ABU DHABI // A newly formed tourism authority will replace the emirate's two main tourism and culture agencies, while maintaining the staff and assets of both.
The Abu Dhabi Authority for Tourism and Culture is to preserve, protect and manage the cultural heritage of the emirate, along with promoting tourism development.
The new body will replace the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (Adach).
The merger, ordered by the President, Sheikh Khalifa, will see the new authority regulate the tourism sector and develop policies overseeing hotels, exhibitions, and other tourism facilities. The authority will also organise conferences and festivals.
The Authority for Tourism and Culture will also plan and implement programmes for archaeological explorations and the establishment and development of museums.
A board of directors with at least five members will oversee the authority's management, and members were appointed by decision from the chairman of Abu Dhabi's Executive Council.
The board of directors will be chaired by Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, and will also have Dr Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Mohamed Khalaf Al Mazroui, Jassim Mohammed Al Darmaki and Brigadier General Omeir Muhammad Muhairi as members.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The drill
Recharge as needed, says Mat Dryden: “We try to make it a rule that every two to three months, even if it’s for four days, we get away, get some time together, recharge, refresh.” The couple take an hour a day to check into their businesses and that’s it.
Stick to the schedule, says Mike Addo: “We have an entire wall known as ‘The Lab,’ covered with colour-coded Post-it notes dedicated to our joint weekly planner, content board, marketing strategy, trends, ideas and upcoming meetings.”
Be a team, suggests Addo: “When training together, you have to trust in each other’s abilities. Otherwise working out together very quickly becomes one person training the other.”
Pull your weight, says Thuymi Do: “To do what we do, there definitely can be no lazy member of the team.”
The biog
Full name: Aisha Abdulqader Saeed
Age: 34
Emirate: Dubai
Favourite quote: "No one has ever become poor by giving"
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Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)