Abdelrahman Ismeik was instrumentally involved in Marya Group’s investment into German football team Munich 1860 in2012 and believes the experiences gained from dealing with that asset are directly linked to his success in other parts of the business. This investment was centered on one of the most traditional football teams in the country and the process was far from simple.
The football league regulations in Germany are far more restrictive than many other countries in Europe and require that the Sports Verein must maintain the right of direction over the club management. An unusual situation for an investor who is used to taking full control over the investments it makes, it required Ismeik to adapt to new rules whilst all the time fighting to save a business and sports team that, at the time of acquisition, was on the brink of insolvency
Munich 1860 remains the only team with a foreign investor in German football and one of a limited number of clubs with any third-party investors. It has been an interesting journey that Ismeik credits as being fundamental to his leadership abilities and which has set him in good stead to manage his businesses.
It has required some significant re-structuring as well as the development of important controls and governance all the while remaining true to the letter, and the spirit, of the league regulations. Having to play by different rules in a different cultural environment has had its challenges but the effort pay off when the experience gained can be fed into other areas of the group’s business allowing issues to be predicted and counter-balanced well in advance of any crisis arising.
Ismeik credits the time and effort he put into the investment in 1860 with placing Marya Group in a position to react swiftly and decisively to the pandemic and, using First Capital Group Holding, a company regulated by the Dubai International Financial Centre, Ismeik has personally led investment and development of opportunities in bio-technologies to streamline Covid-19 testing and also artificial intelligence solutions to help businesses recover and develop from the difficulties experienced by the pandemic.