DUBAI // Given Imad Reyal’s approach to rugby sevens, the Dubai resident’s choice of mouth guard this weekend does not particularly surprise.
Born in Sri Lanka, he would have been more concerned back home with raising enough funds to facilitate his love of the short format, when jersey, shorts and boots would have assumed natural priority.
So, as he prepared to resume his role this year as a temporary member of Hunters, the side he helped secure the 2012 International Social title, he was faced with a fresh dilemma.
Having always played the sport without a gum shield, Reyal, who represents the Jebel Ali Dragons in the domestic game here, was provided the opportunity to finally own one thanks to Dentcare, Hunters’ Dubai-based sponsors.
Known for his swagger on the pitch, the fleet-footed fullback predictably opted for some serious swag at the clinic, too.
“Everyone got to pick their own colours, so I went for black and gold,” Reyal said yesterday, after his team had safely negotiated passage to the trophy quarter-finals. “It’s got my name on it as well, so it’s pretty cool. I picked it to look flashy.”
Expect him to be flashing that winning smile throughout the weekend. Judging by Hunters’ display on Day 1 – the holders won all three of their matches, with an aggregate score of 168-0 – that mouth guard should get plenty of exposure.
That Reyal has spent his whole rugby career without one is testament to his passion, not to mention courage.
Solid but diminutive, he is one of the competition’s smaller combatants, yet for someone who cut their teeth in 2011 for the UAE against bruisers from Samoa and Fiji, protecting his pearly whites never really crossed his mind. Typically costing around Dh3,000, he was understandably grateful for Dentcare’s support.
“All the other boys were wearing them, but I was like ‘I’m Sri Lankan anyway’,” Reyal said. “Almost no one there wears a mouth guard. The people who can afford them do, and most of the players playing for clubs get paid, so they have them.
“But this is the first time I’ve worn one. It was uncomfortable at first, but now I’m loving it.”
If only Reyal could have got fitted out a few weeks beforehand. Earlier this month, when featuring for the Dragons against Dubai Hurricanes in the UAE Premiership final, he was smashed in the mouth by a cheap-shot from an opponent, leaving him concussed for the next 10 minutes.
As his victorious teammates celebrated that night, Reyal spent the evening trying to recall what actually happened. He still draws a blank, although the perilous pursuit of yet more success means he will not be changing his never-say-die attitude.
His newest piece of equipment will help, of course, although his dentist would probably want to look away now. “I’ll always give my best anyway,” Reyal said with a wide grin. “I don’t care about getting smashed.”
jmcauley@thenational.ae
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
RESULTS
Men
1 Marius Kipserem (KEN) 2:04:04
2 Abraham Kiptum (KEN) 2:04:16
3 Dejene Debela Gonfra (ETH) 2:07:06
4 Thomas Rono (KEN) 2:07:12
5 Stanley Biwott (KEN) 2:09:18
Women
1 Ababel Yeshaneh (ETH) 2:20:16
2 Eunice Chumba (BRN) 2:20:54
3 Gelete Burka (ETH) 2:24:07
4 Chaltu Tafa (ETH) 2:25:09
5 Caroline Kilel (KEN) 2:29:14
The Bio
Name: Lynn Davison
Profession: History teacher at Al Yasmina Academy, Abu Dhabi
Children: She has one son, Casey, 28
Hometown: Pontefract, West Yorkshire in the UK
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite Author: CJ Sansom
Favourite holiday destination: Bali
Favourite food: A Sunday roast
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
