Khaldoon Al Mubarak opens Manchester City Women’s new $13.5 million training center
Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Chairman of Manchester City F.C. and Group CEO of Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala sovereign wealth fund, hailed the development of women’s soccer in the U.K. on Wednesday at the launch of a £10 million ($13.5 million) training center for Manchester City’s women’s team.
“This new facility marks the next logical step in our long-term commitment to Manchester City Women, and is an important milestone for the club as a whole,” Al Mubarak said in a statement.
The 17,000-square-foot building – opening after Manchester City Women was crowned champion of the Barclays Women’s Super League last week – includes a specialized gym, medical and rehabilitation suites, and a circular dressing room designed to “strengthen team cohesion.”
Manchester City is owned primarily by the City Football Group, which is controlled by the Abu Dhabi United Group. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, the UAE Vice President and owner of Abu Dhabi United, bought Manchester City in 2008. U.S.-based private equity firm Silver Lake owns a minority stake in City Football Group after investing $500 million in 2019.
DP World ready for immediate return to Venezuelan ports
Dubai’s global port operator DP World is ready to start operations in Venezuela “within 24 hours” if the situation changes following the capture of President Nicolas Maduro by the U.S., its chairman says.
“Tomorrow if there’s a cargo opportunity in Venezuela, we will go … We can start within 24 hours if we need to. We know the place very well, the teams, everybody,” Sultan bin Sulayem, DP World Chairman and Group CEO, told The National.
The container shipping and logistics giant previously ran terminal operations at Venezuela’s Puerto Cabello until 2009, when the military took over the country’s ports and airports under former President Hugo Chavez.
Since then U.S. sanctions have made it difficult to return.
XRG Executive Chairman Sultan Al Jaber takes on role as CEO
Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, meanwhile, the UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADIPEC’s official host, has been appointed the Chief Executive Officer of XRG, the international investment arm of national energy company ADNOC.
Al Jaber was already XRG’s Executive Chairman before formally taking the CEO title, following the retirement of Khaled Salmeen, XRG’s former Chief Operating Officer, Bloomberg reports.
Al Jaber is also Group CEO of ADNOC, Chairman of renewable energy firm Masdar and he served as President of the U.N.’s COP28 climate conference that was hosted by the UAE two years ago.
Carlyle’s Rubenstein explores investments in Dubai
David Rubenstein, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of The Carlyle Group, met with Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, the First Deputy Ruler of Dubai over the weekend, as competition heats up to attract private capital to the region.
“We discussed the unique model for public-private partnerships established by the UAE and Dubai, and the new investment opportunities resulting from this approach,” Sheikh Maktoum, who is also UAE Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and President of the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC), wrote in a post to Instagram.
Carlyle, one of the world’s biggest private equity and alternate asset managers with $425 billion under management, opened an office in Dubai’s DIFC in 2006.
Rubenstein said the firm is looking to expand its footprint in the region and eyeing new opportunities in emerging markets, according to a statement carried by state media WAM.
The meeting was attended by Carlyle CEO Harvey Schwartz and Ani Khatri, the group’s Managing Director, Partner and Senior Relationship Manager responsible for overseeing Investor Relations in the Middle East, Turkey and Central Asia.
From the government, Minister of State for Financial Affairs Mohamed bin Hadi Al Hussaini, DIFC Governor Essa Kazim and Dubai Holding Group CEO Amit Kaushal were also present.
