There’s no doubt about it, desert pop-ups are having their time in the sun in the UAE. And a stunning new one has just been added to this expanding list.
Link by mara is a gorgeous new desert venue that has opened up in Sharjah, a 45-minute drive away from Downtown Dubai.
What’s unique about the space is that visitors can now experience dining down in the sand thanks to its unique seating options.
“We wanted to do something different. We had seen Saudi Arabia do something very similar, and were inspired by the beauty of AlUla,” says founder Adnan Mohamed Saleh Al Zarooni.
“So we decided to create a unique, cosy style of seating. We created a few excavated booths, so that people can enjoy a lower seating area, making them feel like they are part of the desert. Adding to the experience are fire pits in every booth,” he says.
There are 13 booths in total, and each one can seat six to 10 people. There are other seating options also available, with the booths being offered to bigger groups, says Al Zarooni.
The reason behind the firepits at each booth is two-fold – they offer warmth and cosiness which is perfect for the season, and can also be used by visitors to grill their own meat. Link by Mara sells a number of marinated meats, as well as halloumi and paneer, which can be purchased at the venue and cooked over the firepit within the booth.
Not in the mood to grill your own food? This desert restaurant also has a wide menu with a focus on international fusion street food. Options include everything from spicy edamame and mini beef tacos to shakshuka bruschetta, popcorn shrimp and dynamite prawns, sliders, pastas and pizzas.
“We wanted to show food from around the world – that’s the idea behind the place. So there’s a little something for everyone,” says Al Zarooni.
The food is prepared in a portable kitchen nearby. Link by mara is part of the Mara food group, which started in 2014 as a catering service, before launching venues in Sharjah and Dubai. It’s currently behind concepts such as Mara Lounge in Al Zahia and Mara Lounge and Restaurant in Wasl 51.
“This year, we wanted to do something different,” says Al Zarooni. “When it comes to winter, we know people want to go outside, and since we are in the UAE, we wanted to keep the focus on the beauty of our winter. We decided on this spot because it really feels like the middle of nowhere, but is also easily accessible by road and has enough parking.”
Link by mara has just launched live entertainment in the form of a DJ, and plans to place classic cars around to add to the ambience.
The restaurant will stay open in its current format until Ramadan, after which there are plans to construct air-conditioned domes.
Link by mara is open daily; 4pm-2am on weekdays and 4pm-3am on weekends; visitors can use the Requeue app to check wait times and add their names to the waiting list; Instagram: @linkbymara
The biog
Year of birth: 1988
Place of birth: Baghdad
Education: PhD student and co-researcher at Greifswald University, Germany
Hobbies: Ping Pong, swimming, reading
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.”
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
the pledge
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I pledge to wish for others what I wish for myself
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I pledge to always stand up for these values: Zayed's values for tolerance and human fraternity
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
