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UAE TAKES THE LEAD IN THE GLOBAL PASSPORT POWER RANKING

AUTOMOTIVE

MASERATI LEVANTE TROFEO RANGE ROVER EVOQUE

TRAVEL

SPOTLIGHT ON LIMASSOL, CYPRUS

HOROLOGY

THE ULYSSE NARDIN CLASSIC TOURBILLON FALCON

MELINDA GATES

THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PHILANTHROPIC ENTITY IN THE WORLD

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THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING THE BEST

WE ARE VOTED THE “BES T BUSINESS CL ASS ONBOARD CATERING” A G A IN AT T HE 2 017 S K Y T R A X PA S S E N GE R S C HOIC E AWA R D S

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CONTENTS 18 BUSINESS

Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, Minister of Education, France

20 BUSINESS

UAE Rhodes Scholars

22 BUSINESS

Guardian Wealth Management’s Women Like Us

24 COVER STORY Melinda Gates

32 BUSINESS

40 BUSINESS

HF Markets expands its Global Reach

42 BUSINESS

UAE’s The Big Heart Foundation

46 BUSINESS

The UAE Passport Global Power Ranking

50 BUSINESS

State-of-the-art integrated technologies by Siemens for Dubai Expo 2020

52 BUSINESS

Majestic Montenegro

Emmanuelle Sawko, Co-founder of café Wild & the Moon

34 BUSINESS

56 BUSINESS

Bill Holst, the most successful caviar entrepreneur in the world

‘Fly Better’ campaign by Emirates

58 BUSINESS

60 AUTOMOTIVE

Ford Motor Company Conservation and Environmental Grants

62 AUTOMOTIVE

Maserati’s Trofeo version of the Levante

66 AUTOMOTIVE

The Sophisticated Evolution of Range Rover Evoque

70 AUTOMOTIVE

Vehicle-to-Infrastructure technologies by Jaguar Land Rover

72 AUTOMOTIVE

The all-new Touareg, Volkswagen’s flagship SUV

76 AUTOMOTIVE

Buck Institute for Research on Aging

1987 Ferrari F40 LM auction by RM Sotheby’s Paris

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36 BUSINESS

Travis VanderZanden’s electric scooter sharing company, Bird

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78 HOROLOGY

88 FASHION

102 GADGETS

90 FASHION

104 DINING

94 FASHION

106 TRAVEL

98 FASHION

110 HOTEL

Montblanc’s High Artistry Homage to Chinese Emperor Kang Xi

100 FASHION

114 HOROLOGY

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The new Classic Tourbillon Falcon by Ulysse Nardin pays homage to the UAE’s grand tradition of falconry

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The TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre Heuer 01 Aston Martin Special Edition

82 HOROLOGY

Omega’s new De Ville Trésor collection

86 HOROLOGY

Ermenegildo Zegna’s gifts for the holiday season Fashion Selections for the new year 100% Capri’s expansion in the Middle East Louise Trotter, Creative Director at Lacoste Guerlain’s 110 fragrances in Riyadh

GC’s shortlist of the most innovative technological devices that debuted in 2018 The London Project & Rare Restaurant Limassol City, Cyprus SALT of Palmar Hotel, Mauritius Rapport London in UAE

2018 NOVT / DEC 15

EDITOR’S LETTER O

ur inaugural edition for 2019 highlights women around the world and their achievements across diverse fields. These are women who have broken down barriers and our cover story (p.24) showcases the story of Melinda Gates, the co-founder and primary driving force behind the most significant philanthropic entity in the world. The Bill and Melinda Gates foundation has redefined what it means to be a true leader at a global level and spearheaded life changing healthcare research and reform to benefit millions of the

underprivileged around the world.

Najat Vallaud-Belkacem (p.18) is an anomaly on the European political scene.

Openly criticized for holding a dual Moroccan and French citizenship, she was the first French woman to be appointed Minister of Education in 2014. A non-practicing Muslim, she is the “face” of diversity for the liberals and a bullseye for the antiimmigration far-right. She supported same-sex marriage legislation and opposed the Burkini ban, standing in solidarity with her fellow Muslims when there was a call to ban halal meat. Despite the challenges and unfavorable odds that were stacked against her, she managed to rise to the very top echelons of French political life.

Closer to home we highlight the story of Majida Al Maktoum and Amal Al Gergawi, both seniors at NYU Abu Dhabi (p.20), who are the latest from NYU to be selected for the Rhodes Scholarship. NYU Abu Dhabi has produced 12 Rhodes Scholars in just six years, the highest number of Rhodes Scholars per student of any university in the world.

The Big heart foundation (p.42) is a tale of two women who are driven by a shared philanthropic spirit. One is Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, the wife of Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, ruler of the UAE emirate of Sharjah. Sheikha Jawaher is the founder and the inspirational driving force behind the Big Heart Foundation. The other is Mariam Al Hammadi, the director of the foundation. The Big Heart Foundation seeks to usher in a new age of compassion and dialogue through the provision of security, shelter, healthcare and a comprehensive and robust education made available for each and every child.

According to The Passport Index (p.46), the interactive real-time ranking platform created by Arton Capital in 2014, the UAE passport reached a record-breaking visa-free score of 167, giving Emirati citizens access to over 84% of the world. The UAE’s Passport Power Initiative showcases the power of positive diplomacy and the achievements of a country that has used diplomacy to open up the world for its citizens.

In our travel section, we explore Limassol (p.106) the second largest urban area of Cyprus. The main port of call for the Island nation, it offers an abundance of colorful cafes and bars lining the happening seafront. The city appeals to a wide range of tourists, from the sun and sand vacationers to those who prefer to delve into the island’s culture at its old quarter, museums and sites of archaeological interest.

On the road to success, the key is to always look ahead. May you reach your destination, and may your journey be wonderful. Happy New Year!

Sunaz

Sunaz Sharaf

GLOBAL CITIZEN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sunaz Sharaf FEATURES EDITOR Shama Moosa JUNIOR EDITOR Almas Tholot ASSOCIATE PHOTO EDITOR Nidal Ziyad ART DIRECTOR Omarr Khattab CONTRIBUTORS Teresa Esmezyan EDITORIAL MANAGEMENT Alta Verba Media Suite 17, Iridium Building Umm Suqueim Rd, Al Barsha T: + 971 4 395 9982 info@altaverbamedia.com www.global-citizen.com www.issuu.com/global-citizen www.facebook.com/GlobalCitizenMag www.instagram.com/GlobalCitizenMagazine MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE Fierce International Dubai Internet City Business Central Tower A - Office 2803 T: +971 4 421 5455 - F: +971 4 421 0208 tarek@fierce-international.com

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Publisher Dubai Internet City Business Central Tower A - Office 2803 T: +971 4 421 5455 - F: +971 4 421 0208 tarek@fierce-international.com Copyright 2019 Fierce International. All rights reserved.

Neither this publication nor any part of it 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 permission of Fierce International. Where opinion is expressed it is that of the author and does not necessarily reflect the editorial views of the publisher or Global Citizen. All information in Global Citizen is checked and verified to the best of the publisher’s ability, however the publisher cannot be held responsible for any mistake or omission enclosed in the publication.

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2018 NOVT / DEC 17

BUSINESS

Photo © JF PAGA/GRASSET

18 JAN / FEB 2019

Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, French Minister of Education

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BLURRING THE LINES

A look back at the life and political times of Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, the female French politician of Moroccan origin

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s is the case with most immigrants, duality seemed to follow Najat Vallaud-Belkacem throughout her life’s journey. When she became the first French woman to be appointed Minister of Education in 2014, she became the “face” of diversity for the liberals and a bullseye for the anti-immigration far-right. She supported same-sex marriage legislation and opposed the Burkini ban. She has stated that she is a non-practising Muslim but has also stated that she felt the pain of her fellow Muslims when there was a call to ban halal meat. She says she has always seen herself as French but has been criticised for holding dual Moroccan citizenship. Despite the challenges and unfavourable odds that were stacked against her, she managed to rise to the very top echelons of French political life.

Najat Belkacem was born in 1977, in a Moroccan village near Nador in the Rif region. She is the second of seven children. In 1982, she arrived in France, aged four, with her mother and elder sister Fatiha, to join her father, a construction worker. The family lived on a deprived housing estate on the outskirts of the northern town of Amiens in the Somme.

Since Najat’s parents did not have the right to vote, being non-citizens, politics was not a taking point in her household while growing up, except when the far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen appeared on television. She did well in school and listened to Voltaire as much as the Berber songs of her parents.

At the age of 18, she became a French national.

She studied Political Science at France’s Institut d’études politiques de Paris, with scholarship, and graduated in 2002.

It was while studying at this institute that Najat met Boris Vallaud, whom she married in 2005. Boris made a career as a civil servant with the federal government. In 2018, he was elected to the French National Assembly representing the Socialist Party. The couple have nine-year-old twins named Louis-Adel and Nour-Chloé Vallaud.

After graduation, Najat worked as a jurist and was not particularly interested in a political career. Her professional destiny changed when in the 2002 presidential election, Le Pen shocked France by getting through to the final round.

She did so by beating the Socialists, the party with which Najat had aligned herself. She became a candidate of the Socialist Party that same year and won her first election the following year as a city councillor in Lyon. She was invited

to join the team of Lyon’s mayor Gérard Collomb, and she soon made a reputation for herself based on her work against discrimination, for citizen’s rights, employment and housing.

In 2004, she was elected to the Regional Council of RhoneAlpes where she chaired the Culture Commission until 2008.

In 2005, she was appointed as an adviser to the Socialist Party.

Besides politics, she contributed as a columnist for Télé Lyon Municipale’s cultural programme titled C’est tout vu.

In 2008, came Najat’s first appointment at the national stage. She was made the spokesperson of Ségolène Royal’s unsuccessful campaign during the 2007 French presidential election. She returned to regional politics and successfully contested for the seat of conseillère générale of the Rhône department in the cantonal elections of 2008.

When the next round of Presidential elections came around in 2012, Najat was once again in the national spotlight, this time as Hollande’s presidential campaign spokesperson.

When he took office as President that same year, Najat was appointed to the cabinet as Minister for Women’s Affairs, City Affairs, youth and sport, as well as being the spokeswoman for the government. She was given charge of an important ministry in the context of Hollande’s campaign in which fighting discrimination was a much-touted objective. As its spokeswoman, she in a way became the face of the Hollande’s presidency.

The spotlight attracted the attention of the right and far-right who attacked her dual nationality. “For ten years I’ve been totally engaged in serving the public good. I feel totally French – I don’t feel half-French because of my dual nationality. For me, dual nationality just means I don’t deny my roots,” she told the Guardian in 2012.

This was just the beginning. Throughout the five-year period of the Hollande presidency, Najat was on the front line and suffered from a constant right-wing media and activist attacks where the line between the professional and the personal was blurred. It may have taken its toll on her, at least temporarily. At the beginning of this year, she announced that she would not contest the leadership of the Socialist Party at the Aubervilliers Congress. Instead, she moved to the private sector as Deputy Chief Executive Officer, “International research and social innovation” at Ipsos, one of the most prominent private research organisations.

2019 JAN / FEB

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Amal Al Gergawi

VISIONS OF THE FUTURE

Two NYU Abu Dhabi students have received the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship this year, the campus’ twelfth in six years

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YU Abu Dhabi has produced 12 Rhodes Scholars in just six years, the highest number of Rhodes Scholars per student of any university in the world.

This year has been no exception. Two Emirati women, Majida Al Maktoum and Amal Al Gergawi, both seniors, have been selected as UAE Rhodes Scholars.

The Rhodes Scholarship, established in 1902 by the will of the late British businessman Cecil Rhodes, is one of the world’s oldest and most recognisable awards for international fellowship and academic study. Candidates are selected through an intensive process including a written application and inperson interviews. Those selected can then pursue two to three years of postgraduate studies at the University of Oxford in England.

Majida plans to pursue an MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy, and an MSt in Women’s Studies while at Oxford.

“I am truly humbled and honoured to be representing the UAE as a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford. The Rhodes is an opportunity for me to be able to engage with

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a cohort of the world’s future leaders who share the value of public service and to learn from world-class faculty. I hope to be able to make my family, friends, the NYU Abu Dhabi community, and the UAE proud at Oxford,” said Majida.

She is currently majoring in Political Science with a minor in Social Research and Public Policy. Her senior Capstone project is aimed at addressing the question: “What inspires political participation through Emirati youth?” It is being conducted through quantitative methods and survey research.

Amal meanwhile is majoring in Social Research and Public Policy with double minors in Economics and Film and New Media. Her Capstone project “explores data privately provided from Global TIES for Children to unpack the educational challenges of refugee children within school communities in Niger.” The outcomes and policy recommendations of which will aim to inform educational institutions on how best to meet the learning needs and ambitions of these migrant children.

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Majida Al Maktoum “As an NYU Abu Dhabi student, I learned the power of digesting and navigating intellectual discomfort as both a window for personal growth, and for constructive conversations. At Oxford, I look forward to pursuing an MPhil in Development Studies to build on previous policy research and fieldwork pertaining to the well-being of forced migrants. With the growing global crisis on forced migration, the Rhodes will allow me to engage with a diverse cohort of visionaries committed to the delivery of humane, effective, and sustainable outcomes. As I embark on this exciting journey, I want to earnestly thank the UAE and NYU Abu Dhabi for their commitment to pushing the frontiers of knowledge in the community,” said Amal.

In addition to their academic pursuits, the two women have accumulated an impressive portfolio of experiences.

Majida has been a part of the UAE Youth Ambassador Program to China with the Crown Prince Court; was an intern to the Permanent Mission of the UAE to the UN; and was a research intern to the UAE Minister of State of Youth Affairs Office. She has volunteered as a facilitator with STRIVE (Strength in Vocational Education), teaching conversational English and computer skills and providing coaching in professional skills such as public speaking to Somali migrant students. Al Maktoum has also volunteered with the Ramadan Aman Road Safety Campaign, the Al Ihsan Charity Association, and with UNESCO. Amal has volunteered at The Brooklyn International High School in New York, tutoring immigrant and refugee

students and translating content into Arabic for Yemeni migrant students. During her four years at NYUAD, Al Gergawi was a policy researcher and worked with NYUAD Global Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Public Policy, Sophia Kalantzakos, to draft a 3-year pilot housing and integration program FILOXENIA to assimilate 500 Syrian refugee families in vacant apartments in Athens and help to boost the local Greek economy.

Amal has also interned with Unilever and McKinsey and Company in Dubai and worked as a student ambassador with Al-Bayt Mitwahid in Abu Dhabi, supervising communications and implementation of private-sector training for more than 50 students. She spoke at the 2015 TEDxNYUAD on the positionality of Emirati culture in the midst of globalisation and was the Co-Curator of the 2016 art exhibition East-East, which aimed to explore bridges and links between the UAE and Japan through the works of emerging artists.

The NYU Abu Dhabi campus is the first comprehensive liberal arts and science campus in the Middle East to be operated abroad by a major American research university.

Along with NYU’s campuses in New York and Shanghai, these campuses form the backbone of a unique global university that has become an internationally recognised centre for advanced research and scholarship enabling its students to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world. It is, therefore, no surprise that NYU Abu Dhabi has been so prolific in producing exceptional scholars such as Majida Al Maktoum and Amal Al Gergawi.

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GUARDIANS OF WEALTH

Guardian Wealth Management’s female networking group, Women Like Us, is perfectly placed to provide advice to working women expats to ensure they truly make the most of their expatriate status

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uardian Wealth Management is a group of several organisations established in different countries, each of which is a separate legal entity registered in the relevant jurisdictions in which they operate. From modest beginnings, Guardian Wealth Management has grown to become one of the world’s leading providers of ‘international lifestyle’ financial planning, which in itself remains a speciality in international finance. The firm has been providing lifestyle financial planning to clients around the globe for almost 20 years and currently manages the affairs of over 10,000 international clients worth over £800 million in client savings.

Guardian Wealth Management was born from Keystone Independent Ltd., a UK based entity founded by current Guardian Co-Chief Executive, David Howell. He started in the world of insurance when he was just 18 years old. This gave him a “good grounding” and eventually lead to him to start his own business. Initially, Howell had just focused on providing financial advice to clients in the UK but soon realised that as his clients’ circumstances changed, he needed to respond to these changes, the biggest of which was a then new trend for UK residents of working abroad, specifically in Europe.

To assist in building the global side of the business, Howell joined forces with John Hasberry and Guardian was born.

Together they opened the first European office in Brussels.

Further offices were opened in locations across the globe from Geneva to the Middle East to the USA. Guardian has recently launched Guardian Global Solutions to provide their services to clients who live in the more remote regions of the world.

To serve its clients in the Middle East and North Africa, Guardian established a Dubai office in 2009 which now focuses on insurance brokerage while an additional office in Abu Dhabi focuses on financial planning. Hamzah Shalchi manages the firm’s MENA operations and has over eight years of experience in global financial advice and has lived in the region for over seven years.

Guardian Wealth Management’s Women Like Us is a women’s expat community that brings together professional female international workers to socialise, share ideas and build friendships in relaxed, elegant surroundings and to learn from each other. It provides opportunities for female expat professionals to quickly establish a social circle with likeminded people by holding regular events, networking sessions and referrals to other professional services, thus reducing the

amount of time it takes to settle down in a newly adopted home.

From a financial advisory perspective, Women Like Us initiative arranges financial advice “for women, by women” on matters relating to setting up multicurrency offshore accounts, setting up an account with a foreign exchange broker, end to end service for property Investment, arranging mortgages, will writing and estate planning, among others.

“Our network is part of our power. We build dynamic professional relationships with each other in order to pass on ideas, services and benefits to one another,” says a statement

by Guardian Wealth Management about its Women Like Us initiative.

On October 30, 2018, the female networking group, Women Like Us, hosted a ladies-only event to raise awareness for breast cancer detection and the need for critical illness and life insurance. The event was held at Pure Sky Lounge, Hilton Dubai at The Walk, in recognition of breast cancer awareness month.

While the event was mainly about “supporting the fighters, admiring the survivors and honouring the taken,” the organisers also took the opportunity to remind the women in the community that health is wealth and that protection, such as critical illness insurance or life insurance, is essential should a tragedy ever strike.

Guests were treated to a range of canapés, handmade sweet treats and complimentary drinks. Choreographer Wildene Philander and Ballerina, and a female resident DJ kept the guests entertained throughout the evening with live shows and international music. There were pop-up boutique stalls by local and international fashion, jewellery and make-up brands such as KefAfrique, Helena Collections, Loka Loka Boutique, Beaches Be Crazy, and AFH designs, spread out across the venue alongside a hair and nail station. Each guest received vouchers for a free mammogram and health checks plus the first 50 women to arrive at the venue received gift bags. This event was an innovative way “to raise awareness for Breast Cancer and have a fabulous evening together,” and to remind the community that “women need to maintain a balance, pamper themselves regularly and occasionally let their hair down!”

Guardian Wealth Management was one of the three finalists for the World Finance Investment Awards in 2015. Guardian’s investment platform and investor portal won the 2014 Lonsec Award for being an industry leading technology.

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GATES OF GENEROSITY

Melinda Gates, the co-founder and primary driving force behind the most significant philanthropic entity in the world

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n 1993, during Melinda French’s wedding shower, her mother, who was suffering from breast cancer at the time, read her an admonitory letter and the gist of which was: “from those to whom much is given, much is expected.”

Her mother died a few months later, but her advice left an indelible mark on her daughter who now co-chairs the richest philanthropic entity in the world, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with an endowment in excess of $50 billion.

Born Melinda Ann French on August 15, 1964, in Dallas, Texas, she is the second of four children born to Raymond Joseph French Jr., an aerospace engineer, and Elaine Agnes Amerland, a homemaker. She has an older sister and two younger brothers. As a practising Roman Catholic, she attended St. Monica Catholic School, where she was the top student in her class year before graduating as valedictorian from Ursuline Academy of Dallas in 1982.

Melinda’s interest in computers developed while taking an advanced math class at the Ursuline Academy. This was further

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enhanced when at 14, her father brought an Apple II, one of the first personal computers available to the general public. She used the PC to play computer games and to learn the Basic programming language.

Her mother, who regretted not having gone to college, placed a strong emphasis on her children’s higher education.

So, the family invested in and managed rental properties as a means to pay for the children’s college tuition. Melinda earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science and economics in 1986, followed by an MBA in 1987 at Duke University.

Before graduating, Melinda was interning at IBM in the summer of 1986. She had informed a recruiter that she had an interview with a relatively new company called Microsoft. The recruiter strongly advised Melinda to take the offer “because the chance for advancement there is terrific.” Melinda took her advice and joined Microsoft Corporation in 1987 starting as a product manager, involved primarily in developing multimedia and interactive products.

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"Our desire to bring every good thing to our children is a force for good throughout the world. It’s what propels societies forward."

Melinda Gates 2019 JAN / FEB

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Over the course of her nine years at Microsoft, Melinda worked her way up to general manager of information products. Some of the projects she was involved with included the budget trip-planning website Expedia, the interactive movie guide Cinemania, the multimedia digital encyclopaedia Encarta, and Microsoft’s Bob, the much derided and shortlived, graphics interface for Windows.

Melinda first met Bill in 1987, four months into her job at Microsoft, when they sat next to each other at an industry trade-fair dinner in New York. “He was funnier than I expected him to be,” Melinda has admitted forthrightly. She found his sense of humour surprising and refreshing given the context of the corporate climate of the times.

Several months later, Bill called her to ask her out on a date saying: “You know, I was thinking maybe we could go out two weeks from tonight,” according to Melinda in a video interview with AOL’s Makers. Her response was less than enthusiastic. She replied: “Two weeks from tonight? I have no idea what I’m doing two weeks from tonight. You aren’t spontaneous enough for me.” The founder of Microsoft was not ready to give up. “He called me about an hour later, and he said: Is this spontaneous enough for you?” He also explained to

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her that the reason for the long gap in scheduling a date earlier was due to the constant daily flood of meetings. “And I said: Okay, I guess that’s pretty spontaneous. I guess we can try.”

Bill Gates has admitted that the qualities that most attracted him about Melinda were her forthrightness and independence.

The pair kept a low-profile at work and asked co-workers and family members to respect their privacy. The couple dated for six years before Bill proposed to Melinda in 1993.

In 1994, Bill and Melinda married in a secret ceremony on the 17th hole of a golf course on the Hawaiian island of Lanai, preceded by a firework display and a private performance by Willie Nelson. Melinda’s wedding dress and reception outfit reportedly cost less than $20,000.

During the initial years of her marriage, she took some time to transition from an employee to her new social standing as the wife of one of the wealthiest persons on earth. An even more significant challenge was transforming herself from the girl who cried in her room at the thought of having to give a speech as a valedictorian to one who would be taking on the role of one of the leading philanthropists in the world.

It was during a trip to Africa in 1993 that Melinda and Bill experienced their turning point as far as their philanthropic

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objectives were concerned. “Late in the dating stages, we talked about the wealth,” Melinda told AOL’s Makers. “It was our first trip to Africa. At the end of that trip, on a beach walk [in Zanzibar], we said, ‘Absolutely, the vast majority of these resources will go back to society.’ We just committed to it. It was just a natural, easy decision for us.”

The next year, Melinda and her husband co-founded the William H. Gates Foundation along with Bill’s father. It was something that William Gates had longed for, and it also followed the example of Bill’s mother, a devoted philanthropist who had died earlier that year. The Foundation pursued health programs across the globe along with projects in their native Pacific Northwest region of the US. The Gates Library Foundation was launched three years later with a focus on bringing Internet technology to public libraries. Next came the Gates Millennium Scholars program in 1999, which directed

$1 billion toward minority study grants.

In 1999, the couple combined the three foundations and renamed it the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, with a reported endowment of $17 billion and would be spearheaded

by Melinda. In 2006, Warren Buffett, a friend of Bill Gates, made a landmark donation of $30 billion to the foundation which amounted to 80 per cent of his multi-billion dollar fortunate. Thanks to Buffett’s pledge, the foundation had become, by far, the world’s largest with its total assets crossing $50 billion.

The foundation’s initial goal was to donate computers and Microsoft products in libraries all over the United States. Over the years, however, Melinda expanded the organisation’s vision to include improving education worldwide, global poverty alleviation and health issues. In anticipation of its growth needs and to divide its assets among the most pressing needs, Melinda 2019 JAN / FEB

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“If you are successful, it is because somewhere, sometime, someone gave you a life or an idea that started you in the right direction. Remember also that you are indebted to life until you help some less fortunate person, just as you were helped.”

Melinda Gates

then restructured the organisation into three departments: global health, global development, and U.S. community and education.

Through these changes, the foundation can now better focus on its commitment to solving various health problems around the world, with particular emphasis on developing prevention strategies such as controlling insects that transmit diseases, developing vaccines for diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis, and developing superfoods in the fight against malnutrition.

Melinda, along with Bill, “shapes and approves the foundation’s strategies, reviews results, and sets the overall direction of the organisation. Together, they meet with grantees and partners to further the foundation’s goal of improving equity in the United States and around the world,” according to the Foundation’s website.

Warren Buffett, who knows the couple well, described their working relationship to Fortune magazine thus: “[Bill is] smart as hell, obviously...But in terms of seeing the whole picture, [Melinda’s] smarter.”

The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) is the top recipient of the foundation which is just over $3.1 billion according to the foundation’s website. It works to save children’s lives and protect people’s health by increasing equitable use of vaccines in lower income countries. In a very close second place is the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria at $1.5 billion which provides financial support to country-driven prevention, diagnosis, treatment and education programs working to free the world of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

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In third place is the World Health Organization at $1.535 billion. It received grants for a wide range of programs such as Family Health and Nutrition, Emergency Response, Global Libraries, Global Policy & Advocacy, as well as combating Enteric diseases, HIV, Pneumonia, Polio, Tuberculosis and various neglected tropical diseases.

GAVI is also the recipient of the single largest donation ever made by the foundation at just over $1.543 billion in 2016. The second largest, at $1.525 billion, made to the United Negro College Fund’s Scholarships which aims to increase the total annual number of African American college graduates by focusing on activities that ensure more students are collegeready, enrol in college and persist to graduation. The third was a donation of $985 million to the Rotary Foundation to help them fulfil their commitment to fight Polio.

Confronting the burden caused by diseases such as Malaria, STDs including HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, polio and others make up the top four sectors to which the foundation has made donations. They are followed by other health-related issues such as reproductive health care, family planning and nutrition.

The other big area of concern is agriculture-related issues such as research, development, resource management and policy and administration.

Micro-finance is another area of concern for the foundation.

A total donation of $35.825 million was made to the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) which aims to enhance the capacity of developing and emerging countries to implement innovative financial inclusion policies, with a cross-cutting focus on advancing digital financial services and women’s financial inclusion. A $5 million donation was made to the

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“The premise of this foundation is one life on this planet is no more valuable than the next.”

Melinda Gates

Financial Access Initiative which conducts field research about microfinance and financial access in impoverished countries.

A five-year $3.1 million grant was given to Pro Mujer, a microfinance network in Latin America, as well as a $1.5 million to the Grameen Foundation.

Initially, however, Melinda intended to stay behind the scenes. “I had purposely tried to be behind the scenes, even with the foundation work when the kids were young, because I wanted them to get up and into school, and have that privacy,” she told CNBC Meets. “And I always said that I wouldn’t spend as much time on the foundation until our youngest got into kindergarten; and then when she did, I started spending more and more time on the foundation.”

There was another reason that compelled her to become more of an extrovert. As time passed, she realised that being a woman, she can bring a perspective that’s different than Bill’s.

She also realised that she could also be a conduit for the voices of women worldwide. “I can bring these voices forward, and so I started to speak more publicly,” she told CNBC. Melinda was also instrumental in bringing the issue of family planning to the fore at the foundation. “I was just shocked by how many women were asking me for contraceptives. And so, I realised we needed to do something about it. And I kept, quite honestly, looking for the global champion, I did not want to be the one to take it on — and I couldn’t find that person...

I felt like that really needed my voice behind it, because we didn’t have another global champion for it. And then it just grew from there.”

In 2012, Melinda spearheaded the London Summit on Family Planning, which adopted the goal of delivering contraceptives to 120 million women in developing countries by 2020. Her work has led her to increasingly focus on gender equity as a path to meaningful change.

In September 2016, Melinda announced her desire to begin working on the lack of women in technology. She told CNN business: “We’re graduating fewer women technologists. That is not good for society. We have to change it.” She explained that for the next two years she would be in “learning mode” after which she would begin addressing the problem.

To get a sense of Melinda’s passion and commitment to social work, this is what she advised graduating students about hands-on charity work at Stanford in 2014: “Let your heart break. It will change what you do with your optimism.”

For her contributions to humanity, Melinda Gates has accumulated quite a few awards and recognitions over the years.

Along with her husband she has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 by the then US President Barack Obama; the prestigious Légion d’Honneur, France’s highest national award, from President Francois Hollande in 2017 for their efforts to improve public health and help poor countries; the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honor, in 2015 which is given for contributions made to the state in the field of social work; to name a few.

She has accumulated more than a few accolades of her own.

In 2013, she was appointed an honorary Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2013 for her services to philanthropy and international development. Then in 2017, for outstanding services to peace and international understanding, she was awarded the Otto Hahn Peace Medal by the United Nations Association of Germany.

She chaired a $300 million fundraising drive for the Seattle Children’s Hospital, donated over $10 million to Ursuline Academy, and co-donated with Bill $210 million in 2000 to set up the Gates Cambridge Trust, which funds postgraduate scholars from outside the UK to study at Cambridge University.

In 2007, Melinda Gates received an honorary doctorate in medicine from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. Then in 2013, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by Duke University as a tribute for her philanthropic commitment. Between 2011 and 2017, she has been in the in Forbes’ ‘100 Most Powerful Women’ number 3 position thrice, fourth place and sixth place once each.

For Melinda, regardless of all her achievements, her family has always come first. When asked about the legacy she hopes to leave, she said: “On the day I die, I want people to think that I was a great mom and a great family member and a great friend. I care about that more than I care about anything else.”

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MAJESTIC MONTENEGRO

The latest destination sparking vast interest and admiration from investors

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ontenegro shines at the peak of opportunity as it takes its biggest leap towards completing its integration process to join the EU by 2025.

Already a NATO member, Montenegro also uses the euro as its currency and is in the process of integrating EU legislation into national law.

The recent successful closing of negotiation chapters with the EU has not only propelled Montenegro closer to becoming part of the Union, but it has further established confidence with major investors within the booming nation. Opening the EU negotiations, according to Prime Minister Duško Marković, represents an essential process of changes in the country, as well as in society.

“Over the past thirty years, the European perspective of the Western Balkans has never been more certain, and the Balkans have never been in a better position,” said PM Marković.

Montenegro has been at the forefront of focus and support from the European Union over the past few years, and in the meantime has also become the recipient to generous investments from other countries seeking new opportunities.

The UAE, being the largest foreign investor in Montenegro, contributed €92.8M to the nation in the last 11 months alone, in addition to previously investing an estimated €200M in Porto Montenegro in Tivat, and €140M in Capital Plaza Centre in Podgorica. Russia ranks second as a foreign direct investor with €54.7M and Italy following closely with a €47.5M investment.

As one of the fastest growing economies in the Balkans, Montenegro is also quickly becoming a key destination for the UHNW with their newly launched Citizenship-by32 JAN / FEB 2019

Investment Program (CIP). Joining the ever-expanding list of countries seeking to attract foreign direct investments through CIPs, Montenegro also has one of the fastest-growing passports, currently ranked 37th in the world by The Passport Index. Its ranking is expected to rise significantly with its upcoming accession into the European Union.

Home to one of the world’s most spectacular yachting harbors, Porto Montenegro, which was acquired by Investment Corporation of Dubai for over US$200M, the south has become one of the finest luxury destinations in the region, with luxury brands such as Regent and Aman Resorts. With Montenegro’s prominent natural beauty and sophistication, tourism in the north has also begun to play a vital role for the nation, from their famous Lake Skadar to the beauty of mountainous Kolasin.

In addition to Montenegro’s rise in popularity, British Airways also recently announced a direct London-TivatLondon line. Seizing global attention has played an important role in reinforcing Montenegro’s international image, which has since recorded a great number of tourists, notably coming from Great Britain. British Airways confirms that they will operate flights two times a week, and the airline will be fully active during the next summer season.

According to the World Bank, Montenegro is one of the fastest growing economies in the Balkans and is quickly becoming a key destination for some of the most important industries around the world due to its strategic position. As a young state, it truly offers a unique potential for investors seeking mobility, safety, security, opportunity, and increased quality of life.

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THE TSAR OF CAVIAR

A look at how Bill Holst became the most successful caviar entrepreneur in the world

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ne of the most aired visuals of the 2016 G20 summit was the joint shopping session of Russian President Vladimir and his Chinese counterpart in which they were seen sampling some caviar, not from the Caspian sea, but China. The caviar was produced by Hangzhou Qiandaohu Xunlong Sci-Tech, a sturgeon farm and caviar-processing company based on a sprawling man-made lake in eastern China with a water surface of 573 square kilometres.

Hangzhou is now the largest caviar company in the world as it controls 30 per cent of the global market and is expected to bring in an estimated $35 million in revenue this year. Marketed under the Kaluga Queen brand, its Caviar is supplied to luxury brands such as Petrossian and Caviar House, as well some of the top chefs and Michelin-starred establishments.

Hangzhou refers to itself as “a Sino-foreign joint venture company.” On its website, the foreign shareholders are represented by its single largest and only American investor, Bill Holst, who owns about 24 per cent of the most dominant, high-quality caviar produced in the world by a country mile.

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Holst also owns and has been operating sturgeon farms in Hungary and Germany for the last two decades. The two sell their caviar under the Desietra brand and earned Holst around $8 million last year. These farms also happen to be Hangzhou’s direct but much smaller competitors on the international caviar market. His combined investments in China and Europe make him the most successful caviar entrepreneur in the world.

With a name like his, and being the Tsar of the caviar market, one might be forgiven for assuming that he comes from one of the elite American families of Long Island or New England. Holst is a native of rural Wisconsin, identifies himself as a third-generation corn farmer, operates a massive scrap yard where around 20,000 pounds of aluminium gets melted down every day, and he lives in a modest five-bedroom house, with his long-time girlfriend. “We’re not elaborate people, we like the simple things,” he told Chloe Sorvino of Forbes magazine.

He is not being false-modest either; “He doesn’t eat much of what he produces. There’s not a single tin [of caviar] inside his house,” observed Sorvino.

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Holst’s professional adventure began in 1968 when he quit college to work in an insulation factory. When he was 22, he took the bold step of starting a remodelling business. As the business grew, so did his need for a reliable source of sand and gravel which led him to buy a quarry in the late 1970s. By 1995, he owned eleven quarries, one of which was spring-fed and thus turned into a small lake where he began to breed fish so that his sons could go fishing.

Then a friend in St. Paul, Minnesota, who raised sturgeons as a hobby, introduced Holst to a Native American tribe that sold him his first stock of sturgeons which he introduced to his lake. He soon realised that he had a knack for raising them.

His move into the commercial side of sturgeon farming came in 1999 when it was brought to his notice that a bankrupt sturgeon farm in Hungary was up for sale. At that time, Holst had never tasted caviar, knew very little about the caviar industry, and had never travelled out of the US. He went to Hungary, saw the farm, and paid the Hungarian government $200,000 in cash to buy it outright.

“I’m what you call an impulsive buyer. I look at something, and I don’t take ten years to look it over. If it’s

a good deal, I do it now because it will be gone tomorrow,” he told Forbes. However, there was a method to his apparent madness. “[The previous owner] wasn’t a farmer,” he explained. “Five per cent one way or another in the business is the difference between being profitable or bankrupt. You have to pay attention to all of the little things.”

Holst managed to fix the “five per cent” that was causing the problems by utilising the funds he had received against the sale of his excavation business in Wisconsin. True to his prediction, the farm started to turn a profit. At around that time, he was informed of another sturgeon farm in Germany that had become bankrupt. Holst bought it, rebranded it as Desietra, and within four years he had made it profitable.

Because of his track record in sturgeon farming, he was approached by a group of Chinese investors who were operating a sturgeon farm in China for fish-meat. They were looking for funds and, more importantly, expertise to set up a much larger caviar producing farm.

“When I went over and started this caviar business, people thought I was the goofiest guy in the world,” he told Forbes.

One presumes that those “people” have now changed their opinion on the 69-year old Tsar-of-Caviar.

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SCOOTY TRAJECTORY

Electric scooter sharing is the new innovative hot-cake, and Travis VanderZanden’s Birds are leading the way

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hristmas 2016, Travis VanderZanden gives his 3 and 5-year-old daughters bicycles as presents and spends the day teaching them how to ride them.

The very next morning, however, they asked if they could ride their scooters rather than their new bicycles. This lit a lightbulb in his head: If a motor was attached to these scooters , would grownups have a similar reaction? Thus, began the “Bird” chapter of Travis’ life.

Bird is a “last-mile,” dockless, electric scooter sharing company “dedicated to bringing affordable, environmentally friendly transportation solutions to communities across the world,” by providing a fleet of shared electric scooters that

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can be accessed via a smartphone. The company targets people looking to take a short journey across the town or that “last mile” from the subway or bus to their destination in a manner that does not pollute the air, add to traffic, as well as being a reliable and affordable transportation option. Bird works by allowing users to rent a scooter via a smartphone app with a $1 reservation fees, plus a perminute charge of 15¢ to 20¢, depending on the city. At the end of the journey, the rider can leave the scooter anywhere to be claimed by the next rider.

Bird, headquartered in Santa Monica, California, was named one of Time Magazine’s 50 Genius Companies.

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Travis VanderZanden, Founder of Bird

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LinkedIn listed it as one of the most sought-after startups in the United States and stated: “Riders hail it as a lowcost, eco-friendly future of transportation. Cities call it a nuisance and safety hazard. Investors hope it’s another Uber.” Bird had crossed the 10 million rides mark within its first year of operation and is now operating in over 100 cities throughout North America, Europe, and Asia, with an estimated valuation of $2 billion.

“Silicon Valley investors are pouring money into dockless scooters, as they bank on the devices becoming a permanent part of how people get around in cities. The speed at which Bird is acquiring money is almost unheard of. In just four months, the company has not only skyrocketed in valuation but raised more than $400 million,” says Business Insider.

Travis VanderZanden is a native of Appleton, Wisconsin.

His mother, Robin, operated a Valley Transit city bus in his hometown and would take him along for a ride.

Travis claims that this gave him a unique perspective on the challenges faced by the conventional public transport system.

In 2002, he graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a computer science degree and set off to San Diego where he became a product manager at Qualcomm. In 2005, he got his MBA from the University of Southern California. He quit Qualcomm in 2008 to start his first start-up, QikCom, an enterprise chat app which did not do as well as expected. By 2011, he was on his second venture called Cherry, an on-demand car-wash app. Lyft bought Cherry in 2013 and made VanderZanden its COO. Things did not go as Travis expected and he quit to join rival Uber in 2014. Lyft did not take kindly to this and sued Travis for breach of confidentiality agreements accusing him of stealing company secrets. Travis countered with a suit of his own claiming that Lyft had accessed his personal text messages and emails. A two-year court battle ended with a confidential settlement in June 2016.

Travis left Uber in September of the same year to spend more time with his family. During this time bike-sharing firms like Ofo were beginning to make their mark in the Asian markets, Lime had launched the bike-sharing concept in cities and on college campuses across the US, and electric skateboards had been introduced and were becoming increasingly popular. It was in the midst of this atmosphere that Travis had his lightbulb moment.

To test his idea, Travis and his wife rode e-scooters on the boardwalks of San Diego and got a positive response from the onlookers and from the people who rode them.

After testing a few models, Travis settled on the Chinese made Xiaomi M365 as the launch vehicle. He incorporated Bird in April of 2017 and raised $3 million in seed capital in addition to his own capital.

Although Bird was the industry pioneer, rent-by-theminute electric scooter companies soon mushroomed from one to about a dozen in just over a year. It includes startups like Yellow in Brazil and Grin in Mexico as well as giants

of the rideshare concept. Uber invested in Lime and will be adding e-scooters to its existing bikeshare company Jump. Uber’s rival Lyft has acquired bikeshare company Motivate and is rolling out its Lyft-branded e-scooters.

Manufacturers of scooters, such as Razor, are also getting into the rideshare business. Even Ford has purchased Spin.

“Everyone is doing it because there’s loads of money in e-scooters,” Horace Dediu, founder of the Micromobility Summit told Inc. magazine. “Short, single-occupancy car trips represent 80 to 90 per cent of all automobile travel,” he adds. “If you target trips of five miles or less in urban areas across the world, you can carve out about 30 per cent of all the money in transportation. We’re talking about trillions of dollars.”

“The data confirms the seductive math behind the business.

According to The Information, a Bird presentation to investors in June [2018] revealed that it was averaging $3.65 per ride and had 19 per cent gross margins. In the same presentation, Bird said it was on its way to reducing costs per scooter from $551 to $360 - a figure that includes importing the device and modifying it - which will help push gross margins to 33 per cent. (Half the revenue from each Bird trip goes to its array of roving chargers; the company also pays freelance mechanics to fix broken scooters). VanderZanden declined to update Inc. on Bird economics, aside from saying that unit economics have “dramatically” improved,” added Inc. Magazine.

Roving chargers are private contractors who sign up and receive charging equipment to charge the scooters overnight and then place them at designated locations in the morning. In return, they get paid between $3 and $20.

For publicit y, Travis devised a unique t wo-pronged marketing strategy. The first one is for cities without laws prohibiting the use of e-scooters or where they fall into the grey area. Bird unleashes a fleet of e-scooters for the public to start using and then wait for local officials to figure out how to deal with the problem. It has cost the company “nearly half a million dollars in fines and court fees, hundreds of seized scooters, numerous ceaseand-desist letters and at least three lawsuits,” reports Inc. Travis is not phased and sees these costs as part of doing business. Where laws banning e-scooters exist, he has hired lobbyists to present their side of the story to legislators.

By October of 2017, Bird had clocked up 10 million rides to become “the leader in Rideshare 2.0.” That month also saw the unveiling of Bird Zero, the first e-scooter designed and engineered by Bird, which offers 60% more battery life, is more rigged and has improved GPS. As with all innovative technologies, it is difficult to predict the trajectory of the e-scooter rideshare industry as a whole and Bird in particular. Right now, all the figures indicate that the e-scooter rideshare is the hotcake with the potential to re-engineer urban mobility.

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HF MARKETS EXPANDS ITS GLOBAL REACH

The multi-award-winning broker HF Markets has now expanded its services to Dubai as it continues its mission to further enhance its global reputation as a multi-regulated, multiasset broker of choice

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F Markets has now launched operations in the UAE through its newly acquired Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) License.

With its new office operation in Dubai’s Index Tower, the internationally acclaimed forex and commodity broker is now ready to launch its widespread retail and professional trading services to MENA region clients.

George Koumantaris, HFGroup CEO commented, “This is an important milestone for HF Markets. The UAE and the GCC offer very promising business prospects and we look forward to great success. The DIFC, through its reliable and strong governance, compliance and transparent structure, will strongly support our new entry to the region.”

Commenting on this, Andreas Lazarou, CEO of HF Markets (DIFC) added: “HF Markets offers a broad range

of financial products and invests heavily in educational seminars and workshops. We are very confident that through our newly acquired DFSA License, and our competitive pricing and state of the art technology, HF Markets will expand further into positioning itself as a market leader in the region.”

With its origins dating back to 2010, HF Markets (DIFC) Ltd is part of HF Markets Group – widely known by the trading names HF Markets and HotForex – a conglomerate which encompasses global and regulated entities operating as multi-asset brokers offering both retail and institutional trading services to clients from around the world. In just a few short years, HF Markets has earned itself an unrivalled reputation for their award-winning service that includes full client support and protection through all the latest trading instruments and tools.

The group is continuously establishing its position as a market leader, a fact affirmed by: • Over 1,300,000 Live Accounts Opened • More than 20 International Awards • Client Support in 25+ Languages • Top Fund Security Measures The HF Markets Group includes the following entities: • HF M arkets (DI FC) Ltd is author ised and regulated b y t he D ub a i F i n a nc i a l S er v ic e s A u t h o r i t y ( DF SA ) u nder l ic en s e nu m b er F004885.

• HF Markets (UK) Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under license number 801701.

• HF Markets (Europe) Ltd a Cypriot Investment F ir m ( C I F ) u nder nu m b er H E 2 7 7 5 8 2 . Regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) under license number 183/12.

• HF Markets Ltd regulated by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) of the Republic of Mauritius, category 1 Global Business No. C110008214 License | Company Reg. No. 094286/GBL • HF Markets SA (PTY) Ltd is an authorised Financial Ser vice Provider f rom the Fin ancial S ector Conduct Authority (FSCA) in South Africa, with authorisation number 46632 • HF Markets (Seychelles) Ltd is regulated by the Seychelles Financial Services Authority (FSA) with Securities Dealer’s License number SD015.

Risk warning: Trading leveraged products such as Forex and CFDs may not be suitable for all investors as they carry a high degree of risk to your capital. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved, taking into account your investments objectives and level of experience, before trading, and if necessary seek independent advice.

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Mariam Al Hammadi, Director of the Big Heart Foundation

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BIG HEART FOR LITTLE FEET

The Big Heart Foundation has been working in some of the most distressed areas to bring relief and long-term solutions to the affected children

Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi the Ruler of Sharjah, Chairperson of the Big Heart Foundation, addressing students during her visit to a school in Egypt

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he tale of the Big Heart Foundation is a tale of two women, driven by a shared philanthropic spirit. One is Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, the wife of Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, ruler of the UAE emirate of Sharjah. Sheikha Jawaher is the founder and the inspirational driving force behind the Big Heart Foundation. The other is Mariam Al Hammadi, the director of the foundation.

“Her Highness is a role model, and her name brings great credibility to the work we do,” Mariam Al Hammadi told philanthropyage.org last year. “More than that, she has a deep personal commitment to this work: when she goes into the field, she doesn’t do it for show, she does it to learn. She helps us to better understand the needs of beneficiaries – and after all, that’s what really matters.”

Unlike most other charitable NGOs, the salaries of the nine full-time staff members and administration costs, are

not drawn from the pool of donations but from other sources within Sharjah. “Her Highness has always said that the donors are giving money to help the children, so we should not deduct anything from the money we receive in charity, to cover our own costs,” explains Al Hammadi, who joined the Royal office in 2012 before becoming the foundation’s first employee.

Although the foundation was formally established in May 2015, its origins date back to 2008, when the Palestinian crisis compelled Sheikha Jawaher to find Salam Ya Seghar (peace for the children) Palestine, a fundraising campaign. The objective was to provide Palestinian children affected by the conflict with healthcare, education, food, security, water and sanitation among other necessities. Her endorsement of Salam Ya Seghar was a reassuring factor for donors and enabled the campaign to raise more than AED 80 million that year.

Then in 2013, Sheikha Jawaher was appointed UNHCR’s first Eminent Advocate for Refugee Children. This acted as 2019 JAN / FEB

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a catalyst for the launch of the Big Heart Campaign. Based broadly on the Salam Ya Seghar model, it raised funds for those displaced by the conflict in Syria. Sheikha Jawaher was, by then, spearheading an extensive list of international humanitarian efforts. To streamline and to act as an umbrella organisation for all of Sheikha Jawaher’s fundraising activities, she founded the Big Heart Foundation in 2015.

“As war rages across parts of the Middle East region – and indeed globally – children are very often the silent victims.

While they are often provided with food, water and shelter, their long-term needs are often overshadowed by the far more pressing task of simply staying alive. Set against this backdrop, how are families, barely able to survive, supposed to look ahead to the possibilities of their children’s futures? It is in that vacuum that The Big Heart Foundation operates,” says Sheikha Jawaher.

“Our dream is for a brighter tomorrow, and that begins with our children. Through The Big Heart Foundation, we hope to usher in a new age of compassion and dialogue. We believe this is possible through the provision of security, shelter, healthcare and a comprehensive and robust education – made available for each and every child.”

The foundation’s objective is to help children and their families who are in vulnerable situations with wherever support is most needed. Its partners operate in several countries and 44 JAN / FEB 2019

in a range of different terrains, from major cities to remote villages, as the realities of individual conflict zones can vary substantially. To achieve its objectives, the foundation focuses on increased cooperation with local and regional government bodies, international humanitarian organisations and UN agencies. All beneficiaries of the foundation’s activities are based outside the UAE, and it has thus far offered wide-ranging support to over 500,000 people in need in nearly ten countries, including Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq and Syria.

Based on the latest figures available from the foundation, AED 17 million was donated for education, health, food aid, humanitarian aid and emergency relief in Palestine between 2012 and 2016 which benefited 112,111 individuals. Between 2013 and 2016, AED 3.7 million was spent in Syria for health and shelter and benefited 9,150 individuals while in Iraq AED 7.3 million was spent to help 197,000 individuals. In Turkey, AED 1.8 million was spent to provide protection to 2,000 individuals affected by the conflict in the region.

In the same period, AED 16.6 million was donated for education and health in Lebanon which directly benefited 15,505 individuals. AED 3.6 million was spent on education in Egypt which benefited 15,000 individuals. Emergency Aid worth AED 1 million was distributed in Indonesia to help 714 families or individuals.

Around 60 per cent of the annual donations come from the

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private sector with the rest coming from private individuals and government entities. If there are any surplus funds in a financial year, then between 50 and 60 per cent of it is invested in 100 per cent capital secure and sharia-compliant vehicles to grow the funds.

As a result of the recent escalations of violence in Gaza, movement restrictions and disruptions in aid delivery, about 72% of its residents lack reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food, essential supplies and services.

The foundation has pledged a total amount of USD 227,000 in support of Gaza. On a priority basis, USD 100,000 of this fund will provide electronic food vouchers, in collaboration with the World Food Program, to 2,800 residents in 24 special caring institutions, mainly housing orphans and children with disabilities.

Another 100,000 will be used to supply 26 nurses and ten medical officers to provide care to the patients who are prematurely released from hospitals due to a shortage of beds and to prepare for the many amputees that will require longterm assistance as well as support with mental health and psychological care.

Mariam Al Hammadi said: “The situation in Gaza is moving from crisis to critical and we must all play a part in helping to alleviate such bitter conditions in such desperate times. The Big

Heart Foundation is dedicated to helping refugees and people in need worldwide, and through these collaborations, we can answer the calls for emergency aid in Gaza.”

“The crucial elements of healthcare, food and shelter are not luxuries, they are basic human rights, and the people of Gaza are being denied access to those rights. The increasing violence and disruption of the infrastructure means there is a constant need for support and we will make every effort to fulfil that need through our own efforts and the generosity of the people who share our goals.”

In other areas, an agreement was signed recently worth $2.5 million to establish a large-scale secondary school for students with hearing impairment in the West Bank to help those with hearing disabilities improve their academic performance.

Another agreement worth USD 700,000 was signed to open a school in the troubled Swat valley of Pakistan that will educate approximately 330 girls with plans to increase the population gradually to 1,000 students. AED 33 million was granted to develop the main building of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Cairo.

“Our children are our future,” says Sheikha Jawaher, “the way we treat and value our people in their formative years will be reflected in the development of our world in the years to come.”

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UAE TAKES THE LEAD

The UAE’s Passport Power Initiative showcases the power of positive diplomacy with their considerable achievements

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monumental milestone has been etched into the UAE’s history this December, as their passport took the lead in the Global Passport Power Ranking.

According to The Passport Index, the interactive real-time ranking platform created by Arton Capital in 2014, the UAE passport reached a record-breaking visa-free score of 167, giving Emirati citizens access to over 84% of the world. The announcement of the passport’s achievement was released just a day prior to the UAE’s National Holiday and was gloriously displayed in true celebratory style upon the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, which also holds the largest LED screen. Many thousands of spectators were quick to share the exciting news with the rest of the world, as the UAE’s triumph went completely viral.

“We were thrilled to collaborate with the UAE and are excited to see the outstanding results,” said Armand Arton, Founder and President of Arton Capital. “Emiratis will now enjoy a greater global mobility and respect around the world,” added Arton.

Initially, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation launched the UAE Passport Power Initiative to reinforce the Emirati passport and aimed to reach within the top five by 2021. Over 2 years ahead of schedule, the power of the UAE’s positive diplomacy showcased stunning results, as their passport exclusively claims the #1 spot.

According to H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the achievement is a true reflection of the legacy of Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father of the UAE, and prosperously displays the nation as a strong, united, and engaging force on the global stage.

With a new vision for the Middle East, the UAE created an alternative, future-oriented ideology that promotes coexistence and diversity, encourages innovation and growth and welcomes global engagement. Providing a prosperous, educated, healthy, and peaceful future for its citizens have been ingrained in the UAE’s DNA since the country’s founding in 1971.

The power of passports represents more than just identity, but rather a vital tool that influences global opportunity, mobility and quality of life, and today, this is what the UAE has accomplished: offering its people the greatest freedom of all.

Although the UAE became the first Arab country to capture

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the lead in The Passport Index ranking, others can be inspired to take on a similar goal as well. Nations that aim to increase the power of their passports, and thereby increase the mobility of their citizens, should start by setting a goal and evaluating their ability to undertake a positive diplomatic approach.

Working with Arton Capital’s specialized team of analysts, these governments can easily set targets and devise strategies to achieve them.

As Emiratis celebrate their passport’s victory, their nation is setting an example to others, both in the Arab World and beyond, that aiming for the stars, might actually get you to the moon.

The United Arab Emirates Passport Cover

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Display of the UAE Passport Global Power Ranking on the Burj Khalifa

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GLOBAL PASSPORT POWER RANK 2019

Top Passports of the world ranked by their total visa-free score VISA FREE SCORE PASSPORT POWER RANK 1

167 113

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES PASSPORT POWER RANK 2

54

31

166 127

39

32

SINGAPORE

127

38

33

DENMARK

126

39

33

SWEDEN

126

39

33

LUXEMBOURG

126

39

33

FRANCE

126

39

33

FINLAND

126

39

33

ITALY

126

39

33

NETHERLANDS

125

40

33

SPAIN

124

41

33

NORWAY

122

43

33

SOUTH KOREA

122

43

33

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

116

GERMANY PASSPORT POWER RANK 3

165

Visa-Free

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49 Visa on Arrival

33 Visa Required

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How powerful is your passport?

Discover the world of passports, sorted, compared and ranked.

Learn how you can improve your Global Mobility Score by investing in a second citizenship.

PASSPORTINDEX.ORG

EMPOWERING GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP® 2019 JAN / FEB

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A SMARTER EXHIBITION

Siemens is working on making the management of Dubai Expo 2020 smarter with its state-of-the-art integrated technologies 50 JAN / FEB 2019

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iemens has begun one of the largest installations of smart building technologies in the world, across the 4.38 square kilometre site of the Expo 2020 Dubai which will include 137 structures in a digital platform to control energy efficiency, comfort, safety, and security.

“Innovation is at the heart of World Expos and the UAE. Coupled with Dubai’s ambitious plans to be a pioneer for smart city technology, we are delighted that through our partnership with Siemens, Expo 2020 Dubai will become a world-leading showcase for the potential of smart cities,” said Mohammed Alhashmi, Senior Vice President, Innovation and Future Technology, Expo 2020 Dubai.

Siemens will use its cloud-based energy analytics platform Siemens Navigator to interconnect, monitor, and manage the essential functions of the 137 buildings.

Data will first be collected from the Expo’s Thematic Districts, Thematic Pavilions, Country Pavilions, and Exhibition Center using sensors, analytics, and a digital management system.

To ensure the safety and security of the exhibitors and visitors, the Expo’s digital infrastructure will incorporate the largest ever installation of Siveillance VMS300, Siemens’ video management system, in conjunction with SiPass Integrated, Siemens’ highly effective access control system.

All the accumulated data will converge at a command and control centre in each district to enable optimum energy usage, comfortable atmospheres, and the highest levels of security.

“With more than 25 million visits expected, Expo 2020 Dubai is the largest event ever staged in the Arab world, and a global benchmark of how smart infrastructure will form the foundation of our future cities. I’m proud that Siemens is playing a major role in digitising this internationally significant event,” said Markus Strohmeier, Senior Executive Vice President - Building Technologies Division, Siemens Middle East.

The technologies installed by Siemens will continue to function at the Expo site beyond 2020, as part of the permanent and integrated District 2020 of Dubai.

Siemens has also committed to setting up a global logistics headquarters as a key element of the Expo site’s legacy.

The legacy of the project will not only go beyond 2020 in Dubai but will make an important contribution to the future smart-cities of the world. As 25 million people are expected to attend the event, the integrated smarttechnologies used by Siemens will provide invaluable real-world data and experience which Siemens will then use as a foundation for the management and maintenance of larger integrated cities of the future.

Dubai will be the first Middle Eastern city to host a World Fair in the exhibition’s 160-year history. More than 200 countries, corporations, multinational organisations and educational institutions will participate in the sixmonth event that will be held between October 2020 and April 2021. The World Fair is the third largest global event after the Olympics and FIFA World Cup.

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Emmanuelle Sawko, Co-founder of café Wild & the Moon

BUSINESS

WHERE FRESH IS THE NORM

GC meets Emmanuelle Sawko, Co-founder of café Wild & the Moon at Al-Quoz

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mmanuelle “Emma” Sawko started her career in advertising, spending ten years at the renowned DDB Agency in her hometown of Paris. As a mother of three, Emma moved to New York in 2005 with her family and became a contributor to Milk Magazine. Then in 2010, she relocated a second time, to Dubai.

She soon realised that there was a market for Western trends, young designers and a more innovative retail model as well as for healthy food concepts. This resulted in the establishment of Comptoir 102, which started a trend in Dubai for healthy and organic food.

Wild & The Moon, Emma’s second venture, is a “lifestyle movement created by a tribe of food lovers, chefs, nutritionists and naturopaths,” and is based on “the simple belief that food should be good for you, good for the planet, and delicious.”

The food and cold-pressed juices served at the café are 100% organic, pure, fresh, and unpasteurized, leaving their nutritive power intact.

GC sat down with Emma for a chat about her and her pioneering café.

What inspired you to start Wild and the Moon?

When I opened my first concept Comptoir 102 (a concept store and healthy café), we were virtually the only organic and healthy joint in Dubai, if not the whole region! I was simply frustrated that healthy, organic, wholesome food was not available and how widespread junk food is, and I decided to change that a little.

How did you and the cofounders of Wild and the Moon, Herve Sawko and Gregory Khellouf, come together?

I came to Dubai to follow my husband Hervé, who was still working in finance then. I met Greg here as he was one of the main actors on the Dubai food scene, he helped me in my first business as a consultant. But it was not only workrelated; we became good friends way before we became partners in crime.

How did your quest for a healthy lifestyle begin? What inspired your move from the field of advertising to promoting healthy eating?

The awareness of food’s role in maintaining our health is something my mom had before me. I didn’t invent anything.

I grew up with sports and organic all around. Healthy food is still available, even though it’s more and more rare, and has to be a conscious choice, and this is crazy because food

needs to be good, wholesome, pure, nourishing, and it’s a birth right to all. Meanwhile, most people, and the animals used for consumption, are being fed crap: pesticides, hormones, chemicals and so on. I think we all need to start being more conscious about what we choose to consume and realise this global insanity has to stop before biodiversity, soil, and water become too scarce.

It’s every single human’s responsibility, especially when it relates to the world we will leave to our children.

How would you describe your venue in a sentence?

Good for you, good for the planet and delicious.

What is the basic concept of healthy eating practised at Wild and the Moon?

We offer only good food: seasonal, harvested locally, grown organically. We omit everything that shouldn’t be on the plate: pesticides, hormones, GMO, sugar, additives, gluten, MSG. The good news is, without all this, food only tastes better.

How is the menu curated at Wild and the Moon?

We work with chefs, naturopaths, the producers AND Mother Nature. The base is the seasonal ingredients, and from that, we sit there and craft a rad menu.

How do you ensure that taste is not compromised on when keeping up with the mantra of serving healthy?

Taste is compromised by the many additives, artificial colours, flavours enhancers, sugar, salt, artificial flavourings and over processing that tricks your brain.

When you are not used to it anymore, having the same satisfying feeling with pure, wholesome food takes time; it’s almost a process of re-education of the palate. But eventually, you’ll get to discover many more delicate and subtle flavours.

Trust me, you can never go back to unhealthy.

From where do you source the ingredients? Are they all locally available?

Our policy is to get all we can from organic, local producers we know and trust. When a particular ingredient cannot be sourced locally, we make sure it fits our quality requirements and ethics.

What is the one thing we shouldn’t miss trying out from the menu at Wild and the Moon?

Right now, I have a big crush, if not to say a dangerous addiction on our new blueberry scones and our warm lattes, all made with homemade almond milk.

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LA DOLCE VITA

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Gazpacho

LA DOLCE VITA

Acai Blueberry Ice Cream What is your go-to food on a busy day?

A protein smoothie that I take after my sports sesh.

Which is your favourite place to eat at in Dubai?

I eat every day at Comptoir 102 and Wild & the Moon, trying out every single dish on the menu each day to check for quality, and always asking the chefs for minute adjustments.

If I didn’t say both restaurants are my absolute favourite in town - and they are - I believe my chefs would rightfully kidnap me and leave me in a car trunk on a Jebel Ali car park on a sunny day.

Apart from running your business, what are the hobbies or activities that you like to indulge in?

I do one-hour sport every day: either yoga or Muay Thai. Each time I get a chance, I walk on the beach, bare feet in the water for a moving meditation.

I also love to cook for my family or my friends. Ah, and reading! Reading is part of my “before sleep” routine.

What are your tips for a healthy lifestyle?

We know very well what is good for us. Many people feel it perfectly. It’s simply a question of listening, your instinct knows. Slow down the pace, take a bit of time to update your feelings. That easy:) But sometimes setting challenges can help: • Have a no sugar day/week/month • Try to reduce your waste (some people manage to have zero waste and no trash to take out!)

• Make sure you get enough sleep • Go out, breathe and do a little workout every morning • Do not buy from a Supermarket for a week • Cook (organic) from scratch What is your vision for the future of mindful eating, and for Wild and the Moon?

We want mindful eating to become the norm, and we aim to become as widespread as Starbucks!

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An Emirates Airlines Airbus A380 in the Dubai Expo 2020 livery

REDEFINING INFLIGHT EXPERIENCE

A look back at some of the customer service innovations introduced by Emirates in 2018

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owards the end of 2018, Emirates launched its ‘Fly Better’ campaign designed to take their inflight experience to the next level. The campaign was just one of the flurries of new additions and upgrades to Emirates’ customer experience. We scanned through the facts and figures to bring you some of the highlights.

Last year marked the 10th anniversary of Emirates pioneering onboard mobile connectivity service and was also the year when the number of passengers connecting to the onboard Wi-Fi service crossed 12 million. The 4,000 channel ICE collected its 14th consecutive World’s Best Inflight Entertainment award at the 2018 Skytrax World Airline Awards. ICE continued to push the envelope with the new ‘Live TV’ ser vice which livebroadcast the FIFA World Cup onboard 175 aircraft. In 2019, 50 more aircrafts will be retrofitted with Live TV to offer live sports, news and more. Last year also witnessed Emirates debut its original content on the Food & Wine channel which gives customers a glimpse into how the airline creates its menus and sources its ingredients and beverages from around the world.

Speaking of Food and Beverage, the Emirates Vintage

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collection made its debut. It is a selection of fine wines that have been stored for about 15 years or more and introduced on select routes in First Class. The collection includes Château Cheval Blanc 2004, Château Haut Brion 2004, Château Mouton Rothschild 2001 and Château Margaux 1998. In 2019, Emirates will exclusively serve the Dom Pérignon Vintage 2008. There has also been a revamp of wine and spirits offered across all classes, introducing a range of new premium brands.

Emirates collaborated with other luxury brands such as Byredo skincare, Bowers & Wilkins and Bulgari to refresh its amenity kits in the First and Business Class. For kids, there was a new ‘Fly With Me’ animal toy selection, and new Lonely Planet activity kits during the busy summer period.

To enhance the pre-flight exper ience, the ‘Home Check-in’ ser vice was launched in Apr il. It allows customers in Dubai to check in for their flights from the comfort of their homes, hotels or offices, and have their luggage transported beforehand. Thus far, over 6,000 bags have been checked in for customers using this service.

Emirates is also working on introducing the world’s first

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‘biometric path’ which employs a mix of facial and iris recognition to enable passengers to check-in, complete immigration formalities, enter the Emirates Lounge, and board their flights, by merely walking through designated touchpoints.

Emirates Skywards, the airline’s loyalty programme, hit the 20 million members mark in 2018, and over 14 billion Miles were cashed in for upgrades, reward flights, special Emirates sponsored events, and for benefits offered by the 172-plus Skywards network partners. More than 1.1 million transactions or 85% of all Miles redeemed were either in the form of an upgrade, a full reward ticket or a cash-plus-miles transaction, which together is the equivalent of nearly 6 flight reward transactions for every take-off.

The ‘My Family’ programme of Emirates Skywards was revamped to enable family members to pool 100% of the Skywards Miles earned on Emirates flights and redeem them faster than before. More than 185,000 ‘My Family’ accounts have been created, and the contribution of Miles from each member can now be adjusted at any time.

Another industry-first is a feature that displays relevant ‘always-on’ offers to Skywards members while booking on emirates.com to help maximise the value of their Skywards Miles. It targets members with personalised upgrade and cash-plus-miles offers based on their loyalty status and travel history when choosing their flights.

In August, Emirates Skywards became the frequent flyer programme for flydubai. This alignment allows Emirates Skywards members to earn Skywards Miles and

Tier Miles when travelling on both Emirates and flydubai.

The closer integration between the two Dubai owned entities extended beyond loyalty programs.

Emirates also extended its network partnership with flydubai which now comprises of 206 unique points, and as a result, over 1 million passengers have booked their travel on the combined itineraries. Since the beginning of December, Emirates customers have direct access to 11 flydubai destinations from Emirates Terminal 3.

New codeshare agreement was also announced between Emirates and Jetstar Pacific, while its commercial strategic partnership with South African Airways was enhanced.

Four new routes were launched including London Stansted and Edinburgh in Britain, Santiago de Chile and Dubai-Bali-Auckland. The A380 aircraft now flies to a total of 50 destinations with the launch of services to Hamburg and Osaka. Emirates also completed the refurbishment of its Rome lounge and opened new facilities in Cairo, taking the total number of dedicated lounges globally to 42.

“We had our challenges in 2018,” said Sir Tim Clark, President, Emirates airline. “However, we continued to maximise opportunities by deploying our capacity to best serve customer demand, keeping a close watch on our costs, utilising technology to improve business per formance, as well as developing more customercentric products and services to provide our passengers with greater choice. Our customers remain at the heart of everything we do, and our continual investments in the business will be the foundation on which we will build our future growth and continue to deliver solid results.”

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The Emirates Boeing 777 Business Class

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Headquarters of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging

THE SCIENCE OF AGING

The ‘Buck Institute for Research on Aging’ stands head and shoulders above the rest in the field of study on aging

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n December 3rd, 2018, more than 350 leading researchers and aging-science aficionados from across the United States and from around the world gathered at 8001 Redwood Boulevard in Novato, California, the home of Buck Institute for Research on Aging. They were there to attend a day-long event organised by the institute to commemorate the birth of research on aging; a field that kicked off exactly three decades ago with a finding by the Buck Institute which showed that lifespan in animals could be extended via genetic manipulation.

“We were thr illed to organise and host an event celebrating a field that, I think, will revolutionise medicine,” said Dr Eric Verdin, MD, Buck Institute President and CEO. “Drugs that have the potential to treat and prevent age-related disease are being tested today in clinical trials. Assuming their success, it’s easy to imagine the positive impact that those and future treatments will have on all of our lives.”

The Buck Institute is one of the world’s leading and only private research institution singularly focused on the biology of aging. Why is this research necessary? Aging is the number one risk factor for chronic diseases. All of the institute’s work revolves around identifying and disrupting the pathways activated by the aging process which triggers the development of chronic diseases before they start.

“The average lifespan of someone born in 1900 was 47 years. Since then, improvements and discoveries in science and medicine have added approximately two years per decade to that average. Remarkably, a child born

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today can expect to live more than 100 years. Aging is a progressive process that, until recently, was thought to be accompanied by inevitable degeneration. Research at the Buck Institute is focused on gaining insight into the critical molecular and biological drivers of aging, leading to new therapies which will improve the health span of the global population,” according to the institute.

The Buck can boast some of the most eminent experts on aging among its research staff, and a number of affiliated laboratories that push forward its understanding of age-related pathologies. The institute also makes use of cutting-edge technologies such as Bioinformatics, Flow cytometry, Metabolomics, Morphology and imaging, Mouse phenotyping, Proteomics and Single-cell biology to enhance the technical capabilities of its scientists.

The names attached to the presidency of the Buck are among the most illustrious in the field. The founding President of the Buck was Dr Dale E . Bredesen, a distinguished researcher of Alzheimer’s disease who had previously held faculty positions at UCSF, UCLA, and the University of California. He also directed the Program on Aging at the Burnham Institute.

The current President and CEO, Dr Verdin, is a native of Belgium and received his MD from the University of Liege with additional clinical and research training done at Harvard Medical School. His research studies show how metabolism, diet, and small molecules regulate the activit y of HDACs and sirtuins, and thereby the aging process itself and its associated diseases, including Alzheimer’s. He has published more than 210 scientific papers and holds more than 15 patents.

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Dr Eric Verdin, MD, President and CEO, the Buck Institute for Research on Aging An example of the research done at Buck that has moved to the ‘solution’ phase is the investigative drug UBX0101 which is undergoing Phase I clinical trials. It is designed to selectively eliminate senescent cells in the joints of patients diagnosed with painful osteoarthritis.

“This marks a significant and exciting milestone in the history of the Buck,” said Dr Verdin. “We are hopeful this will be the first of many successful trials to demonstrate that the course of age-related diseases can be impeded.”

Another promising area of research, being conducted by the Andersen lab at the Buck institute is investigating a potential new therapeutic approach for Parkinson’s Disease; an incurable, progressive neurological disorder that affects up to 1 million people in the US alone. The research has shown that a systemic clearing of senescent astrocytes prevents Parkinson’s neuropathology and associated symptoms in mice.

The institute’s research is divided into ten focus areas: AI and computational biology, basic mechanisms of aging, cancer associated with aging, cellular stress and disease, exercise, nutrition and metabolism, female reproductive longevity, mitochondria and bioenergetics, neurodegeneration, senescence and inflammation, stem cells and regenerative medicine.

The campus, designed by architect I. M. Pei, sits on picturesque 488-acre site at the foothills of Mount Burdell. The institute leases out space at the campus to start-ups and established companies working on related fields.

The Buck derives its name from Beryl Hamilton Buck,

a philanthropist who lived in Ross, California. When Mrs Buck died in 1975, she left most of her estate, worth about $7.6 million, to the San Francisco Foundation with instructions to spend the money for charitable purposes prominently in Mar in Count y, California, including “to extend help towards the problems of the aged.”

The Buck family fortune came from the Belridge Oil company which was co-founded by Beryl’s father-inlaw. When the San Francisco Foundation inherited the Buck estate, the Belridge Oil shares were part of it. When Shell Oil bought the Belridge Oil stocks in 1979 for $253 million, it increased the trust’s value substantially.

Subsequently, when the San Francisco Foundation attempted to use the cy près doctrine to spend outside of Marin Count y, it resulted in litigation which the SF Foundation eventually lost. While the case was still making its way through the courts, eminent Har vard gerontologist John W. Rowe was enlisted to convene a panel of experts to create a plan for a preeminent research institute in aging. The court ultimately appointed the M ar in Communit y Found ation as the tr ustee and instructed it to provide the Buck Institute with 15 per cent of the net income from the Buck estate in perpetuity.

When the Buck Institute opened its doors in 1999, it became the first research centre in the US to fulfil the challenge of a 1991 National Academy of Medicine report that called for the establishment of at least ten centres of excellence focused exclusively on research on aging.

Today, nearly twent y years later, it leads the pack in answering medicinal science’s most challenging questions.

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AUTOMOTIVE

CHAMPIONING ENVIRONMENTAL CHAMPIONS

A brief look at the Ford Motor Company Conservation and Environmental Grants and its winner in 2018

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ord Motor Company has announced the recipients of this year’s Conser vation and Environmental Grants. A total of $101,500 was awarded to nine successful entries from five different countries: Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Morocco. The grants are given to those working in three main areas of concern: Environmental Education, Protection of the Natural Environment and Conservation Engineering.

In recent years, a special grant has been given to provide financial support to those using research to find and implement solutions to specific environmental issues.

This year, an additional special grant was awarded for the project that best raised awareness and tackled the negative impact of plastic use. This grant was in line with World Environment Day 2018’s theme, Beating Plastic Pollution.

“For nearly two decades, Ford Motor Company has been committed to conser vation and sustainability in the region, with close to $2 million granted to local environmental projects,” said Mark Ovenden, president of Ford Middle East and Africa. “Ford is very proud to empower individuals, and local organisations, who are dedicated to preserving the environmental well-being of their community. By providing necessary funding and visibility, Ford hopes to encourage the spread of similar grassroots efforts that will serve as catalysts for change across the globe.”

In its 18 years of existence, the Ford Grants initiative has become one of the largest corporate initiatives of its kind in the region and has received support and recognition f rom var ious gover nment al and non-gover nment al environmental authorities from around the Middle East, including the World Wide Fund for Nature, the Emirates Wildlife Society, and the Arab Forum for Environment and Development (AFED).

Annually, entr ies are accepted f rom the M iddleEast and North African countries. The recipients are chosen by an independent panel of judges consisting of academics and leaders from regional environmental organisations. The judges are seasoned environmentalists or academicians from the region carefully selected based on geographical coverage, age and gender equality. They look for initiatives that demonstrate a well-defined sense of purpose, are committed to maximising available resources, have a reputation for meeting objectives and

deliver on planned programmes and services. Below are the first-place finishers from this year’s entrants in each of the three categories.

For this year’s Environmental Education, the first place was split between the Halgurd-Sakran Park Project by Waterkeepers Iraq, and Rehabilitation of Al Nakheel Island in El Mina by Andre Nahhas School in Lebanon. Each walked away with a grant of $15,000. The Waterkeepers will use the funds for creative and educational activities in support of the Halgurd-Sakran Park, which spans 740 square-kilometres over Rocky Mountains and alpine meadows with wild white-water rivers in the Zagros Range of Kurdistan. The Environment Club at Andre Nahhas school aims at restoring the ecological balance of Al Nakheel Isl and reser ve off the coast of Tr ipoli in nor ther n Lebanon.

In the Protection of the Natural Environment category, first place and $30,000 went to the Centre for Environmental Conservation and Research at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS). The centre is working on the creation of a new on-campus botanical garden.

The first place for the Conservation Engineering grant of $30,000 was also split between the Ouaourint Association for Development and Cooperation of Morocco and Arcenciel of Lebanon. The former plans to use the funds to tackle the pollution in the water being supplied to the Bzou community in the northwest corner of Morocco. Arcenciel w i l l i nve s t i t s $ 15 , 0 0 0 t o o p t i m i s e t h e c o m p o s t industry through its study of 11 strains of indigenous actinobacteria.

Two grants were given under the Special Catagories.

One is the $5,000 grant for ‘Best in Engaging Local Communities,’ awarded to the West Asia-North Africa (WANA) Institute. It also received $3,000 for coming third in the Protection of the Natural Environment category.

WANA will utilise the funds for a four-day advanced climate change workshop.

The other Special Grant, worth $5,000, was awarded to ‘Our Environment, Everyone’s Responsibilit y, an Environmental Education’ project from Jordan which earned the grant for its focus on “Beating Plastic Pollution;” the theme for this year’s World Environment Day which also coincided with the launch of the Ford Motor Company Conservation and Environmental Grants in June 2018.

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The Maserati Levante Trofeo

AUTOMOTIVE

A SUPERCAR IN DISGUISE

Maserati’s Trofeo version of the Levante is packed with power and delivers a supercar-like performance

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wo years after the official launch of the Levante SUV, Maserati has unveiled its new top of the range version - the Trofeo. Built around a V8 engine, one of the most powerful ever fitted in a Maserati, the Trofeo is one of the fastest SUVs ever with a top speed of 304 kmph. In the 104-year history of the Trident, only the race-bred, limited series MC12 can boast a higher output of 630hp with its aspirated V12 engine. Because of its remarkable weight to power ratio of 3.6 kg per hp, Trofeo needs only 3.9 seconds to reach 100 kmph. The Trofeo is, in every sense, a supercar disguised as a luxury SUV. The Trofeo name on a Maserati links it to a distinguished racing heritage and is, therefore, reserved for the most extreme versions of their production cars. The first Maserati to bear the Trofeo name was a racing version of the Maserati 4200 which competed in a one-make racing series which ran between 2003 and 2015.

The development of a V8 Levante started as a secret and unofficial skunkworks project by the Maserati technical centre in Modena, well before the official launch of the SUV model in 2016. The engineers built a prototype intended to test the performance limits of the Levante platform. When the management was informed of the performance results of the prototype, it decided that the brand would proceed with the formal development of a “super Levante” built around a Twin Turbo enhanced V8 engine. The development phase officially commenced in the summer of 2016, following the World Premiere of the ‘Maserati of SUVs.’

The engineers, in association with their counterparts at Ferrari, got to work on mating the V8 engine with the Q4 Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system to achieve the highperformance targets of the project. This was followed by the fine-tuning of the suspension, electronics and the Integrated Vehicle Control. In May 2017, a ‘mule’ was ready for real-world testing. The Levante Trofeo made its World Premiere at the 2018 New York International Auto Show.

The 3.8-litre V8 power unit of the Trofeo is a reengineered, upgraded version of the engine found in the flagship Quattroporte GTS. It has been engineered to deliver the highest ever output-per-litre on a Maserati, at 156hp per litre and a maximum of 590hp at 6,250 rpm. Peak torque of 730 Nm is delivered between 2,500 and 5,000 rpm. Like all other petrol Maserati engines, this V8 has been developed by Maserati Powertrain in cooperation with Ferrari and is assembled by Ferrari in Maranello, Italy.

To provide higher flow performance, two new parallel twin-scroll turbochargers, one for each cylinder bank, with specific wheel design were fitted. Each turbocharger is fed with fresh air by a single intercooler. The high-tumble cylinder heads have also been redesigned and fitted with different camshafts and valves for improved combustion efficiency, higher performance and moderate consumption.

Internal parts like pistons and connecting rods were also redesigned to allow reaching the maximum power targets.

The power of the V8-twin-turbo is delivered through the 2019 JAN / FEB

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Under the hood, the engine cover is made of high-gloss carbon fibre featuring a V8 inscription and the iconic Trident logo, while cylinder heads and intake manifolds are painted red

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Interiors of the Maserati Levante Trofeo eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox, used on all the Levante versions for its versatility and sporty character. The chassis has been fine-tuned to handle the higher power output and to provide an exhilarating driving experience without compromising on long-distance comfort and active safety.

The Integrated Vehicle Control (IVC) system has been incorporated for the first time in a Levante. The IVC uses a s m a rt , fe e d -forw ard co ntro ller that predicts d r i v i n g s i t ua t ion s a nd a dapts the eng ine speed and brakes accordingly to provide better driving dynamics, performance and active safety. In the Trofeo, the IVC is specially tuned to decrease understeer tendencies, typical to SUV cars. An understeer or oversteer function inside the Electric Power Steering control cooperates with the IVC system, resulting in a more natural and predictable driving feeling. The system instantly controls the steering torque on the steering wheel, thus providing the driver with feedback, especially in sporty driving.

The exterior design modifications, not surprisingly, emphasises on sportiness. The restyling has focused mainly on the lower front fascia and the rear bumper and is underlined by carbon fibre design cues. The profile is dominated by the 22-inch forged aluminium “Orione” wheels, the largest ever fitted on a Maserati. The Trofeo is also the first Levante model equipped with Full Matrix LED headlights.

Maserati’s designers have come up with elegant ways to create a distinctive environment within the Levante Trofeo cabin. The sculpted sport seats feature the premium full-grain Pieno Fiore leather which has a distinctively soft feel. The natural tanning treatment of the Pieno Fiore leather ensures it develops its own characteristics and a uniquely personal character over time. It is available in black, red and tan, all with contrast stitching and “Trofeo” logo stitched on the headrests.

Other interior highlights include a new matte carbon fibre wave trim and paddle shifters and a 1,280-watt, 17-speaker Bowers & Wilkins premium surround-sound audio system.

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THE SOPHISTICATED EVOLUTION OF EVOQUE

JLR have launched the next generation to their compact SUV – Evoque

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ight years ago, we created a new segment and the world followed. Now we have redefined what it means to be a luxury compact SUV,” said Finbar McFall, Global Marketing Director, JLR, on the world premiere of the new Range Rover Evoque; a ‘sophisticated evolution’ of the original by combining the Range Rover heritage with cutting-edge technology.

“This characterful vehicle combines refinement and fun to create that all-important emotional reaction that will turn heads and make people smile,” said Gerry McGovern, Land Rover Chief Design Officer.

The instantly-recognisable coupé-like silhouette of the original Evoque has been largely retained, typified by its “fast” roofline and rising waist. The enhancements are slight yet noticeable. The volume and proportions are amplified by its pronounced shoulders and powerful wheel arches. The latter in combination with the 21inch wheels create a strong and dynamic attitude.

The new super-slim Matrix LED headlamps provide a more sophisticated front and rear lamp graphic. Flush door handles add to the smooth, sculpted aesthetic while weeping directional indicators create a purposeful signature. Optional R-Dynamic details

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and burnished copper accents add to its appeal.

The increased interior cabin space is designed “to be a calm and serene space.” It has uncluttered surfaces and simple lines featuring carefully curated premium materials that combine to create a luxurious, minimalist, digital cabin. Integrated into this space are technologies such as the twin touchscreen Touch Pro Duo system, featuring new, faster software, 16-way seat controls and cabin air ionisation. Offered as premium alternatives to leather are Technical textiles such as a Kvadrat wool blend and Dinamica suedecloth made recycled plastics, as well as Eucalyptus and Ultrafabrics.

In addition to seat position, music and climate settings, steering column preferences can also be adjusted to maximise comfort.

Although the footprint is almost identical to the outgoing model, the new Evoque offers more interior space than before, thanks to Land Rover’s new mixed-material Premium Transverse Architecture.

This has resulted in a longer wheelbase which in turn means 20 millimetres of extra rear legroom as well as an increase in storage space. A larger glove box and centre cubby can now fit tablets, handbags and bottles with ease. The luggage space is 10 per

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Range Rover Evoque 2018

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cent larger and wider at 591 litres and can easily accommodate a folded pram or set of golf clubs. The storage space can be further increased to 1,383 litres when the flexible 40:20:40 second-row seats are folded.

The new architecture has been developed primarily for electrification, with a 48-volt mild-hybrid available at launch and a plug-in hybrid model to be offered towards the end of next year. The new Evoque is the first Land Rover to offer a mild hybrid powertrain. Available across the range of four-cylinder Ingenium petrol and diesel engines, the hybrid harvests energy during deceleration which is then used to enhance acceleration and reduce fuel consumption.

The technological enhancements include the secondgeneration Active Driveline with Driveline Disconnect which enhances efficiency; Adaptive Dynamics for optimising the balance between comfort and agility; Terrain Response 2 automatically detects the surface being driven on and adjusts the set-up accordingly which means the new Evoque can now wade through water up to 600mm.

Other technologies making their debut on the new Evoque include the ‘ClearSight rear-view mirror’ which transforms into an HD video screen if rear visibility is compromised by passengers or bulky items, and provides a wider 50-degree field of vision and superior visibility in low light. The ‘Ground View’ technology, which makes the bonnet invisible by projecting camera imagery onto the upper touchscreen to show the driver a 180-degree view under the front of the vehicle. This is useful

when negotiating difficult parking spaces, navigating high city centre kerbs or tackling rough terrain. ‘Smart Settings’ uses artificial intelligence algorithms to learn the driver’s preference and acts as an onboard butler.

As part of the new Evoque’s launch program, Land Rover also collaborated with a number of fashion and technology brands that are available through select retail outlets. Ashley Williams designed a specially commissioned dress crafted using the same suedecloth textile featured on the Evoque’s interior. British luxury brand Mulberry has created a Weekender bag collection quilted with the car’s grille pattern and using the same sustainablysourced Eucalyptus material also featured on the car’s interior.

Master & Dynamic has created wireless Bluetooth earphones made from handcrafted acetate. They feature bespoke Evoque grille patterns in copper and silver accents and housed in a polished stainless-steel wireless charging case.

Then there is the Range Rover Evoque Zenith watch, a 200-piece limited edition co-developed by designers and engineers from both entities. From the colour to its design, the watch draws inspiration from the new Evoque.

“When Range Rover Evoque made its debut back in 2010, it transformed the world of compact SUVs,” says Gerry McGovern, Land Rover Chief Design Officer, “and the new model is set to continue that remarkable journey.” Having sold over 770,000 units and having accumulated more than 217 international awards thus far, one would be hard-pressed to disagree.

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TOWARDS SMARTER TRAFFIC

JLR gives the green light to its ‘Red Light Avoidance’ system as part of its Connected Technology Program

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aguar Land Rover, Britain’s biggest carmaker, is working on connected technology as part of its “pledge to deliver zero accidents, zero congestion and zero emissions.” It is now road-testing, a slew of Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2X) technologies to connect cars to traffic lights systems so drivers can avoid getting stuck at red and help free up traffic flow in cities; technologies such as the Green Light Optimal Speed Advisory (GLOSA), Intersection Priority Management (IPM) and Intersection Collision Warning (ICW) among others.

The widespread adoption of the V2X technology is expected to prevent drivers from racing to beat the lights while improving air quality by reducing harsh acceleration or braking near lights, thus creating free-flowing cities with fewer delays, reducing emission levels from idling vehicles and less commuter stress overall. Connected technology’s eventual aim is to link the vehicle to everything around it, allowing seamless, free-flowing traffic that will pave the way for delivering self-driving vehicles.

“This cutting-edge technology will radically reduce the time 70 JAN / FEB 2019

we waste at traffic lights. It has the potential to revolutionise driving by creating safe, free-flowing cities that take the stress out of commuting. Our research is motivated by the chance to make future journeys as comfortable and stress-free as possible for all our customers.” - Oriol Quintana-Morales, Jaguar Land Rover Connected Technology Research Engineer.

The world’s first traffic lights were installed 150 years ago outside the Houses of Parliament in London. Since then drivers around the world have spent countless hours waiting for the green light. Today, it is estimated that an average city driver spends about one-fifth of his or her time idling in a traffic light.

JLR’s primary V2X technology, dubbed the Green Light Optimal Speed Advisory (GLOSA) system, sends traffic light information to the connected car, which will then be able to calculate the optimal speed for approaching the lights. The aim is to minimise the number of red light stops a vehicle endures during a journey.

GLOSA is being tested alongside a host of other measures

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such as the Intersection Priority Management (IPM), which assigns priority when two or more connected vehicles come to an intersection without priority signs or traffic lights. The Intersection Collision Warning (ICW) is another related system that alerts drivers when it is unsafe to proceed at a junction, informs drivers if other cars are approaching from another road and can suggest the order in which cars should proceed at a junction.

JLR’s V2X technologies are currently being road-tested on a Jaguar F-PACE, as part of a £20 million governmentfunded collaborative research project called UK Autodrive.

The project has helped accelerate the development of JLR’s future self-driving and connected technology. These V2X technology trials are enhancing existing ADAS features, such as Adaptive Cruise Control, by increasing the line of sight of a vehicle when it is connected via the internet to other vehicles and infrastructure.

Other related systems being worked on includes the Collaborative Parking which provides real-time information about free parking spaces either in the vicinity or close to the driver’s final destination, thus reducing the time lost to searching for a parking space. Another is the Emergency Vehicle Warning (EVW) which sends a signal directly from the emergency vehicle to nearby connected cars to advise them to make way.

This year JLR is projected to spend in the region of £4 billion on new product creation and capital expenditure. By 2020 JLR will introduce a portfolio of electrified products across its model range, embracing fully electric, plugin hybrid and mild hybrid vehicles as well as continuing to offer the latest diesel and petrol engines. Although no official word has been given, it is likely that quite a few of the VX2 technologies being tested now may have been implemented by then.

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THE TECH SAVVY BEAST The redesigned and re-engineered Touareg has arrived, and it is brimming with tech-toys

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The all-new Volkswagen Touareg

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he all-new Touareg, Volkswagen’s flagship SUV, bears a fresh look and has been redesigned for the “tech-savvy and business-oriented drivers.” It boasts the latest in connectivity, driver assistance technology, infotainment systems and comfortable interiors. It is competitively priced; starting from AED 192,433 including VAT and includes a threeyear service cover.

“The all-new Touareg marks another milestone in the history of Volkswagen as it charges up its market segment with pure dynamism, following on from the hugely successful previous generations,” said Andrew Savvas, Brand Director Volkswagen Middle East. “The combination of the slick and expressive exterior, with the technologically advanced interior, make the

Touareg the ultimate all-round vehicle for business-oriented drivers in the region.”

The new third-generation Touareg brings with it “the largest range of assistance, handling and comfort systems ever to be integrated into a Volkswagen,” according to the brand. The many different systems include night vision, lane assist, front cross-traffic assist, LED matrix headlights, windshield head-up display, driver personalisation, inductive wireless mobile phone charger and many more. These are interconnected via a new central control unit, working imperceptibly in the background to make the journey safer. Managing is more convenient and more intuitive than in the previous models.

Compared to its predecessor, the new model is moderately

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The all-new Volkswagen Touareg broader and longer which translates to better vehicle balance, more interior space and a significantly larger luggage compartment. The storage capacity has increased from 697 to 810 litres with the rear bench seat up. Despite its increased size, the car is 106 kg lighter due to its mixed material construction of aluminium at 48 per cent and high-tech steels at 52 per cent.

The front end of the new Touareg is dominated by the all-new ‘IQ.Light -LED matrix headlights,’ which Volkswagen claims is one of the most advanced headlight systems currently being used on any vehicle. The rear end features a redesigned Rear LED light animation and Trapezium-shaped exhaust pipes.

A key feature of the interior space of the SUV is the digital ‘Innovision Cockpit,’ a head-up display, which projects key information onto the windscreen, which becomes the virtual display space in front of the drive. The other highlights include the high definition 15-inch touch screen and the 12.3-inch ‘Active Info Display,’ both of which can be fully personalised to the driver’s preferences. The latter can simultaneously function as a radio navigation system, telephone information centre, and

a user interface for various other vehicle functions. The Interior ambient lights now come in 30-plus colour options.

The new Touareg is available in R-Line trim across the region.

The R-Line trim offers exclusive sport styling and premium features, such as Comfort seats in Savona Carbon with stitching in contrasting colour on the front and rear, and R-Line logo on the front backrests; R-specific aluminum inlay; central console in high glossy black; R-Line logo on the welcome screen; Sports pedals in stainless steel including footrest; R-specific leather multifunction steering wheel with R-Line logo; Armrest, steering wheel and selector lever with stitching in contrasting colour; Door sill trims with R-Line logo in the front which is illuminated in combination with ambient lighting; Fabric floor mats front and rear with border in contrasting colour.

The entire range comes equipped with the 4Motion permanent all-wheel drive as standard. The Touareg is available in two engine specifications: the 246 hp 2.0-litre TFSI and the 335 hp 3.0 litre V6 TFSI. Both are coupled with the 8 Speed automatic transmission.

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1987 Ferrari F40 LM_Stephan Bauer ©2018 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

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STORY OF THE LUCKY BLUE

A 1987 Ferrari F40 LM with genuine racing pedigree is being offered for sale by RM Sotheby’s Paris

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ome industry experts consider the F40 to be the greatest road-going Ferrari of all time because, among other reasons, Ferrari would find it difficult to make another car like the F40 in today’s world of red tape and health and safety.

This is what makes the F40 so special, so desirable.

The unmistakable Ferrari F40 has polarised opinions and evoked passions like few other Ferraris since it rolled out of the stables in Maranello in 1987. The twin-turbocharged 471-bhp, 201-mph F40 was developed to mark the 40th anniversary of the Prancing Horse. The F40 LM is the version developed by the factory-authorised performance tuner Michelotto. One of these rare thoroughbreds, the F40 LM chassis number 74045, which has a fascinating and illustrious history is headed to auction this year by RM Sotheby’s on the 6th of February at Place Vauban, Paris.

Originally used as a pre-production prototype by the factory, it was sold to former Le Mans and IMSA driver Rene Herzog in early 1992. Herzog sent the car to Michelotto for conversion to LM specification which meant enlarged twin IHI turbocharger units and advanced Weber-Marelli fuel injection, resulting in an increase in power to over 700 bhp. In addition, there was a simultaneous reduction in weight to just 1,050 kg, extensive chassis stiffening, installation of race-specification transmission, uprated brakes and extensively modified bodywork.

In 1995, it ended up with Stephane Ratel who raced it in the European GT Championship, but mid-season, he sold it to the French Pilot-Aldix team for use in the BPR Global GT Series. The car faced retirements in the first four rounds of the series, but by

the Le Mans pre-qualifying in April, it had been re-painted to its current French Racing Blue and fortunes began to change with a fifth overall and a first place in the GT1 class.

Six weeks later, at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the team qualified seventh overall and second in GT1. In a race affected by the unfavourable wet conditions for the F40 LM, it finished a respectable 12th overall and sixth in GT1. Two weeks later, it took pole position followed by a race victory at the Anderstorp Four Hours. This was followed by a second-place finish in the Silverstone Four Hours. For the 1996 season, the car was updated with a GTE-specification rear wing. However, with newer cars competing, the season proved more challenging.

The car was retired from competition at the end of the season and was then owned by several prominent collectors before it was acquired by the current owner in 2008.

“It is important to note that the car was freshly serviced last year and today remains on the button to participate in vintage racing events, namely the new official Ferrari program, Club GT Competizioni. Adding to its overall desirability, the car is offered with its original gearbox and a set of spare wheels.

Given the paucity of factory-blessed Sports Racing and GT racing Ferraris in recent decades, 74045 – especially given its top-level racing history – is surely a ‘must have’ for any serious Ferrari or competition car collector,” reads a statement by RM Sotheby’s.

Furthermore, the Ferrari F40 LM chassis number 74045 is without a doubt “the most significant F40 LM and amongst the most significant privateer-campaigned Ferrari racing cars.”

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HONOURING A NATIONAL TRADITION

The new limited-edition Classic Tourbillon Falcon by Ulysse Nardin is an exceptionally unique piece of work that pays tribute to the UAE’s grand tradition of falconry

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lysse Nardin, “watchmaker of the oceans,” in collaboration with partner Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons hosted an exquisite evening in the desert this December. The star attraction of the event was the Ulysse Nardin Classic Tourbillon Falcon, the 8-piece limited edition watch that was presented alongside other iconic timepieces from the brand. Ulysse Nardin is a recent addition to Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons’ carefully curated collection of 60 luxury timepiece brands retailed across 65 locations in the UAE. Drawing inspiration from the desert heritage of the region as well as the much-loved tradition of falconry, Ulysse Nardin’s master watchmakers created this exquisite and distinctive 44 mm timepiece in white gold. Each of the eight pieces in the collection is unique as the application of the cloisonné enamel on the dial was made by hand. The watch also features a flying tourbillon, silicon escapement, is powered by the UN-178 manufacture movement and has a power reserve of over seven days.

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The dial displays a faithful reproduction of a falconry scene in the desert at sunrise. Produced by the dexterous hand of the master enameller, the quality of the detailing is admirable.

On the right, a man can be seen in a white dishdasha, the traditional Emirati clothing for men. On the left is a peregrine falcon, the national emblem of the United Arab Emirates.

With wings spread in a strong, majestic pose, the Falcon is about to land on the welcoming arm of its master, who is looking in its direction. The dial produces a three-dimensional effect thanks to the thickness of the enamel layer.

The miniature scale and the repeated firing necessary to create the vitreous enamel highlights the exceptional talent of the masters, who spend more than 50 hours making the compartments that compr ise the dial’s design or the gold “cloisons.” Ulysse Nardin remains one of the few manufacturers to master the enamelling technique in-house and one of the first to have contributed to the revival of the striking mechanism.

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The Classic Tourbillon Falcon watch by Ulysse Nardin

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The TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre Heuer 01 Aston Martin Special Edition watch

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AM SPECIAL 2.0

TAG Heuer unveils the second Aston Martin Special Edition

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n March 2018, it was announced that TAG Heuer would become the Official Watch Partner and Connected Watch Partner of Aston Martin and Aston Martin Racing. The second watch from the collaboration was revealed recently with the global release of the TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre Heuer 01 Aston Martin Special Edition.

“This timepiece is a beautiful reflection of the design language of both Aston Martin and TAG Heuer. The collaboration provided a fascinating opportunity for us to work with the creative talents at TAG Heuer to design a product that truly showcased beautiful bespoke craftsmanship that reflects the importance of peak performance. Each watch will provide its owner with a taste of the Aston Martin luxury lifestyle where there is attention paid to every detail. They will also enjoy the craftsmanship and build quality that is synonymous with the two brands.” - Marek Reichman, Aston Martin Vice-President and Chief Creative Officer The 45mm solid steel case features special parallel lines pattern and is rimmed by a ceramic black brushed tachymeter bezel with Aston Martin engraving. It is covered by a bevelled, domed sapphire crystal with double anti-reflective treatment, while the case back is black PVD steel screwed sapphire with a special engraving.

Exclusive to this timepiece is the reshaped lugs inspired by

the distinct lines of Aston Martin’s bodywork. Other details include a black steel rubber crown at the three-hour mark and steel push buttons at two and four-hour marks. The case is water resistant to 100 meters. The bracelet is a matte black rubber or leather strap with special embossing and a steel folding clasp.

The TAG Heuer Calibre Heuer 01 movement is an Automatic calibre with rapid date correction featuring 39 rubies with 40 to 50 hours of power reserve. The movement is visible through the honeycomb pattern on the black opaline dial. The dial is skeletonised in a hexagonal pattern and recalls the details on the new Vantage.

The dial houses three counters: a rhodium plated “azurage” minute chronograph at 12 hours, an hour chronograph at 6 hours, and black opaline permanent second indicator with Aston Martin logo at 9 hours. The hour and minute hands are Rhodium plated while the indexes are polished, faceted and applied with white superluminova. Rhodium is also found on the red lacquered central hand, and the polished TAG Heuer applied logo. The angled date is between the three and fourhour indexes.

The TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre Heuer 01 Aston Martin Special Edition is available now from TAG Heuer retailers, in-stores and online.

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A TREASURE REIMAGINED

Omega’s new De Ville Trésor collection for women now offers two more straps designed in collaboration with supermodel Kaia Gerber

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résor means “treasure” in French, and is also the name of Omega‘s new collection of ladies’ watches under the De Ville family. A total of nine different models are available within this collection characterised by slim, streamlined cases, oversized Roman numerals and diamond-set bezels, and are offered in a couple of sizes, a range of styles with different case materials, dial colours, and matching straps.

As part of the launch of the ladies Trésor collection, Omega unveiled an advertising campaign, titled “Kaia’s Choice,” to introduce the collection as well as its newest brand ambassador, Kaia Gerber, as the face of the next generation of watch fans.

Kaia is the daughter of model and businesswoman, Cindy Crawford, the longest standing omega ambassador at 20 years.

The campaign, featuring elegant black-and-white photos taken at Malibu Beach by legendary fashion photographer

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Peter Lindbergh, is designed to attract millennials to the new Trésor collection. It seems to be working. Trésor has been the best-selling item at Her Time, Omega’s first-ever women’s pop-up boutique, located next door to its New York City flagship on Fifth Avenue.

The heritage of the collection dates back to 1949 when the first De Ville Trésor made its debut as a men’s watch descending from the Seamaster. In this case, Trésor did not refer to precious metal or diamonds but to the “treasure” housed within its thin case; the legendary Omega 30mm calibre designed by Henri Kneuss in 1939.

The De Ville Trésor name reappeared at Baselworld 2014 as a much-appreciated limited-edition men’s watch. Now applied to a ladies’ watch, the Trésor name seems more natural, and it definitely refers to the precious metal and diamonds used in the construction of this distinctly feminine watch.

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The De Ville TrĂŠsor collection for women

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The most noticeable design element in the new collection that links it to the original is the slender profile of the case.

The 36mm models are 8.85mm thick while the 39mm case has a thickness of 9.75mm. In terms of materials, the collection is available in stainless steel or Omega’s proprietary 18k Sedna pink gold. The most feminine and striking feature of the case is the curved rows of pavé-set diamonds on either side of the bezel that eludes to the contours of an hourglass figure. The crown features a red liquid ceramic insert that is shaped like a flower with a diamond in its centre.

The dial is dominated by the stylised and elongated Roman numerals which are either embossed or transferred onto the dial. They stretch boldly towards the centre to create a perfect circle. The hands are slim and tapered. The collection offers a range of dial colours from taupe-brown to iridescent motherof-pearl or lacquered opaline.

The closed case back, a tribute to the collection’s Seamaster lineage, features a mirrored surface on which is a laser-etched eight-petalled floral motif. Inside is Omega’s calibre 4061 quartz movement, found in a number of Omega ladies’ watches. They make it possible for the watch to be slim, quartz-accurate, and hassle-free with 48-month battery life.

This movement was chosen to appeal to young women who want the look and feel of a premium brand on their wrist but without the hassle of having to wind it.

The ladies Trésor come with matching straps in either fabric or leather with colours such as black, taupe-brown, white, blue, opaline silver or mother-of-pearl. In addition, Omega now offers two new straps developed in collaboration with its brand ambassador Kaia. In her personal life, the young, laid-back Californian is more likely to be seen in street-style than haute couture. So, it was no surprise that when asked to choose a design for the new Trésor straps, Kaia chose to keep it casual; two camo patterns in blue and beige. They are available in two different widths to match the 39 mm and 36 mm case sizes and have stainless steel buckles and fitted keepers.

With this collaboration, Kaia Gerber follows in the footsteps of her illustrious mother Cindy Crawford, who worked alongside Omega’s designers to create a new edition of the Constellation in 1995.

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Montblanc High Artistry Homage to Emperor Kang Xi Limited Edition pens

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THE EMPEROR’S MANY DRAGONS

Montblanc’s latest High Artistry Limited Edition pays tribute to the life and legacy of China’s emperor Kang Xi

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he Imperial Dragon, Royal Blue Dragon, Jade Dragon, Calligrapher, Hunter, General and the Emperor, these are the names of Montblanc’s latest High Artistry LimitedEditions, created to honour Kang Xi, one of China’s greatest emperors as well as the longest reigning. The seven designs are part writing instruments and part jewellery creations in an impressive display of the Maison’s artistry with the base colours for the pens based on several aspects of the emperor’s life.

“With its High Artistry Limited-Editions, Montblanc pushes the boundaries of creativity and technical virtuosity to tell the stories of history’s great figures. Pairing the traditional expertise of the métiers d’arts nurtured for over 110 years with high precision technology and tools, Montblanc artisans transform fine materials into elaborate masterpieces that defy imagination,” as stated by the brand.

Kang Xi (1654 – 1722) was the second emperor in the Qing dynasty whose reign brought long-term stability and prosperity after years of war and chaos. An accomplished military strategist and general, he had a passion for tiger hunting, calligraphy, created the world’s largest royal gardens at the Mountain Resort in Chengde, repaired and extended the Grand Canal that linked the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers, and he commissioned the Kangxi Dictionary, the standard Chinese dictionary during the 18th and 19th centuries.

During the Qing Dynasty, the dragon was one of the most valued imperial symbols and featured on everything, from the emperor’s clothing, to the court furniture and objects, and throughout royal palaces. The importance of this symbolism is highlighted by the three one-of-a-kind “Dragon” pens.

The Imperial Dragon occupies the length of the pen and is made of champagne gold and set with a full pavé of yellow diamonds and is inspired by the rich yellow silk of the emperor’s gown. In a tribute to the Emperor’s fascination for mechanical devices, the cap top features a mechanism that causes the dragon’s eyes to open and close depending on whether the pen is upright or laying down. In a reference to Kang Xi’s enthusiasm for Western astronomy, the design of the cone is inspired by an armillary sphere with a 6.42-carat square emerald-cut yellow diamond in a vivid yellow-orange colour. A 2-axis mechanism allows it to rotate freely at its centre. Thanks to a unique mechanism, the precious ornament can be detached and admired as a standalone jewel.

The Royal Blue Dragon is a masterpiece in blue and white gold. The pavé of blue sapphires on the cap and barrel contrast with the diamonds on the dragon encircling the fountain pen, as well as the white gold fittings. The armillary sphere in the cone

features a brilliant 5ct white flawless diamond.

The Jade Dragon seems to float through the clouds in vibrant green jade against a scintillating pavé of white diamonds on the cap and barrel. A precious red 5.08ct ruby floats inside the axis mechanism in real gold, while the top of the cap is set with a pavé of diamonds.

The Hunter is also limited to just one piece and pays homage to the emperor’s lifelong passion for tiger hunting. The rare Grisaille enamel technique has been used on the cap and barrel to emulate the white and blue porcelain art depicting hunting scenes. The barrel is encircled by an archer’s ring made of jade, and the bottom half of the barrel is embellished with a majestic 3D hard-engraved tiger set with diamonds in pavé. The clip is shaped like a sceptre and is adorned with blue sapphires.

The solid white gold fittings are enhanced with rows of brilliant diamonds. A dazzling 11.53ct blue sapphire is set at the base of the cone inside the axis design.

The Emperor, limited to just five pieces, feature cloisonné enamel to create the effect of painted landscapes in tones of yellows, greens, sand and gold. The cap top opens mechanically to reveal a miniature gold sundial. The gold cone tube is engraved by hand with a dragon, set with yellow diamonds and is topped with a 2ct diamond. The barrel ring features a dragon hand-carved in green Wyoming jade, while the rings and clip are embellished with a sprinkling of yellow diamonds.

The Calligrapher, limited to ten pieces, celebrates the ruler’s passion for literature and writing with a poem carved on the black jade cap and barrel of the fountain pen. A tiger’s head pattern in yellow sapphires and black rhodium coated gold adorns the barrel. The cap also features calligraphic engravings along with a white gold shield that can be opened. A yellow sapphire shines at the base of the cone, and two yellow sapphires shine on the clip shaped like a sceptre.

The General is limited to 89 pieces. The cap and barrel feature a distinctive pattern in yellow gold, reminiscent of the Emperor’s ceremonial suit of armour, which contrasts with the black PVD coated fittings. The lower barrel features birch onto which lotus plants designs have been delicately lasered. The barrel has an archer’s ring made of tiger’s eye, while the base of the cone has a yellow citrine cabochon. The summit of the pen features the Montblanc emblem in mother-of-pearl.

To complement the one and five-piece Limited-Editions, Montblanc has created a stationary book that matches the distinctive colours of each writing instrument. Each piece is hand-embroidered with the application of pearls, beads, an imperial seal inside and a portrait of Emperor Kang Xi himself.

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SEASON’S THREE CHEERLEADERS

Meet Romeo, Enzo and Luigi, Ermenegildo Zegna’s gifts for the holiday season

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rmenegildo Zegna has unveiled three new characters whose playfulness and sense of humour reflect the joy of the festive season. Zegna Gifts are suitable for every moment, from business to leisure, to travel.

Romeo is crafted from the fine fibres of the Trofeo wool. He models Zegna’s glass-case, bow-tie and formal accessories.

Enzo is made from the superfine Techmerinotm wool.

He sports Zegna’s Techmerinotm outerwear, performance wool, toys and accessories. Techmerinotm is found on Z Zegna’s “Wash & Go” wardrobe whereby one simply places

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the clothing into a special pouch, washed, and hung out to dry, thus doing away with the need for dry cleaning pressing.

Luigi, embodying the Pelletessutatm fabric, is never without his shades, or his premium quality headphones.

Pelletessutatm is Zegna’s lightweight and versatile woven leather made from placing extremely thin strips of Nappa leather on special looms, thereby replicating the traditional way of weaving cloth.

They are available in major Ermenegildo Zegna stores and on zegna.com.

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(Left to Right) Enzo, Luigi and Romeo by Ermenegildo Zegna

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Corneliani Spring/Summer 2019 Beyond Silk Collection

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NEW YEAR FASHION PICKS For those of you out there struggling with gift ideas in the post-end-of-year-season or those just looking for a quick guide to some of the exceptional fashion and accessories available from the premium brands, GC has put together a short-list.

HACKETT POLO

HACKETT BOMBER JACKET

BERLUTI LEATHER HOLDALL

BILLIONAIRE TROUSERS

DUNHILL SNEAKERS

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SALVATORE FERRAGAMO SHOES

BILLIONAIRE BELT

HACKETT SUIT

ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA SUNGLASSES LES BENJAMINS SWEATSHIRT

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Berluti Kris Van Assche Capsule Collection

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Antonino Aiello – Founder, proprietor and designer of 100% Capri 94 JAN / FEB 2019

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LUXURIOUS LINEN THROUGH INNOVATION

100% Capri’s recently inaugurated flagship boutique in the Middle East captures the true spirit of the brand

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ention the name Capri, and the mind travels to the azure and warm waters of the Mediterranean, to the green and sun-baked limestone slopes, to the essence of “la dolce vita.” Inspired by the traditional resort lifestyle of the fabled Italian island comes 100% Capri, the premiere fashion and household Italian luxury linen brand. The brand officially inaugurated its flagship boutique in the Middle East at The Dubai Mall Fashion Avenue, after launching its first boutique in Dubai’s prestigious Four Seasons Jumeirah resort in December 2014, that brought the ultimate Italian lifestyle to the United Arab Emirates.

100% Capri draws inspiration from the colours and shapes of Capri, the home of holiday elegance. Its creations are based on the refined spirit of its specially commissioned linen fabrics which are then finished in the brand’s exceptional tailoring. In fact, it is the only brand that specialises in finely crafted linen that is offered as indulgent shirting, lightweight wearable dresses, summer kaftans and elegant beachwear. These complement the accessories and footwear for that signature 100% Capri look. The light, fresh, modern, and elegant spirit of the brand is for those who are characterised by the same qualities.

Made from the fibres of the flax plant, Linen is a naturally rich fabric. It is suitable for most occasions and has been adorned

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by high society throughout the ages. It is not just the oldest known textile fibre, with its use having been traced back to 8,000 BC, it was also highly regarded by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. In fact, the Ancient Egyptians hailed it as the ‘woven moonlight’ because of its delicate beauty. It also happens to be the strongest vegetable-based thread at twice the strength of cotton, this despite its soft textural feel. The flax plant is one of the few fabrics that is still cultivated using natural methods and requires less water than conventionally made clothing.

The story of 100% Capri is the story of Antonino Aiello, the brand’s young and dynamic founder. Born to a tailoring family in Sorrento near Naples in 1974, Aiello was immersed in textiles and tailoring since his childhood, particularly the Neapolitan style embraced by his family’s business. He also learnt early on to differentiate between noble and rough fibres. He left school at the age of 18 to join the family business. He was in his natural habitat and textiles became his passion.

At the age of 23, he moved to Capri and in 2000, founded the 100% Capri brand with the opening of his first shop on the island. The clothing on display were the fruits of his personal creative ideas. He began with raw materials that were sourced from the highest quality organic cultivators of Linen in Europe.

He has used 38 different varieties of the fibre over the years.

The result is a lighter fabric with a better-defined shape and one that is not prone to wrinkling when compared to the traditional heavier and shapeless garments that are prone to heavy wrinkling. Aiello constantly continues to experiment with technologies that make Linen feel fresher and more pliable for high-fashion.

In 2003, Aiello took his linen collection to the Hotel De Russie in Rome. The following year, he inaugurated a boutique in the island of St. Barthelemy, in the French Antilles. In 2006 he created the 100% Capri Home Collection, a range of items in linen for the house. In 2008, 100% Capri announced its arrival in the US in a big way; by opening a boutique in the most luxurious and the much sought-after retail address in the United States, the Bal Harbour Shops in Miami. Few years later, Alma LLC brought 100% Capri to Dubai.

Alma was founded in 2014 by Abdul Hamied Seddiqi; equipped and dedicated to being the leading brand-building partner/retailer of niche luxury brands, by providing customised commercial strategies with an unparalleled commitment to excellence in retail performance.

A key patron in the world of haute Horlogerie, Abdul Hamied began his career in luxury retail in 1979 when he joined his brothers at Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons. Since then, he has helped it grow into the largest retailer of luxury watches and jewellery in the region. Now, as the Vice Chairman of Seddiqi Holding, and as the founder of Alma, Abdul Hamied Seddiqi intends to transform the luxury retail experience in the region.

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A RENEWED PERSPECTIVE

Lacoste has recently appointed Louise Trotter as their new Creative Director

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he year 2018 is proving to be a bench mark year of sorts for La Chemise Lacoste. Earlier this year, Novac Djokovic debuted as the new face of Lacoste under the slogan “The New Crocodile.” In October, Lacoste appointed Louise Trotter, the first female creative director in the firm’s 85-year history. Louise, according to the Telegraph’s Lisa Armstrong, “is among the most influential women in British fashion.”

The British designer is vastly experienced in the Industry and is known for her talent to define precise silhouettes both elegant and relaxed. She will present her first collection during the fall 2019 fashion week in Paris.

For the spring 2019 season, Lacoste’s in-house design team was given the responsibility for the first time in eight years. The collection featured an updated, contemporary twist on classic Lacoste styles where iconic 90s streetwear such as the bucket hats, oversized tracksuits, and of course, Lacoste’s signature piqué polo were retrieved from the brand’s archives.

Louise takes over from the Portuguese designer Felipe Oliveira Baptista, a graduate from Kingston University in London. Baptista was appointed as creative director of Lacoste in 2010, to generally positive reception, and succeeded Christophe Lemaire. During his tenure, Baptista established Lacoste’s runway aesthetic as a street-inspired cross between performance apparel and luxury items.

In May 2018, Baptista stepped down as creative director of the brand after eight years at its creative helm. Following his departure, Thierry Guibert, President of the Lacoste Group, had stated that the brand would be undergoing a “new organisation of the creative direction of the brand,” with a renewed focus on its heritage as a tennis-centric label.

Enter, the Sunderland-born Louise Trotter, a marketing and design graduate from Newcastle Polytechnic. Lacoste will be hoping that Louise’s experience in the commercial as well as the artistic side of the business will help to heighten the brand’s already transitioning contemporary image. “We are very happy to welcome Louise. Her visionary approach on lines and materials, as well as her expertise in creating highly technical pieces, will be real assets to strengthen the positioning of our collections,” said Thierry Guibert.

Starting as a freelancer, Louise joined Whistles, the British high street favourite where she spent much of her early career. She rose through the ranks to eventually become its buying and design director. She was then lured to New York

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by Gap to become the vice-president of womenswear design.

She then moved to Calvin Klein as its head of womenswear.

In 2007, she moved back to Britain to become the creative director of the British brand Jigsaw. Her first collection for the label debuted in autumn of that year and was well received by the fashion press.

In 2009, Louise took the helm at British fashion brand and retail chain Joseph. She succeeded the brand’s ailing founder Joseph Ettedgui, who passed away in 2010. In 2014, Louise debuted Joseph’s own womenswear collection via a catwalk show during the London Fashion Week which lent the multi-brand retailer’s private label more authority. By 2015, the Joseph branded ready-to-wear range had become the beating heart of the business, accounting for 87 per cent of the company’s global sales. Retailers often produce private labels to cover the cost of selling designer brands at low margins. However, Joseph’s private label has become a vehicle for international expansion. Under Louise’s leadership, the Joseph brand offered its interpretation of recent trends alongside the classic silhouettes that made founder Joseph Ettedgui successful. In July 2018, it was announced that Louise would be departing Joseph.

In September, she joined Lacoste as creative director following which she said: “I am delighted to join this French brand with such a unique heritage. For 85 years, the modernity of the Lacoste style lies in this singular fusion of sport and fashion. I am proud to contribute to the writing of a new chapter in its history.”

The story of La Chemise Lacoste begins in 1933 when the famous French Tennis Player René Lacoste teams up with André Gillier, the owner and president of the largest French knitwear manufacturing firm at the time. They began by producing the revolutionary tennis shirt René had designed and worn on the tennis courts with the crocodile logo embroidered on the chest. René was nicknamed “the Crocodile” by his fans because of his tenacity on the tennis court.

The brand grew exponentially over the decades, both in terms of product diversification and market expansion, to become one of the greatest icons of casual-chic. In fact, the brand was mentioned in Lisa Birnbach’s Official Preppy Handbook of 1980. With Louise at the helm, the brand will be hoping to achieve a similar level of recognition among a new generation of fashionistas. As the brand’s original tagline used to say, “attention au crocodile…”

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Louise Trotter, Creative Director, Lacoste

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Guerlain boutique in Riyadh Park, Saudi Arabia

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WONDERS OF THE PERFUMER

Guerlain invites connoisseurs of luxury to explore the 110 fragrances at their new boutique in Riyadh

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uerlain, the renowned French perfumer since 1828, has opened its first Middle East boutique in Riyadh Park, Saudi Arabia. Dedicated entirely to fragrance, it pays tribute to the profession of a Perfumer through a fabulous presentation display, made possible thanks to the previously unseen archives from its heritage. It invites you to discover the world of Guerlain.

The perfumer, according to Guerlain, is an “alchemist, botanist, explorer, creator;” is “a fascinating, mysterious being, the fruit of whose work... leaves a lasting impression, arouses emotions, evokes sensations. Jicky, L’Heure Bleue, Mitsouko, Shalimar, Vétiver, Samsara, Mon Guerlain, Santal Royal etc. are all iconic creations with the ability to take the imagination on a journey through time and space.”

At the new boutique, 110 fragrances are available out of the 1,100 created since 1828. Designed as a “fragrance library,” the only one of its kind in the world, Guerlain’s 110 creations are presented as 110 chapters in the history of French perfumery. They are classified according to the perfumer’s 14 favourite raw materials. These natural raw materials are so beloved by Guerlain that they are collectively called “Guerlinade,” because they perfectly express “its spirit of creativity, its sense of daring, the art of overdosing and short formulas.”

The new Riyadh Park boutique offers customers a customisation and fragrance consultation service to guide them in their choices. Guerlain provides the materials bottles, colours, perfumes, neck bows, tissue paper - and shares its know-how with the customers to enable “the artist that lies in everyone” to customise the look of their fragrance.

The process begins with the selection of the iconic “coloured bee” bottles, which are exclusively made for

Guerlain. They are presented in a new collection specially created for this region in a 125 ml size and are priced at US $170. Three sizes - 250 ml, 500 ml, and 1 litre - are available in the white and golden Bee bottle collection.

Once the bottles are selected, it can be filled at one of the twenty-seven perfume fountains, each containing one of the house’s iconic fragrances. It is then time to add the personalised decoration. Customers can choose the ribbon – grosgrain, satin, wide or narrow – that will adorn the neck of the bottle; choose the bow - the tie knot, the bowtie or the twist; and choose the signature - one’s name or message can be engraved on-site, in the language of one’s choice.

Another unique service provided by the perfumery is Digital Consultation which is “fun, fast, incredibly accurate and effective.” It was designed by Guerlain to enable customers to create their unique and personal olfactory profile in just a few clicks; to guide them in their search for that signature fragrance.

The House of Guerlain was founded in 1828 by PierreFrançois Pascal Guerlain at 42, rue de Rivoli in Paris.

Assisted by his two sons, Aimé and Gabriel, the perfumery’s reputation quickly grew among the members of high society.

Pierre-François was awarded the prestigious title of being His Majesty’s Official Perfumer for creating Eau de Cologne Impériale in 1853 for the French Emperor Napoleon III and his Spanish-French wife, Empress Eugénie.

Guerlain went on to create perfumes for other royalty, among whom were Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Queen Isabella II of Spain. The House of Guerlain was under the stewardship of a member of the Guerlain family from its inception in 1828 to 1994 when the LVMH group acquired it.

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GADGETS FOR THE NEW YEAR

GC’s shortlist of some of the most innovative technological devices that made their debut in 2018

VECTOR BY ARC

“Vector isn’t just a motorbike; it’s the world’s first fully-electric café racer, it’s an innovative heads-up display helmet, and it’s a sensory riding suit – all working in unison to create an experience package like no other,” says Mark Truman, Founder & CEO at Arc, a subsidiary of InMotion Ventures, Jaguar Land Rover’s venture capital fund.

The world’s first all-electric motorcycle with a fully integrated Human Machine Interface (HMI) was unveiled at the Milan Motorcycle Show on November 6, 2018. With just 399 units expected to be produced in the first year, the price tag is princely at £90,000 which includes the bike as well as its integrated helmet and jacket.

The bike has a 103-kilowatt electric motor that produces an astounding 397 Nm at the output sprocket. It has a single speed transmission that will take the bike to a top speed of 200 kmph, with a 0-60 mph (0-97 kmph) acceleration achieved in just 3.1 seconds. Weighing in at 220kg, Arc claims the bike has the best power-to-weight ratio of any electric motorcycle of its class by a considerable margin.

The Zenith full-face helmet is based on the Hedon Heroine. It has a retro-feel to it with calfskin lining to match the bike’s cafe racer styling. It is voice-control enabled and Wi-Fi-enabled for wireless communication with the bike. It functions as the bike’s keyless ignition, its dashboard and its rear-view mirror. Therefore, the bike cannot be ridden without the helmet.

The bespoke Origin jacket is integrated with the helmet and was co-developed with Knox, the market-leader in riding armour. It features eight “haptic feedback modules” across the shoulders and back which is a wireless audio system using large-amplitude speaker oscillations for feedback sensations.

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SHERPA 100AC BY GOALZERO

The Sherpa 100AC Portable Power Bank by Goal Zero is designed for frequent flyers as it is built around a 94.7Wh Li-Ion NMC battery capable of delivering 25,600mAh. Therefore, it falls under the maximum capacity for lithium-ion batteries on aeroplanes as set by the US FAA. It has two High-Speed Power Delivery Ports at 60W each; these USB-C Power Delivery ports provide rapid power for laptops, phones, and more.

The Sherpa is capable of Qi 5W wireless charging as well. According to Goal Zero, the Sherpa can charge Smartphones up to 10 times, Tablets up to three times, Laptops up to two times and Cameras up to 18 times. An Interactive OLED display provides information on power in, power out, port status and port roles. Four rugged cables - Lightning, Micro USB, USB-C, and USB-C to USB-C - are included in the package as standard.

USD 300 www.goalzero.com

VIEW BY HIVE

The UK-based smart-home company Hive, known for its interconnected smart heating systems, sensors, and lights have launched a cube-shaped indoor and outdoor security camera called View; designed by Yves Behar’s design studio Fuseproject. The unit has a beautiful satin finish for added tactility and comes in white and champagne gold or black and brushed copper options to elegantly fit with any home décor. It can either be mounted on a wall or made to sit on a flat surface.

The camera begins recording once it detects motion or sound and sends a notification to the user’s smartphone.

The lens provides a 130-degree view. The spinning base, in combination with the leaf-like curvature of the arm, enables users to cover the angle they want and fit anywhere in the home. The magnetic snap-on base allows the camera to be detached, without uninstalling, for easy movement.

USD 230 www.hivehome.com

MUSE BY SMARTECH

Smartech has unveiled a brain sensing headband and app called Muse designed to make meditation easier. Meditation has been proven to reduce stress and increase focus, but it may be hard to know if it is being done correctly. Muse analyses real-time brain activity and provides users with immediate audio feedback on what is happening in the brain when meditating. It lets users know when their mind wanders and guides them to regain focus. Muse is capable of improving meditation practice with regular usage of as little as three minutes a day.

USD 160 www.choosemuse.com

SLEEPBUDS BY BOSE

Bose, the legendary audio brand, made its debut in the “sleep-assist” industry this summer when it launched its first-ever “noise-masking sleepbuds.” The earphones-like buds are designed to help people fall asleep by masking unwanted, external noise and replacing it with soothing sounds. However, they do not double as earphones, so there is no connectivity with the usual music devices or platforms but only with a companion “Bose Sleep” app.

They’re super lightweight, each weighing just 1.4 grams, and measure only one cm squared not including the rubber tips and are ergonomically designed to fit into the ear without the user noticing them. The buds are housed in a cylindrical brushed-aluminium charging case which is capable of providing 16 hours of charge when not connected to a USB port. Placing them back into the case after use is effortless thanks to magnets that cause them to slide correctly into their slots.

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LONDON WITH A REFINED TWIST

The London Project restaurant offers diners a chance to enjoy the cosmopolitan cuisine of the city but with a refined twist

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he London Project, a new fine-dining experience on Bluewater Island offers a London eclectic menu. Inspired by the street food of London’s boroughs as well as the refined creations of its high streets, the venue offers dishes with global influences, flavours and styles which are prepared with innovative and contemporary cooking techniques.

Every aspect of the dining experience has been carefully considered; from the acoustics of knife on plate, to the DJs set list, to the carefully selected chefs, to the serif on the lettering of their own charitable water bottles.

The appetisers are designed to suit the bar crowd or for a more casual dining experience with such sharing options as a decadent seafood tower or finger food items like purple potato tacos filled with braised beef and black garlic. The Entrees lean more towards the Chefs’ fine dining backgrounds with ingredient-focused dishes served in sharing styled plates.

Mains fall under three sections. The Plated Mains feature traditional British favourites enriched with some respectful pampering. In the steak section, guests can work their way through a selection of steaks, from the entry level cuts to first class cuts such as the 9+ Chocolate Fed Wagyu from Australia.

The third section offers custom-made Italian clay oven pizzas

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and burgers with a gourmet twist. The signature dessert is a Vanilla yoghurt parfait served with strawberries, a strawberry sorbet, yoghurt crisp, a gin and mint granite and edible flowers.

The menu at The London Project is designed to be shared and is suitable for day and night meals. It offers two green dining spaces inspired by nature: The Living Ground Floor Dining Bar and The Gin Garden.

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A BREEZY DINING EXPERIENCE

The Rare restaurant at Melia Desert Palm is about taking your time to enjoy the delicacies on offer

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ne of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating,” Luciano Pavarotti, as quoted in the menu of Melia Desert Palm’s latest dining experience – Rare.

Overlooking the retreat’s polo field and the glittering Dubai skyline, Rare offers al fresco terrace, indoor dining for an intimate dinner and a sumptuous Friday Vintage brunch. The setting is “breezy” social dining, whether at the onyx chef bench, the plush sofas on the al fresco terrace, or the seating by the show kitchen.

The centrepiece of the kitchen is an Oak-wood-fired grill inspired by the South American ‘Asado,’ and has been specially designed and handcrafted to create the restaurant’s signature taste.

The ingredients are carefully sourced from select local and overseas farms that are known for delivering the best produce such as Rangers Valley Farm; located in the pristine New England Tablelands and home to 32,000 head of cattle that are 100 per cent Black Angus steers with a Wagyu cross to produce beef with superior marbling traits.

The Friday Vintage Brunch offers an international buffet highlighted by South American and Asian delicacies. Specialities include such delights as grilled vegetable roulade or Teriyaki smoked salmon and smoked duck from the restaurant’s oakfirewood grill, paired with bubbly, grape or cocktails; delicious tempura, slow-cooked short ribs, chicken shish tawook, Texas marinated lamb chops and pasta from the live cooking stations & desserts such as chocolate caribe, pistachio esperanto, and crepes among others.

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SUN, SAND & SKI

From beaches to villages, history to vibrant urban entertainment, Limassol in Cyprus has something to offer for everyone

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imassol is the second largest urban area of Cyprus located on its sunny southern coast. It is the island nation’s main port as well as a vibrant city, offering a lively nightlife with an abundance of colourful cafes and bars lining the bustling seafront. It appeals to a wide range of tourists, from the sun and sand vacationers to those who prefer to delve into the island’s culture at its old quarter, museums and sites of archaeological interest. The city also plays host to a slew of energetic festivals. Accommodation options range from villas and self-catering apartments to luxurious hotels.

The old town of Limassol is the heart of the city with its traditional architecture and narrow streets that radiate out from the old fishing harbour. The old town is also home to the Lemesos castle, believed to be the site of the royal wedding between Richard the Lionheart of England and Berengaria of Navarre. It now houses the Cyprus Medieval Museum.

The Municipal Market is where traditional merchants sell an abundance of fresh, colourful fruits and vegetables.

Limassol boasts two of the most spectacular archaeological sites in Cyprus. The ancient cities of Amathous and Kourion are situated East and West of the city, on cliff tops with

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spectacular views overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The southern slopes of the Troodos Mountains provide a picturesque backdrop to the city and is home to some of Cyprus’ best-known vineyards and charming little villages collectively known as the Krassochoria. These villages move to their own rhythm, offering a break from the hustle and bustle of Limassol as well as being a base for discovering the beautiful countryside.

The coastline of the Limassol region is a sun lover’s haven boasting 16 kilometres of Blue Flag beaches with clear blue waters and varying shades of sand. One of the longest being the 2 kilometres long and 40 metres wide Akti Olympion Beach featuring gentle shore breezes, wide footpaths, lanes f o r c y c l i s t s a n d a m p l e p a r k i n g . T h e stunningly beautiful Episkopi Bay area boasts a coastline that has been declared a national park. One of the smallest and often secluded is the Agios Georgios Alamanou Beach with grassy areas and a waterfront restaurant. The rocks offer a great opportunity for snorkelling. The Kourion Beach is stony with the dramatic surroundings of the ancient ruins of Kourion which lay on top of the cliff overlooking the long curving bay.

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THINGS TO DO THE PROMENADE

The Promenade running along the seaside is hugely popular with holidaymakers for its view of the sea, the sandy beaches, the palm-coated surroundings, and various water parks. It offers a wonderful open atmosphere for adults and children of all ages.

The busy streets flanking the promenade are packed with restaurants, cafĂŠs, English style pubs, vibrant nightclubs, and a wide range of shops selling everything from souvenirs to traditional sweets and delicacies. This venue is as popular with the locals as it is with tourists and, thus, offers an opportunity for the two groups to mingle.

SKIING

The skiing season in Cyprus typically lasts between January and April and is based on Mount Olympus which is only a short drive from Limassol. The Cyprus Ski Club has four ski lifts to reach the eight alpine runs and cross-country tracks that can accommodate skiers of all levels. The club operates ski schools on site for beginners and offers ski equipment on rent. The club also offers a restaurant and several cafĂŠs in a pleasant and relaxing environment.

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LIMASSOL CARNIVAL

The Annual Limassol Carnival Festival is the biggest in Cyprus. The two-week long event takes place ten or twelve days before Easter Lent and is next scheduled to take place in March 2019. The heritage of the Carnival goes back to ancient Greece with a festival honouring Dionysus, the god of wine and fun. The carnival starts with the arrival of the King of Carnival and climaxes with the Grand Carnival Parade on the last day, in which thousands of people with masks and bright coloured costumes follow the King of Carnival to watch the floats on the sea and receive a good luck blessing from the King.

HISTORIC & CLASSIC MOTOR MUSEUM

Cyprus Historic & Classic Motor Museum is a 1,000 square metre venue that opened its doors in 2014. It is the only automobile museum in Cyprus and also offers Classic Car Rental Service with a driver for a truly unique tour of the city and its surroundings.

The museum is the brainchild of veteran Cypriot rally driver Dimi Mavropoulos and is an ideal venue for events such as exhibitions, fashion shows, photo shoots and weddings.

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WHERE TO STAY FOUR SEASONS HOTEL

Independently owned and operated, this world-class five-star hotel offers luxury and style in equal measure. Sprawled across a sandy beach, a short drive east of Limassol, it combines superb facilities with impeccable service. The interior features light colours on materials with luxurious and cosy finishes to create a “homely feel,” while efficient sound and thermal insulation ensure a pleasant stay. The property makes practical use of space while the staff are friendly and attentive.

With 302 rooms, five restaurants, four bars, three swimming pools, a gymnasium, a Shiseido Spa, Kids Club and a host of other facilities, the hotel offers something for everyone. The guest rooms are spacious and bright offering refined comfort with contemporary style and modern smart-room technology.

The hotel offers a wide selection of accommodation. For couples on a romantic getaway, the choice of rooms ranges between 36 and 180 square metres, such as the penthouse suite, beach studio, and the garden suite; some with their own pool. For families and groups, the suites’ range begins at 39 square metres and is topped by the 334 square metres of the Royal Suite which can accommodate up to 4 individuals and can be extended with an additional bedroom.

THE ROYAL APOLLONIA

An elegant seafront five-star hotel that is situated within a short drive from the city centre and within walking distance from the prominent area where bars and restaurant are found in abundance. This highly rated and award-winning hotel aims to “combine luxury first-class hospitality with amazing views and ambience.”

It features 204 completely refurbished bedrooms, 13 of which are suites. It has a 500 square metre outdoor swimming pool and three restaurants serving a variety of culinary delights. Dionysos is the main buffet restaurant, Akakiko serves easy Japanese Fusion and Meze by Elliniko offers Greek delights. The Royal Spa offers an extensive treatment menu with seven treatment rooms. Other amenities include a LifeFitness equipped gym, indoor pool, sauna and the Climatological Dead Sea Room.

The Deluxe Suite Sea View is the largest of the 13 suites and can accommodate up to 4 guests. At 65 square metres, it offers a spacious master bedroom with a private bathroom featuring a Jacuzzi bath and separate walk-in shower, and a sea facing lounge with double sofa bed and dining area. A second bathroom with a rain shower and a separate guest toilet are also available. For even more space these deluxe suites can be connected with a Superior sea view room.

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A CULTURAL IMMERSION SALT is the progressive new hotel brand connecting modern explorers with meaningful travel experiences

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he spirit of travel used to be about exploration and getting to know the unknown and returning home with inspiring stories of faraway lands and people that are in contrast to our everyday life. It used to be about meeting local people and places, learning a little of the local language, eating what the locals ate and shopping where the locals shopped to understand what made a place tick. A progressive new hotel brand promises to bring back tourism to where it started. SALT’s first property opened on 1 November 2018 in Mauritius and laid the foundation for future development across the Indian Ocean, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Paul Jones, SALT’s visionary and CEO of The Lux Collective describes SALT as a humanistic approach to hospitality targeting the culturally curious, “SALT was born from a demand for a more humanistic approach to hospitality – hotels that cater to an ever-growing audience of modern explorers and mindful travelers who travel to satisfy their curiosity and challenge their perception of the world. They want to connect with people - not just places - and they genuinely want to give something back. We call them Cultural Purists.

And in creating SALT, I believe we can help facilitate these connections and create meaningful experiences for our guests and the communities in which we operate. The possibilities for contribution and collaboration are endless,

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and I think this is just the beginning of something very special indeed.”

Every day is a learning day at SALT of Palmar. With an emphasis on local experiences and sustainability, Salt’s brand philosophy is exemplified by the Skill Swap platform, with guests meeting with and learning from locals. The platform connects you to locals with your skill on their must-learn list. And at the same time enables you to learn a local skill. For a traveler keen on learning something new, there are countless options including Pottery with Janine at her Pamplemousses studio, the art of early morning fishing with Kishor, how to coach the local football team with Fabrice, or basket weaving with Mrs. Bulleeram in Brisée Verdière. It’s all about broadened horizons and deeper understandings, at the same time making longlasting relationships.

The SALT of Palmar building is an iconic edifice that leads straight onto Palmar beach originally designed in 2005 by revered Mauritian architect, Maurice Giraud. It houses 59 rooms all overlooking the sea, garden or the 25-metre lap pool, and was transformed by Mauritian architect Jean Francois Adam in collaboration with French designer Camille Walala.

Well-loved for her bold tribal pop style and show-stopping spaces, Walala scoured the island for inspiration and talent to cherry pick the very best local craftspeople to design bespoke

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Entrance at the SALT of Palmar hotel, Mauritius

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pieces for the project to create a space that introduces a fresh, playful design concept to the island without distracting from its breath-taking beach location and surrounding nature. Local will be found in every nook and cranny – from the handmade ceramics in the restaurant to the handwoven beach bags and all-natural toiletries in every room. With the energy of doing things differently living at the heart of the SALT brand, it is fitting that the interiors were realized by an artist instead of an interior designer. Camille Walala’s uninhibited approach to colour married with her passion for the island of Mauritius made her the perfect choice.

The culmination is a hotel that looks unlike any other on the island. Where most resorts take their own design template and transplant it into their setting, SALT has done the reverse, channelling the character of its surroundings to shape its look and feel.

At the same time, it’s not just the external visual characteristics that showcase the hotels’ integration with its surroundings; it’s also prevalent in many details behind the scenes. The food philosophy at SALT is one of fresh, local, homemade, seasonal and zero waste - simplicity is the key ingredient. With not a buffet in sight, the team of all-Mauritian chefs design the dailychanging menus around whatever the farmers, fishermen and growers bring in that day. The on-site bakery produces tempting bread, pastries, home-roasted African coffee, local teas and tropical juices. Artisan pickled vegetables and preserved fruits are sourced exclusively from local, organic farms; all made in small batches using only seasonal fruits and vegetables.

The wok, the tandoor oven and the charcoal grill are the Trinity

Room at the SALT of Palmar hotel, Mauritius

while smoking anything and everything to release and enhance flavours. Fresh fish reach the kitchen every morning within hours of being caught. And the SALT Farm, which cultivates hydroponic fruit and vegetables, supplies most other produce.

Run in conjunction with Island Bio, a local NGO dedicated to empowering those in need via skill building programmes and training in agro-culture, the SALT Farm is a partnership based on a shared belief that fresh, high-quality food is the right of everyone.

Where possible, the hotel gets their needs from local sources; from the local soundtracks and musicians playing live, to the furniture, fabrics and toiletries. It prioritizes fair trade, organic, non-toxic, and even limits energy use, waste and emissions.

Compost, animal feed and recycling plants are a guarantee, along with a commitment to no buffets or single-use plastics.

It, therefore, comes as no surprise that the hotel has recently been awarded the ‘Positive Luxury’ label, which is a testament to its desire to operate while respecting the world around it and future generations.

SALT of Palmar is not just a launch pad for guests to discover their surroundings in the most authentic way, but also a stylish and simple base to relax, escape and recharge in.

Mindful of the busy lives led by people around the world, SALT has created the opportunity for guests to shed their worries and open their hearts and minds to a transformational experience. The hotel features a wellness philosophy that brings guests together for The Sunrise Run Club, sunrise salutations on the beach, meditation at Brahmakumari, dawn photography tour, hike & bike, yoga at the SALT Farm Shala and many more.

2019 JAN / FEB

113

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QUINTESSENTIAL BRITISH STYLE IN THE UAE Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons brings Rapport London to the region

D

ubai has carefully cultivated a profound relationship with luxury brands and its clientele which is evident in Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons’ continuous efforts in collaborating with industry powerhouses; bringing them to the UAE for their customers. Through one such exclusive partnership with British retailer Rapport London, some of the finest luxury watch accessories, jewellery boxes and timeless horological gifts are now available at Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons in The Dubai Mall.

Katie Goldblatt, Director of Rapport London said: “Rapport has invested in over a century of expertise and experience in creating the finest watch and jewellery accessories for people to treasure and enjoy for years to come. We are delighted to be partnering with Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, an established and trusted partner here in the region, who we know values the quality, range and craftsmanship of our exceptional products.”

Founded in 1898, Rapport London combines its unmistakable British craftsmanship with the skills of a cabinetmaker, clockmaker and an electronic engineer, the result of which is an exceptional range of watch accessories and leather goods that have been carefully handcrafted with attention to detail.

The offerings include an elegant selection of watch winders, watch boxes, jewellery boxes, pocket watches and leather trunks, among others, for the connoisseurs of time.

114 JAN / FEB 2019

THE ALL NEW 2019

SECTION NAME

ONE VEHICLE, MANY TALENTS. World’s first technologies. Stand-out design. Spacious interior. Powerfully elegant.

The all-new INFINITI QX50 is engineered to empower its drive.

INFINITIDUBAI

INFINITIDXB2019 JAN INFINITIDXB / FEB 115

SECTION NAME

TOURBILLON G-SENSOR RM 36-01 SEBASTIEN LOEB

116 JAN / FEB 2019