The visitor was publicly introduced in December 2023 after he signed a memorandum of understanding with the Hong Kong Middle East Business Chamber. In mid‑March he told Bloomberg he would open an office in Hong Kong to manage and invest his familys USD 500 million portfolio. InvestHK invited him to speak at the citys "Wealth for Good" summit on March 27, where he shared a panel with the director of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. On March 26 he met Chief Executive John Lee and was named an honorary professor at Hang Seng University of Hong Kong. An inauguration planned for March 28 was postponed to May.
Reporting by the South China Morning Post on April 2 raised new questions about his identity. The article said the Sheikh has a public persona as Alira, an Emirati pop star who sings in Tagalog and is popular in the Philippines. It also noted the office address matched an investment firm linked to Macau casino operators and that key staff came from Here4U, an entertainment company associated with Alira.
Further local reporting and social media investigations highlighted Eleanor Mak (also named Mak Hoi Yan), who appears on director lists of mainland companies connected to Zhongtang Air Railway Group. She has lobbied for a sky train in east Kowloon since 2023 and is described as CEO of the Sheikhs family office. Aaron Shum Wan Lung introduced the Sheikh and said the inauguration was halted after many officials cancelled attendance. The government said it would not give extra policy benefits or financial support, and public concern includes fears of a scam or tax avoidance. The US SEC issued a warning on April 7 about links to cryptocurrencies. No harm has been reported.
Difficult words
- memorandum of understanding — a written agreement between two parties
- portfolio — a collection of investments or assets
- inauguration — a formal public start of an event
- honorary professor — a title given without normal job duties
- persona — the public image or character someone shows
- lobby — to try to influence decisions or policieslobbied
- scam — a dishonest plan to take money
- tax avoidance — legal methods to reduce the taxes paid
- cryptocurrency — a digital form of money using encryptioncryptocurrencies
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you think officials should check a visitor's identity before public events? Why or why not?
- How could a public personality or false identity affect trust in business meetings or charities? Give one or two reasons.
- What steps could organisers take to reduce the chance of a scam or tax avoidance in large investment events?
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