Following the likes of Instagram and Facebook, LinkedIn is the latest social networking platform to add a Stories feature to its repertoire – and the UAE is one of the first countries to try it out.
The world's largest professional networking site today announced its new LinkedIn Stories feature, allowing users to share photos and videos, of up to 20 seconds, on their accounts.
The UAE is the first country in the Mena region to test out the new feature, where the company has four million users.
LinkedIn says the pandemic is largely the reason behind the introduction of Stories by saying that 20 per cent more co-workers were now having private conversations on the platform, and they had experienced engagement on posts triple. But even further back, in the year from March 2019 to March 2020, it had recorded a 55 per cent increase in conversations between connections.
The pandemic had also, as expected, resulted in a huge boost in the consumption of content. Forty per cent of LinkedIn members say that they read the news more often nowadays, and 30 per cent check social media platforms more frequently.
LinkedIn believes this will mean that, while the tool is freely available to all, it might be particularly useful for publishers and media.
Lynn Chouman, editor at LinkedIn News, says Stories will offer "an accessible and convenient way to share updates, industry news, and professional content".
“With the demand for visual content and mobile-first formats poised to grow exponentially, we believe this feature will provide a creative solution for members to show their professional side with a human touch. We are looking forward to more productive interactions and engagements among our 4-million strong community in the UAE”.
Interestingly, in its information about the new feature, LinkedIn urges users to do almost the opposite of what the feature is used for on different platforms. It warns against being "overly personal" and posting private moments, posting "inappropriate content" that could jeopardise future career prospects and posting about "opportunities to spam personal products or services". Instead, it says to use the feature to post relevant, professional content, educational opportunities and conversation starters for professional news.
How to use LinkedIn Stories
Perhaps not surprisingly, LinkedIn's version works almost the same as the equivalents on other social media platforms. But in case you're unfamiliar with the concept, here's a step-by-step guide:
- On the top left of your "home" feed, you'll now see small circles at the top with the names and photos of some of your connections. These are there Stories.
- To add to yours, click on your name and profile photo, which is displayed with a small "+" sign.
- Use the red button in the middle of the screen to capture real-time videos or pictures, or upload them from your camera roll using the left "camera" button.
- Customise using stickers or text and then click "share story".
- Like other "story" iterations, the post will then be visible for 24 hours. It will only be able to be viewed by your "first degree" connections, so those you have actively accepted as a connection.
- After publishing, you will then gain access to an analytics tool to see who viewed your story.
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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.”
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