Latest news with #RyanHattingh
Zawya
08-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
UAE investors turn to lifestyle assets as hospitality and leisure deliver faster returns
Dubai, UAE – Agon Capital, a UAE-based leading private investment and conglomerate group, has announced that 60% of its current portfolio is now allocated to lifestyle-led assets, up from 30% in 2021. The shift reflects the company's growing focus on experience-driven investments, including hospitality, sports, and leisure, in response to changing market dynamics and investor demand across the Gulf region. According to Agon Capital, lifestyle assets within its portfolio are achieving break-even within six months of launch, with full return on investment typically realised within 2.5 to 3 years. This performance contrasts with longer-cycle sectors such as traditional real estate, where ROI can take up to a decade. The company's internal growth data shows a 15% revenue increase across brands such as The Coterie and Precision Football in 2024, followed by a further 10% growth in 2025. The portfolio expansion includes the launch of three lifestyle ventures over the past 18 months: Coterie Social & Kitchen, Saylor's, BCH:CLB, and Gitano Dubai. Repeat customer engagement has been a key driver of performance, with some guests returning more than 70 times to a single venue. While lifestyle ventures demand more operational resources, including staffing and licensing, Agon Capital views them as commercially viable and scalable investments. 'We're seeing strong demand across the region for experience-led assets that deliver measurable returns,' said Ryan Hattingh, Group CEO of Agon Capital. 'These investments are no longer niche. They're demonstrating resilience, faster ROI, and long-term brand strength, which is why we continue to grow our allocation in this segment.' The company's pipeline includes regional expansion of its sports platform, Precision Football, into Saudi Arabia, and the development of Villivaru Island Resort in the Maldives, a USD $300 million lifestyle investment comprising 61 villas and 11 branded residences. Scheduled to open in 2027 under a global hospitality operator, the project marks Agon's first international expansion of its lifestyle portfolio. External data reinforces the category's potential. Knight Frank reports that branded residences in Dubai command up to a 35% price premium over conventional properties, while Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (ADAT) values the UAE hospitality market at USD 7.37 billion in 2024, with forecasts projecting it will reach USD 9.46 billion by 2029, driven by sustained regional growth and increased private sector participation. Agon expects lifestyle to remain a core pillar of its portfolio in the years ahead, supported by measured capital deployment and a focus on high-performing, strategically located assets. About Agon Capital Agon Capital is a family-owned investment group based in the UAE, focused on real estate, hospitality, sports, and digital innovation. Its real estate portfolio includes premium developments across Dubai, including Eden House Za'abeel, a landmark project in partnership with H&H Developments. In hospitality, Agon Capital is known for its fast-growing F&B brands such as Gitano, Sailor's, and Coterie Social & Kitchen. In sports, its Precision Football platform is redefining elite football training and development. Driven by agility, ambition, and purpose, Agon Capital creates lasting impact through creativity and speed to market. For more information, please visit
Mid East Info
01-07-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
Precision Football Celebrates Three Years as UAE's Ministry of Sports Taps Platform for National Talent Pipeline
Dubai United Arab Emirates, June 2025: Precision Football, the high-performance platform backed by Agon Capital and founded by former professional footballer and UEFA-qualified coach Sonny Cobbs, is celebrating three years of operations. This milestone coincides with a strategic new partnership with the UAE Ministry of Sports, cementing its role as a key player in the country's long-term sports infrastructure and youth development strategy. The collaboration, signed earlier this year with Playermaker and the Ministry, formally integrates Precision Football into the UAE's national scouting, performance tracking, and player development ecosystem. The agreement also includes the rollout of a region-first diploma programme that blends elite athletic training with accredited academic pathways, a model designed to align with global benchmarks for professional sport. In just three years, Precision has trained more than 7,000 athletes, including Premier League talent and four players now competing with the UAE national women's team. Its 165,000 sq ft Dubai flagship houses FIFA-grade hybrid turf, smart recovery facilities, and one of the most advanced data-driven football analysis centres in the region. Private investment in the venture has exceeded USD $10 million to date. 'This is more than a training centre, it's a national asset,' said Ryan Hattingh, Group CEO of Agon Capital. 'Precision Football represents the kind of investment we believe defines the future of our region: purpose-led, performance-driven, and deeply integrated with national priorities. As the Gulf continues to diversify its economy, there's a growing appetite for platforms that sit at the intersection of lifestyle, infrastructure, and long-term value. Precision is proof that sports can deliver not just social capital, but real economic return, and that private investment has a critical role to play in building the region's next generation of talent and opportunity.' Precision's proprietary tech stack integrates biometric analytics, cognitive tracking, heat mapping, and decision-tree modelling, capabilities typically only seen at top-tier European clubs. Every pass, sprint, and movement is translated into performance intelligence, giving athletes and scouts unprecedented visibility into real-time progress. 'Coaching today has moved far beyond the ball-and-whistle era. The modern game demands more – more insight, more precision, more accountability, said Sonny Cobbs, Founder and Creator of Precision Football. 'At Precision, we combine instinct and experience with data and analysis to develop players in ways that were never possible before. It's no longer just about what you see on the pitch – it's about what the data reveals beneath it. That's where real progress happens.' Beyond talent, the platform is helping reposition sport as a cornerstone of national development, bridging education, health, and entertainment. While Precision's technology is elite in standard, it's fully embedded into its academy and youth development programmes – ensuring that the same tools used to train professionals are also shaping the next generation. It also reflects Agon Capital's broader strategy of investing in scalable, future-forward lifestyle assets with fast ROI and cultural significance. With expansion into Saudi Arabia in planning, and additional UAE activations expected in 2026, Precision Football is positioning itself not just as a player development platform, but as a catalyst for the region's next-generation sports economy.
