AD Ports Group Signs Official Logistics Partnership with Team Abu Dhabi for the 2026 UIM F1H2O World Championship

AD Ports Group Signs Official Logistics Partnership with Team Abu Dhabi for the 2026 UIM F1H2O World Championship

Abu Dhabi, UAE – 16 July 2026: AD Ports Group (ADX: ADPORTS), a global enabler of integrated trade, industry and logistics solutions, has signed a logistics partnership agreement with Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club, under which AD Ports Group becomes the Official Logistics Partner of Team Abu Dhabi F1H2O for the 2026 UIM F1H2O World Championship.

The agreement was signed by Sultan Al Ghaithi, Group Chief Human Resources Officer, AD Ports Group, and Thani Al Qamzi, Executive Director of Team Abu Dhabi, representing Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club, in the presence of senior officials and representatives from both organisations.

Through the partnership, AD Ports Group will support the logistics operations behind Team Abu Dhabi’s global campaigns by leveraging its expertise and capabilities in logistics and supply chain management. This will enable the efficient transportation of race boats and technical equipment in line with the highest international standards, further enhancing the team’s readiness for major competitions.

Sultan Al Ghaithi, Group Chief Human Resources Officer, AD Ports Group, said: “This partnership reflects AD Ports Group’s commitment to supporting national initiatives that showcase Abu Dhabi’s leadership and global presence. We are pleased to work with Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club and Team Abu Dhabi, leveraging our logistics expertise to support a team that embodies the values of ambition, excellence, innovation and professionalism that define the Emirate. We look forward to supporting a successful 2026 championship season.”

Thani Al Qamzi, Executive Director of Team Abu Dhabi, said: “This agreement represents an important milestone for Team Abu Dhabi, bringing together two organisations with a shared commitment to excellence and strengthening Abu Dhabi’s presence on the global stage. The logistics support provided by a global partner with AD Ports Group’s expertise will further enhance the team’s readiness and ability to compete at the highest levels.”

The partnership brings together two organisations that proudly represent Abu Dhabi on the international stage. Team Abu Dhabi has established itself as one of the world’s leading marine sports teams, carrying the Emirate’s name across major global championships, while showcasing Abu Dhabi as a premier global destination for sport and tourism, supported by its world-class infrastructure and proven expertise in hosting international sporting events. At the same time, AD Ports Group continues to reinforce Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading global hub for industry, trade, and logistics.

Under the partnership, AD Ports Group’s brand will be featured across Team Abu Dhabi’s boats, race apparel, media platforms, and promotional activities throughout the 2026 championship season. The partnership reinforces AD Ports Group’s connection with excellence in marine sports while supporting a team that continues to inspire pride in the UAE.

The agreement represents a model of collaboration between national institutions and supports Abu Dhabi’s vision of strengthening its global leadership in marine sports through strategic partnerships built on expertise, innovation and excellence.

Grand Metropolitan Hotels Initiates Separation from VZB Joint Venture and Focuses on Operational Growth

Grand Metropolitan Hotels is further sharpening its strategic focus for the next phase of growth. The Group’s operational business is centred on hotel management, branding, franchising and affiliations, as well as the development of proprietary brands and digital solutions. Grand Metropolitan Hotels remains committed to the continued expansion of this independent business model. At the same time, the Group has initiated the separation from Grand Metropolitan Hotels Holding B.V., the Dutch investment holding company jointly owned with the Versorgungswerk der Zahnärztekammer Berlin (VZB).

Grand Metropolitan Hotels generates its operating revenues primarily through hotel management, franchise and affiliation agreements. The Group develops and acquires proprietary hotel brands and strategic investments. Its portfolio includes, among others, TOP INTERNATIONAL Hotels, Voile d’Or Hotels & Resorts, Signature Hotels, Park Avenue Hotels, as well as additional brands and investments. These activities form the operational core of the Grand Metropolitan Hotels Group.

Another strategic focus is the development of digital and AI-powered solutions for hotel operations. Grand Metropolitan Hotels combines these technology initiatives with its management, branding and affiliation services to create integrated and scalable solutions for the hospitality industry.

Grand Metropolitan Hotels Holding B.V., based in the Netherlands, is an investment holding company within the Group’s former corporate structure. The Smura Family Holding currently owns approximately 70 percent of the company, while VZB is the minority shareholder. The interests in TOP INTERNATIONAL Hotels, Voile d’Or Hotels & Resorts, Signature Hotels and the Group’s other brands and investments are held entirely within the Grand Metropolitan Hotels Group. The Grand Metropolitan Hotels Group itself is exclusively owned by the Smura Family Holding.

From the perspective of Grand Metropolitan Hotels, the joint venture has failed. Grand Metropolitan Hotels offered to acquire VZB’s shareholding in Grand Metropolitan Hotels Holding B.V.; however, no agreement could ultimately be reached. In addition, VZB did not approve a proposed capital increase put forward by Grand Metropolitan Hotels. Likewise, VZB declined the offer to acquire GMH’s shareholding. As a result, Grand Metropolitan Hotels considers the investment holding company to be blocked in key financing and structural decisions. The Group therefore regards the basis for continuing the joint venture in its current form as no longer existing and has initiated the separation process.

“We proposed a commercially sound solution for separating the shareholders. No agreement could be reached regarding the acquisition of VZB’s shareholding, and the proposed capital increase did not receive the required approval. As a result, the investment holding company has, in our view, reached a deadlock. We therefore consider the joint venture to have failed, have initiated the separation process and will continue to develop our operating business independently,” said Martin R. Smura, Chairman of the Grand Metropolitan Hotels Group.

“The Dutch investment holding company represents a clearly defined business case and should not be confused with the Grand Metropolitan Hotels Group as a whole. We are now creating clarity and focusing on the independent development of our Group and its brands.”

The separation relates solely to the Dutch investment holding company. Grand Metropolitan Hotels will continue all other activities across its core business areas, including hotel management, branding, franchising, affiliations, brand development and technology. The legal and corporate restructuring of the joint venture will continue separately from the Group’s operating business under the guidance of its appointed legal advisers. Beyond confirmed procedural developments, the Group will not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.

SCRYPT Strengthens Technology Leadership with Appointment of Vivek Maurya as Head of Engineering

ZURICH, Switzerland, July 16 – SCRYPT, the operating system for digital assets, has appointed Vivek Maurya as Head of Engineering, strengthening its technology leadership team to support banks, payment providers, fintechs, and corporate treasury teams navigating the digital asset economy.

In his new role, Maurya will lead SCRYPT’s engineering function and oversee the continued development of the infrastructure underpinning its digital asset custody, crypto services, and stablecoin payment solutions. His remit includes advancing platform performance, reliability, and resilience as clients increasingly integrate digital assets into core financial operations.

“As digital assets become increasingly embedded into financial services, technology infrastructure must meet the highest standards of engineering excellence,” said Norman Wooding, Founder and CEO, SCRYPT. “Vivek’s experience building mission-critical platforms will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen the infrastructure that supports our clients and their digital asset strategies.”

Maurya brings more than two decades of engineering leadership experience spanning financial services, cloud infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and blockchain technologies. His career has focused on building and scaling mission-critical distributed systems, cloud-native platforms, and data infrastructure. Most recently, he held engineering leadership roles at Netflix and Coinbase, where he contributed to highly scalable platforms supporting millions of users and critical financial services.

“What drew me to SCRYPT is the opportunity to build the technology infrastructure that enables the next generation of digital asset services,” said Vivek Maurya, Head of Engineering, SCRYPT. “The team has already developed a strong platform, and I’m excited to bring my experience in scalable systems, resilient architecture, and engineering execution to help advance the technology clients need to operate with confidence.”

The appointment underscores SCRYPT’s commitment to building world-class engineering capabilities as it continues to evolve the technology powering digital asset trading, custody, and payments.

IIM Bangalore and Square Yards partner to build a data-driven Property Price Index for India

IIM Bangalore and Square Yards partner to build a data-driven Property Price Index for IndiaMulti-year collaboration to develop a transparent, research-led benchmark for India’s residential property market

16 July, 2026, Bengaluru: Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB), through its Real Estate Research Initiative (RERI), and Square Yards, one of India’s largest integrated proptech platforms, announced a multi-year collaboration to develop and publish a robust, methodologically sound property price index for India.The partnership brings together two complementary strengths: Square Yards’ deep, transaction-level view of the Indian real estate market and IIMB’s independent academic expertise in finance and real estate research. Together, the parties intend to build an index that tracks how residential property prices move across the country over time — giving homebuyers, investors, lenders, policymakers and researchers a credible, transparent reference point in a market long characterised by fragmented and inconsistent pricing information.

Turning data into a public good

A reliable house price index depends on the breadth, depth and quality of the underlying data. Square Yards will contribute anonymised and aggregated data drawn from across its data intelligence ecosystem, including 150mn+ property registration data and government guidance values (circle rates), RERA data, primary transaction records from its platform, and residential listings. This data will be shared on a periodic basis for the purpose of building and maintaining the index and supporting related academic research.

Under the collaboration, IIMB will lead the design of the index methodology and the underlying scientific model, and will retain full academic freedom and publication rights over the research it conducts. The index itself will be jointly developed, combining Square Yards’ data with IIMB’s peer-reviewed statistical approach — a structure intended to keep the benchmark both data-rich and academically independent.

Prof. Venkatesh Panchapagesan, Chairperson, Real Estate Research Initiative (RERI) and faculty of Finance & Accounting at IIM Bangalore, said, “Indian housing markets have historically lacked the transparent, high-frequency price benchmarks that mature markets take for granted. The value of this collaboration lies in combining the scale and granularity of Square Yards’ data with a rigorous, transparent and independently developed methodology. Our aim is to create an index that stands up to academic scrutiny and genuinely informs how households, institutions and policymakers understand the direction of property prices in India”.

Tanuj Shori, Founder & CEO, Square Yards, said,“For over a decade, we have been building one of the most comprehensive real estate data ecosystems in India — spanning registrations, transactions, listings and government benchmarks across the country. We have always believed this data can serve a purpose far larger than our own business. Partnering with IIM Bangalore allows us to put that data intelligence to work for the entire market. A credible, independent property price index is exactly the kind of public infrastructure Indian real estate has needed, and we are proud to help build it”.

A benchmark built for transparency and trust

The index is designed to be a shared reference for the market rather than a proprietary product. IIMB will publish research and findings developed using the data, with Square Yards duly acknowledged as the data provider. Both organisations will be able to use the jointly developed index in their respective research, reporting and business activities, supporting wider adoption across the ecosystem. The collaboration reflects a broader shared ambition to bring greater transparency, standardisation and evidence-based decision-making to one of India’s largest and most consequential asset classes.

World Youth Skills Day: New Age Skills That Redefine the Culinary Professional of the Future

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By Subhasis Mandal

In tourism-dependent Goa, where luxury hotels, beach shacks, cruise liners and cafés all compete to serve a global audience, the role of a chef is being gradually redefined. This World Youth Skills Day, Subhasis Mandal, principal of Kamaxi Skills and Kamaxi College of Culinary Arts (KCCA), shifts the spotlight beyond the plate on to the new skills shaping tomorrow’s culinary professionals, that encourage leadership driven by sustainability and cultural empathy.

Panaji: A chef today is no longer judged only by what they bring to the plate. The idea of what makes a “skilled chef” has evolved beyond technical expertise to include teamwork, sustainability and the ability to understand different cultures.

This is especially true in Goa, where the same coastline is home to luxury hotels, beach shacks, cruise liners, cafés and a steady stream of international visitors, each with unique tastes and expectations. In this dynamic environment, chefs are expected not only to create memorable dishes but also to lead their teams towards zero food wastage and adapt to diverse cultural preferences.

July 15 marks World Youth Skills Day, a reminder that young people need more than just technical knowledge to succeed. They also need empathy, cross-cultural communication and a strong sense of environmental responsibility. Reflecting this year’s theme, “Skills for a Shared Future”, these values must be merged into the core of the modern curriculum.

Cooking has become a team discipline where the chef’s role has shifted from sole owner of recipes to leader and mentor, responsible for passing knowledge on rather than withholding it.

To be successful today, a chef must possess these new skills. They need to be friendly, kind and trustworthy leaders who encourage their teammates while understanding modern ideas like ‘Farm-to-Plate’ and promoting the use of clean energy such as biogas. Despite these new-age needs, the basic rules of cooking remain the same. Strong kitchen discipline, attention to detail and excellent knife skills remain essential.

Sustainability has become an integral part of culinary operations. Businesses are expected to minimise food waste, source ingredients responsibly and adopt environmentally sustainable practices. Culinary graduates who understand sustainable food systems and circular economy principles will enjoy a significant competitive advantage.

Institutions must equip students with knowledge of plant-based cuisine, alternative proteins, zero-waste cooking, regenerative agriculture, precision fermentation, vertical farming and the use of locally sourced ingredients alongside nutrition, healthy cooking techniques and functional foods. As the industry evolves, the human element remains irreplaceable. Creativity, craftsmanship and the ability to achieve harmony in colour, texture and flavour continue to define the true hallmarks of culinary excellence.

Sustainability at Kamaxi Skills is treated as a habit rather than a theory. Students follow a waste management system inspired by international cruise industry protocols, where kitchen waste is segregated into three separate bins during every practical session. At the end of each class, the waste is measured, analysed and reviewed with students to identify opportunities for further waste reduction and improved kitchen efficiency, thereby turning waste disposal into a teaching tool.

Cultural empathy is built into sourcing decisions as much as into recipes. Students at the institution work with locally sourced ingredients, creatively adapting international cuisines while understanding their cultural roots. Supported by specialised courses including larder, butchery, gastronomic tourism and food science, they build strong conceptual knowledge, practical skills and an appreciation of evolving culinary traditions.

This World Youth Skills Day reminds us that the future of culinary education lies in preparing young professionals who combine technical excellence with responsibility towards a shared future. A chef must share skills, cook with conscience and understand that every plate carries the weight of the world it feeds.

 (Subhasis Mandal, serves as the principal of the skilling and culinary institutions, Kamaxi Skills and Kamaxi College of Culinary Arts (KCCA), respectively)

Infrastructure, Institutions & Industry – Moshi–Bhosari’s Triple Engine Real Estate Growth

– by Anil Pharande, Founder & Chairman – Pharande Spaces

Moshi, Bhosari and the Moshi Pradhikaran area occupy the eastern edge of Pune, along the Pune–Nashik highway and the contiguous industrial belt of Bhosari. Until recently, this corridor was regarded primarily as an industrial and peripheral zone. Over the last decade, however, it has begun to function as an emerging urban sub-hub, supported by a combination of institutional, civic and large-scale infrastructure projects.

Price Growth Trends

Property prices in the Moshi–Bhosari corridor have moved from a low-base, slow-growth phase to a more sustained appreciation trajectory. In Moshi, average residential rates in 2025–26 were in the range of INR 4,700/sq.ft. to INR 7,200/sq.ft., with a five-year capital appreciation of approximately 17.5%. This reflects a steady, multi-year upward trend rather than a speculative spike.

Bhosari, in the same period, shows a price range of roughly INR 5,000/sq.ft. to INR 6,200/sq.ft. for residential properties. The area has appreciated at a rate comparable to the broader Pimpri–Chinchwad corridor, which has seen around 17% cumulative growth over five years. The fact that Bhosari is now tracking this price band shows that the micro-market has moved beyond its earlier peripheral status.

Across the wider Pimpri–Chinchwad belt, records indicate an average appreciation of 17% over five years, with older micro-markets showing more moderate gains and newly emerging nodes demonstrating higher growth. Moshi and parts of Bhosari appear to be positioned within this higher-growth segment, given their infrastructure-led re-rating.

IIM-Nagpur Campus – The Education Anchor

The state government has approved 70 acres of gairan land at Moshi for a Pune campus of IIM-Nagpur. This decision introduces a high-prestige educational anchor into the area. Institutional campuses of this nature typically generate sustained demand for housing, retail, hospitality and support services, and they also improve the perceived quality of the location.

In comparable cases across India, the announcement and construction of a new IIM or similar elite institution have been associated with 10–20% price appreciation in the immediate vicinity within three to five years. In Moshi, the long-term effect is likely to be the emergence of a mixed-use education node, with residential pockets orientated towards faculty housing, student accommodation and related services.

PIECC – The Exhibition-driven Multiplier

The Pune International Exhibition and Convention Centre (PIECC) is already operational. Its open exhibition area hosts 12 to 15 exhibitions annually, and the master plan includes constructed exhibition halls and a 5,000-seater convention centre. Exhibition and convention complexes function as demand agglomerators, creating footfall for hospitality, retail, logistics and event-related businesses.

Historically, areas within 2–4 km of established exhibition nodes have seen 12–18% appreciation over five to seven years, provided that road connectivity and public services are adequate. In Moshi, the PIECC project is expected to generate both direct commercial demand and indirect residential uplift, as professionals employed in the hospitality and event sectors seek housing nearby.

Engineering Colleges, Judicial Infrastructure & 650-bed Hospital

The broader development proposal for the Bhosari–Moshi constituency also includes an engineering college, a judicial complex and a 650-bed hospital. Engineering colleges bring a steady stream of students and academic staff, supporting rental housing and small businesses. Judicial complexes attract lawyers, clerks and administrative personnel, who often prefer to live close to the workplace.

Large hospitals, in turn, create thousands of jobs across clinical and non-clinical functions, generating consistent demand for residential and retail space.

In similar contexts within Pune and other Maharashtra cities, the establishment of a multi-speciality hospital or a legal complex has been associated with 10–15% appreciation in nearby residential markets over three to five years. If these projects materialise in Moshi, the area could see a comparable range of uplift, particularly in the node immediately surrounding the proposed institutions.

Tata Motors – Industrial Power Anchor

Bhosari has long been an established industrial hub, with chemical plants, auto component manufacturers and warehousing facilities. The Tata Motors plant near Moshi serves as a prominent employment anchor, providing thousands of jobs and supporting a large indirect workforce.

Industrial anchors typically generate stable, long-term demand for housing, schools, clinics and retail, reducing the volatility often seen in purely speculative markets.

Experience from industrial belts such as Chakan, Kalamboli and parts of Greater Noida suggests that areas within 3–5 km of large anchor plants often realise 15–20% appreciation over five years, particularly when supported by improved road infrastructure.

The Spine Road and the proposed Charholi link are expected to strengthen this dynamic, making the Moshi–Bhosari corridor more accessible for daily commuters and reducing the stigma historically associated with industrial zones.

Infrastructure-led Price Growth 

The cumulative impact of these projects can be understood through the concept of infrastructure-led re-rating. Better connectivity, institutional presence and civic amenities reduce the effective distance of a location from employment and activity centres, thereby increasing its attractiveness to both home buyers and investors.

Based on observed patterns in similar corridors, the following rough ranges of future appreciation may be expected over a five-year horizon, assuming timely implementation:

• Moshi – This market can see an additional 15–20% appreciation over the next five years, following a 17.5% increase due to IIM infrastructure, PIECC-related activity, educational institutions, and a large hospital.
• Bhosari – Starting from a price range of INR 5,000/sq. ft to INR 6,200/sq. ft, industrial expansion, improved road networks and spill-over demand from Moshi’s institutional projects could support 12–18% appreciation over five years.
• Moshi Pradhikaran Node – This area, positioned near the proposed IIM campus and PIECC, has the potential to emerge as a premium mixed-use node. If the planned institutions and infrastructure are delivered as envisaged, 18–25% appreciation over five to seven years is a plausible range.

(The above projections are indicative ranges based on developments in Pune and other Indian cities.)

A Corridor in Structural Transition

The Moshi–Bhosari corridor is transforming into an integrated urban market in its own right. The presence of industrial giants, educational infrastructure, the ongoing expansion of PIECC, and planned civic institutions collectively create a multi-anchor growth model. Road infrastructure upgrades, including the Spine Road and the upgraded Pune–Nashik highway, further enhance connectivity and reduce commute friction.

The price data and growth trends observed in Moshi and Bhosari suggest that the area is already undergoing a structural re-rating. If implemented continuously, the planned projects will establish the eastern edge of Pune as a key growth corridor, blending industry, education, events, and residential development.

The Moshi–Bhosari corridor is already transforming into an integrated urban market in its own right. The presence of industrial giants, educational infrastructure, the ongoing expansion of PIECC, and planned civic institutions collectively create a multi-anchor growth model. Road infrastructure upgrades, including the Spine Road and the upgraded Pune–Nashik highway, further enhance connectivity and reduce commute friction.

The price data and growth trends observed in Moshi and Bhosari show that the area is already undergoing a structural re-rating. With consistent implementation of the planned projects, the eastern edge of Pune will emerge as a key growth corridor – blending industry, education, events, and residential development into an unbeatable investment magnet.

About the author:

Anil Pharande is Chairman of Pharande Spaces, a leading real estate construction and development firm famous for its township projects in Greater Pune and beyond. Pharande Promoters & Builders, the flagship company of Pharande Spaces and an ISO 9001-2000 certified company. Established in 1994, the company has built a substantial footprint over three decades by transitioning from standalone bungalows to premium gated communities and massive integrated townships and high-grade commercial office and retail projects. Pharande Spaces is are widely recognized for its focus on systematic town planning, green living concepts, and high-quality construction .