IlluMyFi

United Kingdom: For one day only, members of the public will be greeted to a larger-than-life animated street stunt in several locations across London and Manchester, where they'll have the chance to escape the winter blues and win the holiday of a lifetime to the beautiful nature emirate of the UAE, Ras Al Khaimah, in partnership with On the Beach. From 4.30pm on Wednesday 10th January, people passing through London's South Kensington and Knightsbridge, as well as Manchester's Gore Street and Victoria Bridge, will be treated to a live motion projection, featuring Ras Al Khaimah's well-known cat animation, where they will need to scan a QR code at the location to enter the competition, and be in with the chance to win. Projection Locations: London (16:30 - 18:30): South Kensington, at the foot of Exhibition Road, above Comptoir Libanaise London (19:00 - 21:00): Knightsbridge on Brompton Road, above GUESS by Harrods Manchester (16:30 - 18:30): Gore Street Manchester (19:00 - 21:00): Victoria Bridge, on the side of the Premier Inn Hotel The projection, composed from footage of the recent 'All About You' campaign, created by FABLEfx, the award-winning creature animation studio behind major filming projects, features a super cool feline character, inspired by the story of Leo the cat, who found a home in Ras Al Khaimah and became a much-loved social media icon after being rescued from RAK Animal Welfare Centre. Ras Al Khaimah offers picturesque landscapes from its white sandy beaches to lush mangroves and mountain panoramas. It's home to multiple renowned hospitality brands and hoteliers, including Waldorf Astoria, Hilton, Ritz-Carlton, Mövenpick, InterContinental and more. On top of the incredible hospitality, visitors can also partake in a range of exhilarating adventure activities the destination offers, from riding the longest zipline in the world, to hiking and stargazing in the UAEs highest campsite, and taking in the Arabian cultural treasures. To find out more about the competition, make sure to follow Ras Al Khaimah's social media channels (Instagram|Facebook) for more information on how to participate. Terms and Conditions apply. For further information, please contact: RAKTDA@prm-global.com About Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) The Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) was established in May 2011 under the government of Ras Al Khaimah. RAKTDA aims to develop the Emirate's tourism infrastructure and establish Ras Al Khaimah as a world-class destination for leisure and business travel, creating sustainable investment opportunities and enhancing the quality of life for its residents. In order to achieve its goals, the Authority has a government mandate to license, regulate and monitor the Emirate's tourism and hospitality industry. www.visitrasalkhaimah.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube Hashtag: #VisitRasAlKhaim

Sentiment

Bearish/Bullish

13.01.24 07:34

by zawya.com

BlackRock strikes $12.5bln deal for Global Infrastructure Partners

NEW YORK/LONDON - BlackRock said on Friday it would buy Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) for $12.5 billion in a major bet on alternative assets and announced a shake-up of its top management. The deal, which includes $3 billion in cash and 12 million BlackRock shares, will put the asset management giant at the heart of investing in ports, power, and digital infrastructure projects around the globe. Once the deal closes, the firm will hold approximately $150 billion in infrastructure assets across a portfolio that ranges from the U.S. liquefied natural gas export market to wastewater services in France to airports in England and Australia. Soaring demand for logistics and digital infrastructure, and the trillions of dollars needed for the transition away from high-carbon energy, have made the asset class increasingly popular among institutional investors. "Infrastructure is one of the most exciting long-term investment opportunities, as a number of structural shifts re-shape the global economy," said chief executive Larry Fink. BlackRock, which manages $10 trillion across all markets, has been on the hunt for what it hopes will be a transformative deal as its revenues stagnated and its environmental, social, and corporate governance business came under political attacks in the United States. "This is [Fink's] chance to put his final fingerprint on the company" and allow it to compete with firms such as BlackStone and Apollo Global Management, said Kyle Sanders, an analyst at Edward Jones, who has a buy rating on the stock. Founded in 2006, GIP manages more than $100 billion in assets and has a portfolio including Britain's Gatwick airport, the Port of Melbourne and major offshore wind projects. MANAGEMENT CHANGES BlackRock also unveiled changes to its senior management structure, at a time when speculation has been growing over who will succeed Fink, who founded BlackRock in 1988. Stephen Cohen becomes chief product officer and will lead a new global product strategy group, while Salim Ramji, global head of iShares and index investments, is leaving, according to a company memo seen by Reuters. BlackRock is also creating a new international business structure under Rachel Lord to lead Europe, the Middle East, India, and Asia Pacific, the memo said. Five of GIP's founding partners will join BlackRock, including GIP Chairman Bayo Ogunlesi, who will also join BlackRock's board of directors following closure of the deal, it added. Ogunlesi will step down from Goldman Sachs' board following his move to BlackRock, Goldman CEO David Solomon said on Friday. The deal adds "new contenders" to the list of candidates to succeed Fink, who at 71 has yet to name his eventual replacement, said Cathy Seifert, an analyst at CFRA. "As alternative assets become an increasingly important part of BlackRock's business mix, the next leader's private asset skill set will become more important," she said. PROFIT BEAT BlackRock also reported an 8% rise in quarterly profit, helped by a rebound i...