square metres of floor space, it ranks as the world’s second-largest healthcare congress and exhibition. Set to host companies from 67 countries, the event will also have 20 conferences around topics such as radiology, rehabilitation and wound care. There’s even a ‘3D Printing Zone’ showing the impact that technology has had on the healthcare industry. Price: Free, registration required www.arabhealthonline.com
PICTURE: 3.jumeirah-beach-hotel / CREDIT: Jumeirah.com
CREDIT: abudhabisustainabilityweek.com
When | January 18-21 Where | Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre
4. Dubai Sustainable Cities Summit When | December 17 Where | J umeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai Another event focused on sustainability – this time around urban environments. This summit aims to address environmental issues and how global best practices can apply to cities in the Arab world. Held under the patronage of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the summit will address how ever-growing cities in the UAE and wider region can adopt more sustainable behaviour. Speakers include: Majida Ali Rashid, assistant director general of the Dubai Land Department; Sam Adams, director of the U.S. climate initiative at the World Resources Institute; and Fahd AlRasheed, chief executive of the King Abdullah Economic City in Saudi Arabia. Price: Invitation only; apply via website www.dubaisustainablecities.ae D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
7. The Affordable Home Show When | January 21-23 Where | Dubai Media City Amphitheatre
Security, safety and defence only seem to rise higher up the global agenda – so, like it or not, this Dubai conference and exhibition will be an important one. Intersec 2016 will feature products related to commercial security, fire and rescue, health and safety, homeland security, perimeter security and policing. The fastest-growing section at the exhibition is however cyber security, a sector set to roughly double in the Middle East by 2020, when it will be valued at about $10 billion, according to Frost & Sullivan.
‘Affordable’ property was the key trend in the UAE real estate industry in 2015, with the rise of developers such as Nshama, which made headlines with lower-priced Dubai homes including three-bedroom townhouses at less than $270,000. The three-day Affordable Home Show in Dubai, which is geared towards consumers, is set to include stands by developers of affordable homes, financing firms, insurance companies and home product suppliers. There will be plenty of fresh food and beverage trucks to splash the cash, as well as musical entertainment and live shows, if all that talk of affordability gets too much.
CREDIT: Shutterstock
Price: Free, registration required www.intersecexpo.com
6. Solar & Wind Projects Jordan When | January 25-26 Where | Amman, Jordan Sustainability will also be on the agenda at this conference in Jordan, which is geared towards solar and wind-energy projects. Jordan recently signed 13 agreements to build wind and solar energy plants, although in October it was reported that there is still a broad lack of awareness about renewable energy in the country, with only 4,000 to 5,000 households using it. This conference will see government representatives, investors, developers and consultants gather to discuss future plans and regulation in the field. Price: $1,999 (for manufacturers and service providers) www.solarandwindprojectsjordan.com b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t | D e c e m b e r 2 0 15
When | December 15, 8.30am-12.30pm Where | D ubai Chamber, Baniyas Road, Deira, Dubai Regulation of Dubai’s property market has been tightened up considerably since the financial crisis, in a bid to crack down on the free ‘n’ easy “flipping” culture that provided much of the hot air for the so-called “bubble”. There are now stricter rules on how much expatriates and UAE nationals can borrow, and in what circumstances. This half-day workshop organised by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry aims to provide practical tips and describe the procedures and potential pitfalls in property transactions. It’s geared towards legal consultants, investors, real estate developers and brokers. Price: From Dh600 (Dubai Chamber members); Dh1000 (non-members) www.dubaichamber.com
Price: TBC www.affordablehomeshow.ae CREDIT: Shutterstock
When | January 17-19 Where | D ubai World Trade Centre
CREDIT: Shutterstock
PICTURE: 7.Town Square Nshama / CREDIT: Nshama
CREDIT: Shutterstock
5. Intersec 2016
9. Dubai Real Estate Legal Landscape workshop
8. China Homelife Dubai When | December 8-10 Where | Dubai World Trade Centre From the latest iPhone to the kind of tat you can buy in Dragon Mart, there’s no disputing that China is a world powerhouse of product manufacture and assembly. And more than 50,000 items are set to go on show at China Homelife Dubai, which is billed as the “biggest sourcing platform for high-quality products” manufactured in the country. Around 10,000 visitors and 1,000 exhibitors are expected at the trade fair; product categories include furniture, electronics, home appliances, textiles and garments. There’s also a free matchmaking programme, allowing buyers to network with the most relevant Chinese suppliers, with onsite translators available. Price: Registration required www.chinahomelife.ae
10. Cityscape Kuwait When | December 9-11 Where | K uwait International Fairgrounds It’s been a slow year for Kuwait’s property market, with the volume of real-estate transactions down significantly in the first nine months, according to NBK. With residential prices also edging down, it will be interesting to gauge the mood at this year’s Cityscape Kuwait exhibition. There will be a large array of investment opportunities and professionals at hand to discuss the market – but don’t expect the kind of mega-announcements made at the sister event in Dubai. Price: Free, registration required www.cityscapekuwait.com D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
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Story Felicia Campbell and Hubert Vaz Photography Ali Jani
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he fairyland pink and yellow striped tent of The Great Vegas Circus houses a talented crew of international artistes — dancers, clowns, contortionists,
trapeze artistes, lions tamers, tightrope walkers, and more — who have been wowing crowds during their two-hour shows throughout the GCC. The team is heading to Abu Dhabi for mid-December shows (visit eventoh-em.com or facebook.com/eventohem for updates), so we paid them a visit to find out more about the people behind the acts.
“We toured the Monte Carlos Circus in 2012 and now we have brought The Great Vegas Circus to the Gulf, both of which are world renowned and performed by internationally reputed artistes. The highlight of this circus, to me, is a wonderful act by a batch of five South African white lions,” explained Nicholas Obeid, the General Manager of Eventoh Exhibition Management. Lebanese by birth, Obeid followed in his father’s footsteps with his work running the circus, and though his company now manages acts from hip-hop artists to fireworks displays, the circus holds a special place in his heart and forms the core of his events line-up. Obeid travels the world recruiting the top talent, with performers hailing from North America, South America, Africa, and Europe. Let’sgo backstage to meet them and see their skills first hand. High Wire Act • Performers: Juliane, Edwin, Said, Samir, Baby, Beverly, Sared, from Colombia • Highlight: Pyramid formation This high wire act is performed at a height of about 8-10 metres from the ground by a group of seven Colombians, including Juliane (the trainer), Edwin, Beverly, Baby and her sons Said, Samir, and 13-year-old Sared, who is performing this act for the first time. The team is trained by Juliane, (Edwin’s uncle) who choreographs the movements, calls the counts during each show, and ensures that all performers practice daily and maintain a high level of fitness with backstage workouts. “I do feel scared every time, but I want to do this act and learn more,” says the youngest member of the troupe. b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t | D e c e m b e r 2 0 15
Single Trapeze Act • Performer: Alexandra, from Ecuador • Highlight: Head spin Unlike the usual flying trapeze performed by a group of performers in other circuses, all eyes are fixed on the graceful movements of the lovely Alexandra in this single trapeze act. The Ecuadorian performer contorts, flips, and swings high above the crowd in this mesmerizing onewoman show. This act, she says, is the result of years of practice and she constantly studies the work of other performers to bring freshness to every show. The highlight of her performance is a balancing act for which she stands on her head atop a swaying swing. D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
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Vegas Puppies Act • Trainer: MagaliZamudio, from Mexico • Performers: (Maltese) Stella, Ringo, Buster, Opal, and Vegas • Highlight: Ladder leap The audience, especially children, love the Vegas Puppy Act, in which five, pure white Maltese puppies – Stella, Ringo, Buster, Opal, and four-month-old Vegas come on stage to stand on two-feet, jump through hoops, slide in sequence, and even get behind the wheel of a tiny car. Though the pack is full of rambunctious energy, they are pros, obediently following the cues of trainer, MagaliZamudio for one of the cutest performances you’ll likely ever see.
Cross Bow Act • Performers: Gose, from the United States, and his wife Paula, from Chile. • Highlight: Shooting an apple set on Paula’s head. Gose and his wife Paula present one of the most popular acts, which is both comic and thrilling. Gose, a Native American archer, uses his skills to shoot a series of targets strategically placed around his wife, while Paula creates hurdles for him, and ultimately, poses as his final target by balancing an apple atop her head. “We have been doing this for the past twenty years together, yet we practice regularly to keep the accuracy of our act perfect as the arrows fly at 300 feet per second and can be quite dangerous. The feeling is also different when the target is on my wife’s head, as I have to employ a great degree of precision while shooting every arrow,” says Gose. Paula adds, “I have total confidence in Gose. In the beginning, I used to be scared, but now we do everything automatically. We have never committed a mistake in any show so far; it’s all the result of hard practice.” 44
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Globe of Death • Performers: Juliane, Edwin, Said, Samir, from Colombia • Highlight: Vertical and horizontal cross leaps Performed by the men of the high wire act, The Globe of Death is a classic motorcycle stunt that takes place inside a metal globe wherein riders criss-cross each other’s paths in a thrilling display of daredevilry. Edwin says each of them use bikes of different brands for this act, though the Honda CRF is his favourite. Trained by Edwin’s uncle, Juliane, the bikers practice diligently, as a slight mistake can prove disastrous. “Concentration is the key in this act, and there is no room for mistakes at all. We have to be very alert and fully aware of each other’s movements so as to make minor adjustments in our driving patterns within a split second to avoid any collision.” b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t | D e c e m b e r 2 0 15
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The Lion Show • Trainer: Musa Selepe, from South Africa • Performers: Huston, Laredo, Austin (male lions), Abby and Dallas (female lions) • Highlight: Musa getting up-close-andpersonal with the lions Silence descends over the crowd as Huston, Laredo, Austin, Abby, and Dallas enter the caged ring via a special tunnel that connects to their abode backstage. With shimmering white coats and amber eyes, the five South African white lions pace with a stately air, but when their young trainer, Musa Selepe, steps in, he commands their full attentions. As the music plays, Musa calls out commands and the lions step onto stools in a variety of formations, hop across each other, bound through rings, and stand on two legs in this unique show of camaraderie between man and beast. White lions are the result of a genetic mutation, and are unable to survive in the wild, but that doesn’t mean they are tame. “Whether white or yellow, lions are lions, and they wait for an opportunity to attack b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t | D e c e m b e r 2 0 15
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unless you convey to them that you are the boss of the ring,” the South African trainer explains. “There have been occasions in the past when things went wrong and I had to cleverly exit the ring without letting the animals sense that I was planning to escape.” Just 29 years old, Musa is already among the best circus trainer-performers, and he has a unique way of creating rapport with the animals. “I make it a point to visit the cages backstage and talk to the lions so that they get familiar with me, my voice, my smell, my mannerisms and don’t take me for a stranger when I enter the ring. It’s all about connection. The animals are never in the same mood for every show; sometimes they are quiet, sometimes aggressive, and one must know how to control each situation.” Despite his expertise and training, his act, like all the circus acts, is not without risks, but the circus life is an exciting one for which these creative performers are passionate. Musa summed up the team’s collective attitude best of all. “I always pray before I enter the ring for every show, but once in, I just enjoy myself.” D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
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Motoring Play
Motoring Play
A mini with a big heart
I
by jennifer bell
n an arena where the biggest, best, and priciest new supercars the world has to offer are simultaneously unveiled to a global audience, standing out from the
crowd creates a challenge for manufacturers. McLaren, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Mazda, Bentley, Cadillac and Porsche were among the celebrated car manufacturers displaying the pride of their high-powered production efforts at the 13th edition of the Dubai International Motor Show, held at the World Trade Centre in November, and the venue for a barrage of worldwide car model launches. The most gleaming super cars, many starting with a price tag of Dh1million, jostled for space at the dimly-lit forum of flagship automobiles, with everything from the vehicles showcased in the new James Bond film Spectre — the Aston Martin DB10, made exclusively for the film, and the Land Rover Defender and b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t | D e c e m b e r 2 0 15
Jaguar C-X75, used as stunt vehicles — to a unique, bespoke Rolls Royce Tiger Phantom Coupé, a Ferrari 488 Spider, a Ford GT40, a Lamborghini Huracan Spider, the Dh6.6million W Motors Fenyr and the ever sexy McLaren P1. But while the UAE is famed for its love of supercars, one of the mightiest punches of the event was delivered by one of the smallest members of the pack. The all-new MINI Clubman made its regional debut at the Show, with Daniel Schmidt, product manager, confident the 2016 revamped model will only further the public’s love affair with the iconic BMW-owned British brand, as it plays a central role in the firm's plans to move the Mini up a class. D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
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“It is a revolutionary step for Mini, because we are entering the premium compact class for the first time,” explained Mr Schmidt. “The Mini Clubman also marks our step to a new future for the brand; much more mature and more sophisticated in terms of value, design, perception and size.” A key element is the MINI’s new door design, which Mr Schmidt says makes it the only six-door vehicle in the industry. While the last generation Clubman famously, or perhaps infamously, had a ‘Clubdoor’ — a two-door arrangement with a third half-door on the driver’s side, which become unpopular for being impractical — the new offering has abandoned that concept, preferring a more traditional layout of four side doors, while retaining the twin barn doors at the back of the vehicle. The Clubman can be open conventionally with a door handle, with a remote key or the “coolest” hands-free option of waving a foot under the bumper. “You just kick under the rear bumper of the car, there is 50
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a detection, and it opens for you,” said Mr Schmidt. "This is very convenient.” Another design highlight are the MINI Logo LED projector door lights — projecting the brand’s immediately recognizable logo onto the ground from the exterior mirror on the driver's side when opening and closing the car. Visible during daylight, but even more eye-catching at night, the projection, according to Mr Schmidt, is “very sharp, concise and inviting when you unlock the car — it really says ‘drive me’.” The 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder car also has new light features, most notably the red LED status light integrated in fin antenna, signalling the activation of the alarm system once the MINI Clubman is locked. It then flashes at regular intervals, so your MINI is clearly recognizable from a distance. "That is especially nice when you have big parking lots with hundreds of cars — you will easily recognise your MINI then,” said Mr Schmidt. "You will never have to write down when you park your car." The Clubman, which comes in two new colors — Pure Burgundy, predicted D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
Motoring Play
Daniel Schmidt Product Manager, BMW
The Mini Clubman also marks our step to a new future for the brand; much more mature and more sophisticated in terms of value, design, perception and size
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to be the most popular choice for Middle Eastern market, and Melting Silver — has a 360-litre boot that can be expanded to 1,250-litres by folding the rear seats down, while the backrest folds forward in a 40:20:40 split. The middle section can be used either as a comfortable armrest (with cupholders) or as extra space to accommodate longer, bulkier items of luggage. The secret of the MINI’s enduring success believes Mr Schmidt, is its capacity to continually win the hearts of the public as a "cute but sporty" family favorite. For all its innovation, keeping this auto ethos in mind was essential when designing the new Clubman. “The most important thing is that we always stayed ‘MINI’,” he said. “We always have the smallest car in the segment, and we always have nice proportions in terms of design. Most importantly, it drives differ52
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ently to any other car, because we have the so-called ‘go-kart' feeling — that is what really keeps out customers being MINI fans.” Together with the launch of the MINI Clubman, the BMW firm unveiled its other regional debutants at the Show, among its overall 17-car line-up. They included the second generation of the successful X1 model, the BMW i8 and, strikingly, the exclusive appearance of the all-new BMW 7 Series. The unveiling of the sixth generation of the firm’s flagship model included the uniquely designed Solitaire limited edition, designed exclusively for the Middle Eastern market. The most expensive 7 Series ever built, there are just six Solitaires in the world — all of which have been snapped up by regional buyers — and each car boasts a staggering five carats of dia-
mond on the wood trim, dashboard, side panels and key fob. The mother-of-pearl exterior color is adorned with glass flakes, and so the sparkling finish of the Dh1.6million car echoes the interior’s diamond accent. The latest installment of the sophisticated sedan features luxurious design elements that include a black piano lack trim with motherof-pearl inlays, the softest tan lambswool trim on the panels and floor mats, and the solitaire name engraved in the door sills, cup holder lid and on the trunk. Other stand-out features entail the new Touch Command 7-inch tablet, giving rear seat passengers the option of controlling their own comfort and entertainment, and the all-new 'Sky Lounge’ — a panoramic glass sunroof roof affording passengers a clear view of the sun, and the stars. D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
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Karim Habib, Lebanese-born head of BMW Design, said it was important for the manufacturer’s signature vehicle to have a big impact in the Middle East with the region being the 7 Series’ third biggest market in the world. ”People love this car because here, as in other places, they want engaging, fun-todrive cars — not just designed, crafted and engineered to the last detail, but precise driving machines that offer luxury and comfort,” he outlined. “You do not buy a BMW because you want to get from A to B. You buy a BMW because you want a rewarding experience.” The Dubai International Motor Show took place from November 10-14 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Held every two years, it is the largest and most popular automotive event in the Middle East, hosting more than 500 companies each year. b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t | D e c e m b e r 2 0 15
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Play British Airways First Class Review
BRitish Airways first class review by Ben Flanagan
W
elcome back, Mr Flanagan’, says the British Airways flight attendant, at just the right volume for my liking. I have my feet up in
seat 2A, en route from Dubai to London Heathrow, and the announcement by the middle-aged steward – this is BA, after all – is just what I want to hear. Clutching an iPad, the authoritative chap gives off the distinct impression that I’m a regular up here in First Class. But I know full well (and so, probably, does he) that the only way we could have clapped eyes on each other before was a fleeting glance as I scurried into economy on a previous flight. Tonight, for once, I turned left, and thanks to my new friend’s pre-take-off welcome, the handful of other passengers at the front of the plane now think I’m a bona fide member of this exclusive club. And that’s what flying First is all about. Money is no object for anyone travelling in this cabin. The return First Class fare on BA’s Dubai-London route is around Dh30,000, more than twice the cost of business class. That would buy you more than 10 return economy tickets on the same route. 54
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Given that my fellow passengers are unlikely to be counting the dirhams, it is perhaps the wrong time to point out that the glass of Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle I’m swilling comes in bottles priced at $150 a pop. Or that the delightful Bouchard Pere et Fils – one of three white wines on the menu – weighs in at more than $50. And one would never dare suggest that the luxury amenity bags, with toiletries from The Refinery, could easily be recycled as a classy, yet cheapskate birthday present in the future. Such observations probably do not cross the minds of my fellow passengers. For BA’s First Class service is aimed at those so refined that little things like, errr, money are mere trifles. My expansive First Class seat is billed as a ‘suite’, with a fully flat 78-inch bed, a touch shorter than the 80.5 inches you D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
British Airways First Class Review
BRITISH AIRWAYS FIRST CLASS SCORECARD Food and drink Airport lounge (Dubai) Legroom Seat width Britishness Amenity bags
9/10 5/10 7/10 7/10 10/10 9/10
WHAT IT COSTS Dubai to London Heathrow First class From Dh28,545 Club World business From Dh12,705 World Traveller Plus premium economy From Dh4,575 World Traveller economy From Dh2,500 The writer was a guest of British Airways in the first-class cabin.
get in Etihad’s First Class cabin. The attentive cabin crew swiftly made up the bed with a mattress and cotton duvet, and leave me some wonderfully soft cotton pyjamas (I want to take them home, but after an internal monologue as to whether that’s the done thing, I reluctantly leave them behind). One striking feature of the BA cabin is the blue-lit electronic window blinds, which give it a futuristic, yet chic feel. There’s a smart dial that controls the seat position, a side-table, a crystal-clear 15inch screen, and useful charging points for laptops and smartphones. I may be on a night flight, but there is a full dinner and breakfast available, or lighter bites on offer whenever you fancy. After a snack of some warm nuts, the beautifully presented starter of buffalo mozzarella with caramelised figs arrives, followed by my choice of main, the grilled b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t | D e c e m b e r 2 0 15
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salmon with Hollandaise and chive sauce. Breakfast options include a hearty (but rather posh) scrambled eggs with grilled steak, sausage and mushroom, or the lighter choice of French toast. Aside from the mainly French wines on offer, there are a few welcome British touches on the menu: the cheese board includes a pungent stilton, while the drinks list includes London Pride beer, and it doesn’t get much more English than that. It’s a great service, with that key ingredient of a night flight – sleep – in abundance. But despite the pleasant ride there is increasing competition in the air for BA – not least in the form of the premium cabins offered by rivals Emirates and Etihad. The two Gulf airlines both offer a more ‘private’ First Class experience than BA, with individual suites with closing doors being more akin to a small studio apartment than a traditional airline seat. But while you can’t shut yourself away in BA’s First Class cabin, there is still a sense of privacy on my flight, with no other passengers in view across the aisle. But I’m lucky: BA’s First-Class configuration has mostly rows of four seats, but the front two rows of the Boeing 747, where I’m placed, have just two seats each. There are some inevitable gripes about flying with BA from Dubai, which is not a major airport base for the UK carrier. There were queues at Terminal 1 of Dubai International Airport, which made me long for the sleek dedicated checkin areas and fast-track security lanes of Emirates’ Terminal 3. And BA’s premium lounge in Dubai is certainly not as plush as its rivals’ offerings: it’s more like the buffet areas you can get into free with some credit cards, than it is the bewilderingly opulent lounges offered by Emirates and Etihad. But at BA’s dedicated Terminal 5 at Heathrow, or Terminal 7 at New York JFK, it is a different story: Those First Class lounges boast health spas, along with private dining in the elegant ‘Concorde’ rooms, and even private cabanas in London. BA’s service from Dubai is never going to compete on the same terms with Emirates and Etihad, two airlines that have really taken premium-cabin concepts to the next level. But there is something quintessentially British about BA’s First Class service that made me feel right at home. Even though, as my discreet flight attendant friend probably guessed, I don’t really belong there. D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
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Play Fashion for Her
kate spade
While every evening can offer an event to attend in the UAE, December truly hails the onset of a busy time for fashionistas as the holiday season approaches. Luckily the designers have got your back this Christmas and New Year with a number of chic and stylish releases to ensure you are the belle of the ball.
Winter Swallow jumpsuit, silhouetted sparrows flit and flutter over a silky sleeveless jumpsuit tailored with relaxed bottoms that taper gently to the ankle-grazing hems
Dh1,670
LK Bennett Thelda antique gold, cocktail elegance is personified with Thelda. The antique gold jacquard holds a flattering shape but it's the grosgrain straps and cut-away shoulders which really make this dress stand out
Dh1,850
LK Bennett Tawna black, this chic jacket that will be your go-to cover up this season. Silky contrast panels to the shoulder and a notch collar hints at Tawna's tuxedo-inspired design
Dh1,420
kate spade Gift box clutch bag, add a dose of holiday cheer to your ensemble with this charming clutch
Dh1,750
LK Bennett Zuri, black gold shoe, love the classic silhouette, the pointed toe and 100mm heel for timeless style. Team with your favourite little black dress for that special occasion
Dh1,560
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kate spade kate spade Spotlight Bow top, pair it with anything from jeans to the matching skirt or trousers for a pretty, witty look
Pastry pink Spotlight fit and flare dress, covered in playful polka dots, this festive fit and flare dress is perfect for parties
Dh960
Dh2,010
kate spade Spotlight Leigh trouser, these well-cut trousers are super-flattering thanks to a slightly wide leg; their simplicity means they'll look fantastic with virtually every top in your wardrobe (including the Spotlight Bow top)
Dh1,080
LK Bennett Mickey Black and White spot shoe, as versatile as chic, Mickey will add interest to on-duty tailored and off-duty denim alike
Dh1,750
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Play Fashion for Him
Even in the UAE you can almost smell the snow as the time of year to travel off in search of powder approaches. To get you set Vans and Timberland have a new range that should see you right in colder climes, even if you just brushing up your skills on the skis or the board at SkiDubai.
Timberland Shrewsbury Peak Waterproof Duffle Coat, with quilted lining, designed to keep the rain off in more elegant winter style
Dh1,445
Timberland Bolton Mountain Down vest, warm, insulated vests that look more polished and city-ready than athletic and puffy
Dh1,495
Vans Janelle Hipster classic white sunglasses, for when the sun hits the slopes
Dh65
Timberland Timberland Britton Hill 6-inch warm-lined leather/fabric boot, made in full-grain leather and Harris Tweed wool fabri hand-woven by islanders at their homes the Outer Hebrides
Icon 6-inch premium boot (rust orange), Timberland’s original waterproof boot designed more than 40 years ago
Dh825
Dh845
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Vans
Timberland
Avery Snapback cap, the debossed Vans patch is vegan leather to cement your hipster credentials
LS Pleasant River Oxford shirt - pack this button-down shirt on vacation, wear it to the office, or throw it on open over a tee for a casually layered look
Dh115
Dh295
Vans On the Wall black& white tee-shirt, we’re not sure this needs any more explanation
Dh115
Vans Taper Borrego pants, a tapered fit that is comfortable through the hip and thigh with a narrow taper through the ankle. 100 per cent cotton
Dh295
Timberland New Original 32l waterproof backpack, made to be as resilient in the city safeguarding your laptop as it is packing up for camping trips and hikes
Dh495
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Play Top Five Properties For Rent
Top Five Properties For Rent
For more details on all these properties, and more, visit: Luxhabitat, Dubai's only high-end real estate brokerage and interior design company, at www.luxhabitat.ae or scan the QR code with your smart phone
Dh190,000 per year The essentials City Dubai Area Palm Jumeirah Development Tiara Residences Type Apartment Availability Ready Lifestyle Private communities Bedrooms one Bathrooms Two (oneensuite) Built up area 1,296sqft Pool Overflow, cooled community pool
Furnished one bedroom in the Diamond building, Tiara Residences
The apartment is 1,310 sqft and is positioned on a mid-floor with spectacular views overlooking the pool, beach and Dubai skyline. Among the many upgrades include carpeting in the living room and bedroom, hardwood floors in the kitchen, custom lighting fixtures throughout and remote controlled blinds. Floor to ceiling windows, built-in Siemen appliances and Opus media system with integrated smart home technology come standard - but it is the large balcony with a direct view of the Burj Al Arab that makes this home truly stand apart from the rest.
The essentials City Dubai Area: Jumeirah Golf Estates Development: Flame Tree Ridge Type: Villa Availability: Ready Lifestyle: Golf retreats
Dh350,000 per year Five bedroom golf villa in Jumeirah Golf Resorts
Bedrooms: Five Bathrooms six (fourensuite) Built up area 5,633sqft Pool Private pool
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Set in a quaint cobblestoned street, this tranquil villa location overlooks Jumeirah Golf Estate's Fire Course and is a moment’s walk from the Clubhouse. Offering four bedrooms as well as a generous study or fifth bedroom together with six bathrooms, entertainment, family and breakfast rooms, your home comes complete with smart home technologies. D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
Top Five Properties For Rent Play
Dh895,000 per year Six-bedroom signature villa on the Palm Jumeirah The essentials City Dubai Area Palm Jumeirah Development Fronds, Signature Villa Type Villa Availability Ready Lifestyle Seafront properties Bedrooms Six bedrooms Bathrooms Seven (sixensuite) Built up area 7,000 sqft Pool Infinity private pool
This fully furnished contemporary styled Palm Signature Villa Great Rotunda European is a low number on a Burj Al Arab facing frond with easy access in and out of the Palm Jumeirah. Offering a Chef's large show kitchen overlooking the sea and two guest bedrooms seaside with terraces on the ground floor. The family living room overlooks the pool, terrace and landscaped gardens. Four additional bedrooms with private balconies surround the upstairs family lounge.
Dh750,000 per year Four-bedroom penthouse on the Palm Jumeirah
The essentials City Dubai Area Palm Jumeirah Development Kempinski Residences Type Villa Availability Ready Lifestyle Private communities Bedrooms Four Bathrooms Five (fourensuite) Built up area 5,565sqft Pool Infinity, community pool
The three very spacious king bedrooms and a twin room are beautifully appointed and will appeal to the most discerning classical tastes. Take in the Dubai cityscape, the Palm Island lagoon and beach view or the Arabian Sea from your terrace. These huge suites have four bathrooms and a guest toilet. Prepare meals in the fully equipped kitchen and serve dinner in the opulently decorated living room. Plush furnishings by Italian furniture designer Francesco Molon can also be found in every room, with hues of gold, silvers and cool blues. Fully equipped kitchens, a personal laundry room with a washer and dryer and separate living and dining spaces are just a few of the amenities you can come to expect from 5-star resort living.
Dh250,000 per year The essentials City Dubai Area Dubai Marina Development Al Seef Tower Type Apartment Availability Ready Lifestyle Marina living Bedrooms Three bedrooms Bathrooms Four (twoensuite) Built up area 3,553sqft Pool Community pool
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Three-bedroom apartment in Al Seef Tower, Dubai Marina
This three-bedroom apartment on a high floor in one of the best towers in Dubai Marina located within "the tallest tower block in the World". The apartment comes fully furnished and features a very large living and family/billiards room, a big closed kitchen and three large bedrooms. The big balcony opens to the emirates golf course, and offers partial sea and Marina views. The apartment also offers a storage on the podium level as well as two car parks. Easy access to Sheik Zayed Road makes this location very attractive. D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
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Play Top 5 Properties For Sale
Top Five Properties For Sale The essentials City Dubai Area Dubai Marina Development Cayan / Infinity Tower
For more details on all these properties, and more, visit: Luxhabitat, Dubai's only high-end real estate brokerage and interior design company, at www.luxhabitat.ae or scan the QR code with your smart phone
Dh14,000,000 Three-bedroom study penthouse in Cayan Tower, Dubai Marina
Type Penthouse Availability Ready Lifestyle Luxury penthouses Bedrooms Three Bathrooms Four (threeensuite) Built up area 5,295sqft Pool Infinity, heated and cooled community pool
The essentials City Dubai
This luxurious upgraded penthouse is unique in layout as well as design. Fully furnished with bespoke interior furniture and stunning views over the Palm, Marina and the Golf Course. The units are special in its spacious rooms, big court yards with lots of sunlight that will enhance the feeling of space and freedom inside the unit. The tower offers you a five-star hotel lifestyle with concierge service, pool, spa, a BBQ area and a half floor gym.
Dh3,600,000 Loft duplex in Jumeirah Beach Residence
Area Jumeirah Beach Residence Development Sadaf Type Duplex Availability Ready Lifestyle Marina living Bedrooms Two Bathrooms Two (twoensuite) Built up area 2,100sqft Pool Community pool
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This urban chic loft apartment is an excellent choice for singles or a couple who want to move in with their suitcase in hand and appreciate modern style and stunning views over the skyline of JBR. Also its one of the rare lofts in JBR which are practically untouched, aside from some walls that have been put in, but easily can torn down. So basically, it is the perfect project for someone who wants to build their own stylish loft in JBR. D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
Top 5 Properties For Sale Play
Dh4,995,000 Terrace apartment in the Golden Mile Palm Jumeirah The essentials City Dubai Area Palm Jumeirah Development Golden Mile Type Apartment Availability Ready Lifestyle Sea front properties Bedrooms Three Bathrooms Four (threeensuite) Built up area 3,495sqft
This completely renovated upgraded and furnished three-bedroom apartment on Palm Jumeirah is a work of art. Every aspect of this apartment has been revamped and enhanced giving a wonderful visual experience. This large three-bedroom plus maids apartment boasts a large internal carpet area of 2126 sqft which leads out onto a terrace adding an additional 1369s q ft. This fantastic outdoor space makes the property an entertainers dream, fitted with its very own outdoor kitchen/bar area complete with sinks and BBQ.
Price on application C13 villa on 24,000 sqft plot in Al Barari The essentials City Dubai Area Al Barari Development Camellia Type Villa Availability Ready Lifestyle Private communities Bedrooms Five Bathrooms Seven (fiveensuite) Built up area 13,858sqft Pool Private pool
The essentials City Dubai Area Jumeirah Beach Residence
Superbly located backing onto a private river and walk way this Barari villa combines the key elements of privacy with a large extended plot. This family home is five en-suite bedrooms, upstairs study/ family room with terrace, separate ground floor formal living and dining area with family living area, family kitchen and service kitchen, laundry, one basement room with bathroom, self-contained maids living quarters, three car garage, powder room, two private cooled and covered courtyards, landscaped gardens, swimming pool, plunge pool, barbeque area, rooftop terraces.
Dh4,700,000 Terrace apartment in Jumeirah Beach Residance
Development Murjan Type Apartment Availability Ready Lifestyle Marina living Bedrooms Two Bathrooms Two (oneensuite) Built up area 1,827 sqft Pool Community pool
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Located in the Murjan Cluster on a high floor, this two-bedroom apartment is fully furnished and has been completely upgraded recently. This is one of the rare two-bedroom Terrace Apartments in the JBR development. The spacious terrace and another second balcony makes the apartment very bright. The current owner changed the windows so they can be opened in every room. D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
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Play Events Planner The countdown to 2016 is on – and UAE residents will certainly not be stuck for something to do when seeing in the New Year. Legendary French DJ David Guetta is headlining a party at the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre; extravagant firework displays are expected at some of the country’s key landmarks; while lavish spreads will be laid on by the numerous 5-star hotels. Here’s the lowdown on the top events around the New Year period.
3. Dubai Shopping Festival 2016
CREDIT: Peppermint Experience)
When | January 1 to February 7 Where | Across Dubai If your New Year’s Resolution is for a frugal start to 2016, it’s probably best to avoid the Dubai Shopping Festival – although that won’t be easy. The annual celebration of consumerism is back in its 21st anniversary year, with the usual array of promotions across the city’s numerous malls, as well asconcerts, sporting fixtures and fashion events. There’s also the daily Infiniti Mega Raffle, in which those buying a Dh200 ticket get a chance to win an Infiniti Qx70 and Dh250,000 in cash. The 2015 festival saw the display of the Dubai Celebration Chain, the longest handmade gold chain in the world, which clinched a Guinness World Record.
1. David Guetta Live When | December 31 Where | Dubai Media City Amphitheatre David Guetta is royalty of the DJ world – so luring him to Dubai for a New Year’s Eve party doubtlessly involved a big-bucks deal. The star – the second highest-paid DJ in the world in 2013 with earnings of $30m, according to Forbes – will likely be playing some of his crowd-pleasing hits, which include ‘Titanium’, ‘Without You’ and ‘Turn Me On’. It won’t be the first time the chart-topping Guetta has played in the UAE – but big crowds are expected, given his sell-out performances at the Atlantis in 2013 and 2014. Price: From Dh495 www.peppermint-experience.com
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CREDIT: Shutterstock
Price: Free www.visitdubai.com
2. New Year's Eve in Dubai
4. Global Village When | Until April 9 Where | Exit 37, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road
New Year’s Eve in Dubai is always lavish, loud… and logistically challenging. But anyone willing to brave the traffic and taxi queues could do worse than heading to the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, which last year saw a spectacular fireworks display that made headlines around the world. Other favourite spots to usher in the New Year include the areas around the Burj Al Arab and Atlantis hotels.
A staggering 5 million people visited the Global Village theme park and cultural extravaganza last season, and the event is back – and bigger than ever – for the 20152016 run, which started in November. Operational for a little over five months, the 20th edition of the outdoor event includes 32 pavilions with more than 75 countries represented. Food from around the world, Bollywood musicals, street actors, Hollywood stunt shows and funfair rides are all part of the fun. Newly introduced trains ferry visitors from the car park to the main ‘Gate of the World’ entrance for free.
Price: Free / hotel charges vary www.visitdubai.com
Price: From Dh15 www.globalvillage.ae
When | December 31 Where | Across Dubai
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Tennis stars Rafael Nadal and Milos Raonic are set to compete in this minitournament over the New Year. The eighth annual Mubadala World Tennis Championship will see six of the world’s best maleplayersbattle it out for the winner-takes-all prize of $250,000. The venue includes bars and family areas, with daily autograph sessions in which fans can meet the players off the court. Price: From Dh100 (adult)/Dh50 (child) www.mubadalawtc.com
CREDIT: dubaimarathon.org
9. Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon
When | Until May 10 Where | Across Abu Dhabi
When | January 22 Where | Jumeirah, Dubai
Abu Dhabi is playing host to some of the world’s leading musicians during its eightmonth-long series of classical concerts, which began in October. Upcoming events include the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra performing the music of James Bond (on December 9), and concerts by the leading Spanish orchestra Sinfónica de Galicia in January. Concerts take place in various venues in the emirate, including Saadiyat Island, Liwa desert and historic sites in Al Ain.
The male and female winners of the 42km Dubai Marathon will each receive $200,000 in prize money – with a $100,000 bonus if they break a world record. There are also smaller prizes of $8,000 to $80,000 for those placed in the top 10. The marathon route is a pleasant one, with part of it passing the Burj Al Arab along Dubai’s Jumeirah Beach Road. Those not wanting to run the full distancecan take part in the separate 10km or 3km races. Price: $120 entry fee for 42km marathon, $75 for 10km road race, $30 for 4km fun run www.dubaimarathon.org
Price: Ticket prices vary, check website for details
CREDIT: abudhabievents.ae
www.abudhabiclassics.ae
CREDIT: bbcgoodfoodshowdubai.com
When | December 31 to January 2 Where | Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi
CREDIT: Abu Dhabi Events
CREDIT: Abu Dhabi Events
5. Mubadala World Tennis Championship
7. Abu Dhabi Classics
8. E mirati Expressions: Conventions of Arts
CREDIT: dubaicalendar.ae
When | Until March 31 Where | Across Abu Dhabi
Some of the world’s top female players are expected at the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters, one of the flagship golfing events in the emirate. It marks the season-ending Ladies European Tour, with players competing for a total prize pool of 500,000 euros.
Another ongoing series of cultural events in Abu Dhabi focuses on artworks by UAE nationals. Emirati Expressions, now in its fourth season, features works by 15 artists, along with a public programme of talks, workshops and publications. Works include wearable textiles, photography, furniture design, interactive video installations, paintings and large-scale sculptures. The exhibition is centred around Manarat al Saadiyat, on Abu Dhabi’s cultural island, but artists have also been invited to produce site-specific works for view at venues such as the Armed Forces Officers’ Club and Abu Dhabi National Theatre.
Price: Check website for hospitality packages www.dubailadiesmasters.com
Price: Check website for details www.saadiyatculturaldistrict.ae
6. Omega Dubai Ladies Masters 2015 When | December 9-12 Where | Emirates Golf Club, Dubai
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10. BBC Good Food Show Dubai When | December 17-19 Where | Dubai World Trade Centre Paul Hollywood, judge on the wildly popular TV show The Great British Bake Off, is one of the celebrity chefs due to appear at the three-day BBC Good Food Show Dubai. He’ll be making four appearances at the event’s so-called ‘Supertheatre’, in which chefs cook their favourite dishes in front of a live audience. Others include James Martin, best known for presenting the BBC cookery series Saturday Kitchen, and Silvena Rowe, who is based part of the time in Dubai. There will also be an interview stage, book signing area, English tea room, shopping and a cakedesign competition. Price: From Dh35 (child) and Dh75 (adult) www.bbcgoodfoodshowdubai.com D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
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Play Health
How to be happy at work It is universally acknowledged that quite rarely does an employee find themselves truly and completely happy at work. Here are some emotional health pointers to help you be a happier employee By Sudeshna Ghosh
A
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ccording to a worldwide study (covering 142 countires and 180 million people), only 13 per cent of employees are happy at work. Now that’s an alarming statistic if there ever was one! But, it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Most of us have at some point or the other – if not right now – moaned and complained about being unhappy at work. Whether it’s the annoying boss, the elusive pay rise, the politicking colleague, or just feeling overworked, there’s always something. While not all of us can work at Google (consistently rated the world’s best workplace), there are some things we can all do to combat the environmental factors causing this unhappiness in the first place, and up our own satisfaction and happiness levels in the office. Let’s call this our checklist to creating your very own ‘Googleverse’…
Start your day on the right note That old chestnut, about getting out the wrong side of the bed! While the side of the bed may not be critical, what is important is you allow yourself a bit of time in the mornings to feel good. Right from the minute you wake up – instead of reaching for the phone with groggy eyes to have work emails jolting you out of sleep, opt for a gentler wake-up routine. Avoid screen time, relax over your morning cuppa, go for a walk or run, interact with nature, or simply breathe in some fresh air. And very importantly, eat a healthy breakfast to have your body functioning well too. These tiny steps can go a long way in priming you to having a more positive day. It is equally important to end your day right, so every evening before heading home, have a little gratitude pause – a few seconds to think about at least one thing you’re grateful for in the day will not only have you going home feeling more positive, but being happier at work in the longer term.
Take ownership of your own happiness The first step in improving your happiness levels is a mindset shift. While you can’t control the circumstances, what you can control is your own reaction. So, instead of dwelling on all that is wrong with your job, focus on all the positive aspects. The easiest way to inject some positivity into your day, and life, is to smile – a lot.
Create a happy environment in the office It’s as simple as adding a bit of colour and brightness to your desk – personalising your space will make it seem like a comforting retreat rather than a battleground. Put up photos of family and friends, make a recent (or dream) holiday snap your screensaver, bring in a little plant or flowerpot… there are many ways to make your little corner of the
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office a happier space. A bright, happy workplace fosters creativity too. Build allies It has been proven by research that having friends in the office makes work more fun, satisfying, and the employee more engaged. We’re not suggesting you spend every weekend with your colleagues, but having a few, or at least one ‘work friend’ whom you genuinely like, can go a long way in fostering a sense of wellbeing in the office. It is also important to have this support system when the going gets rough – work friends often have the same issues, so sharing your problems with someone you have that in common with, can help with finding solutions at best, and at worst, a sympathetic ear. Let go of negativity Office politics, jealous colleagues, and difficult bosses are more commonplace than you’d think. The best way to tackle tricky circumstances such as these is to simply avoid them – don’t indulge in gossip and minimise your engagement with it; keep things professional and polite with difficult co-workers; and internally, don’t hold on to grudges and inter-personal issues. Become a force of positivity by taking steps such as going out of your way to help a colleague, saying thank you often, making an effort to be nice, and this positive energy will definitely come back round to you. D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 | b e n c h m ar k m i d d l e e a s t
FOR SOME, THE NEED TO GROW JUST KEEPS GROWING. Successful businesses aren’t satisfied by the here and now. They prefer to ask ‘Where next?’ At HSBC, we have long believed in businesses willing to push boundaries and cross borders. That’s why we offer access to international trade growth solutions, as well as on ground experts in geographies that cover 87%* of global trade. With nearly 150 years of experience in supporting global businesses including 60 years in Oman, our global network can help your business make your growth opportunities possible.
CR1080849
See how we can help your business www.business.hsbc.co.om/solutions
*Boston Consulting Group’s “Winning after the Storm” report: 2010 – 2020 growth forecast. Issued by HSBC Bank Oman S.A.O.G, P.O. Box 1727 PC 111 CPO-Seeb, Sultanate of Oman. OMM/CMP/150019 © Copyright. HSBC Bank Oman S.A.O.G. 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of HSBC Bank Oman S.A.O.G.
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