In the personal museum of Maj Gen Obaid Al Ketbi, each corner tells a story.
The life of the former ambassador and army and police general has been rich in experiences, from serving in Kosovo and Iraq to becoming the chairman of Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
What many people don’t know is that he also keeps a collection of precious personal belongings.
His home-grown gallery houses more than 15,000 items and occupies two storeys of his Abu Dhabi villa.
The National was invited on an exclusive tour.
The artefacts include swords and rifles, a field phone from the Second World War and the first model of car-phone, used in the 1970s.
“What is really interesting is that when I have people visit here, especially from outside the UAE, they look at the things from different parts of the world, and if they don’t find something from their country, they come back with a gift,” Maj Gen Al Ketbi said.
“For me, this is an open space where people can visit to see something from our culture.”
Next to an exotic Tajik crescent-shaped weapon whose handle has been crafted in the shape of a snake's head lies an original samurai sword as well as one of 15 original swords used in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.
“Every item you see here has a story behind it,” he said.
While many treasures found at the museum were gifts, he entered lengthy negotiations to acquire the film prop.
The sword was the last remaining piece of the 15 that were used on set; the first three are owned by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, the Japanese Emperor and former US President Barack Obama, respectively.
“I fought for the last remaining one. It was on display and not for sale,” he said.
Maj Gen Al Ketbi came across the sword at a gallery in Queenstown, New Zealand, while touring the region in which the film was shot.
“They did not want to sell it. We had to go through many negotiations and I had to convince them why I wanted to buy it,” he said.
“I told them I was impressed by the film itself and the story. I also explained how I love historical and antique pieces and that I would to have it as part of my collection back home.”
That he was the UAE ambassador to Australia at the time could have been a deal-breaker, but the Emirati used his powers of persuasion.
“I said: ‘Imagine if I take this back with me all the way from here to the UAE and I tell your story to anyone who visits me?’.”
The supervisor was eventually convinced and sold him the sword for an undisclosed sum.
“I believe it will be worth millions one day,” he said.
In the centre of the first room lie two remarkable chessboards.
The first was given to him by a Russian businessman. Its pieces have been crafted down to the smallest detail to represent replicas of a Russian and Swedish army that once faced each other in battle.
“It was custom-made. The beauty of it is that each piece has its own unique details,” he said.
Next to it is a chessboard with more traditional pieces, yet are all made of marble.
Another space features gifts from diplomats and political figures.
“The most interesting part is the exchange of gifts,” Maj Gen Al Ketbi said.
He pulled out a historical Japanese scroll and a notebook.
“This was a gift from the Japanese ambassador. It describes a battle that happened in the past.
“If you can read Japanese you will understand the story,” he said.
While significantly valuable pieces of art can be spotted in every corner, some collectibles are valuable to their owner simply because of the story they tell.
Maj Gen Al Ketbi has kept every personal belonging he had since he joined the UAE Armed Forces in 1976. Some items are older and were acquired by his parents.
He pointed to a framed document on the wall.
“This is my elementary school certificate as issued and framed in 1971,” he said.
“I have my old credit cards, mileage cards, ID cards, drivers’ licences, watches, pens, passports and mobile phones; I never throw anything away.”
His first mobile car-phone, obtained in 1978, was also on display.
“You had to get permission to use this phone in your car,” he said.
The device looked nothing like the handheld gadgets used today. It resembled a medium-sized briefcase.
“The number was 31320. It used to be five digits.”
In the third room, Maj Gen Al Ketbi keeps sporting prizes and memorabilia, including medals, T-shirts, photos and caps.
They are linked to Al Forsan, his initiative to promote Emirati involvement in sport.
“I formed Al Forsan in 2008 to encourage people to become healthier and exercise more,” he said.
The major general launched the project after adopting a more active lifestyle upon his return from a war zone.
He was part of the UAE mission that joined Nato’s Kfor peacekeepers on the Albanian border in 1999, to which thousands of Kosovan refugees had fled.
“In 1999, after I returned from Kosovo, I gained weight until I reached 107 kilograms,” he said.
A year later, he gradually adopted a healthier lifestyle. By 2008 he had shed more than 20kg and become a sports enthusiast.
At the centre of the room hangs “the largest medal in the world” as recognised by Guinness World Records.
The stories to be told about the items in the museum are countless, said Maj Gen Al Ketbi, and there is still more to come.
“I am trying to find more space, because I think I have more items to display,” he said.
“I really feel proud because everything I have received in life you will find it here.”
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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The view from The National
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE tour of the Netherlands
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures:
Monday, 1st 50-over match
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match
RESULT
Manchester United 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1
Man United: Sanchez (24' ), Herrera (62')
Spurs: Alli (11')
Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Squads
Australia: Finch (c), Agar, Behrendorff, Carey, Coulter-Nile, Lynn, McDermott, Maxwell, Short, Stanlake, Stoinis, Tye, Zampa
India: Kohli (c), Khaleel, Bumrah, Chahal, Dhawan, Shreyas, Karthik, Kuldeep, Bhuvneshwar, Pandey, Krunal, Pant, Rahul, Sundar, Umesh
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
if you go
The flights
Emirates have direct flights from Dubai to Glasgow from Dh3,115. Alternatively, if you want to see a bit of Edinburgh first, then you can fly there direct with Etihad from Abu Dhabi.
The hotel
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Located in the heart of Mackintosh's Glasgow, the Dakota Deluxe is perhaps the most refined hotel anywhere in the city. Doubles from Dh850
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Events and tours
There are various Mackintosh specific events throughout 2018 – for more details and to see a map of his surviving designs see glasgowmackintosh.com
For walking tours focussing on the Glasgow Style, see the website of the Glasgow School of Art.
More information
For ideas on planning a trip to Scotland, visit www.visitscotland.com
