Akkad Holdings LLC

Las Vegas -- A Sports Mecca Had the opportunity to attend my first Raiders game thanks to David Melroy who has has 50 yard line tickets and access to the Champions Club and to the field. Today he is executive partner of the second largest engineering firm at in the United States. This is probably one of the premier sports experiences one can possibly imagine with top shelf food, libations, service, and ambience. David has been a lifelong fan and had an absolute blast ! Of course we know that the Detroit Lions are going to win the Super Bowl this year. :):) Most think of Las Vegas as the quintessential party, food, gambling, and show place. In 2017, the Vegas Knights Hockey Team became the major sports team to represent Las Vegas. They won the Stanley Cup in 2023. In 2020, the NFL Raiders moved to Vegas. Now the baseball Athletics will move in 2028. Every major sport will be represented there and the fans are incredible. The community support for their teams is incredible and sports is still one of the few activities which brings people from all walks of life together. Nelson Mandela said it best. "Sports has way to unite people in a way that little us does."

Formula One Must admit never really appreciated the growing appeal of Formula One.?My view has completely changed after getting a very special experience at the Vegas race thanks to Teo, Tommaso, Amir, Harry, and Alessandro. Had the opportunity to go behind the scenes and meet the owners, drivers, engineers and scientists.?The amount of technology involved is breathtaking.?Just on the Ferrari team there are 120 people watching all sorts of data points for their cars throughout the race. Spent lots of time with Alessandro Alunni Bravi who is the Managing Director of the Sauber group of companies which owns one of the teams.?It was so enlightening and inspiring how far the sport has come and learn about many of the nuances of the sport.?Can't wait to watch my first race from the Pit in 2025. As the sport has become more accessible through social media and is aired on ESPN during primetime, more students are drawn to the strategy, pit stops and vehicle design. Formula 1’s attention to detail and innovation have made it particularly appealing to students interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. These factors have also contributed to an engaging narrative that goes beyond speed, like the thrill of watching teams make risky decisions in the high-stakes race environment. The Netflix series Drive to Survive has also played a crucial role in creating a new wave of younger Formula 1 fans. The groundbreaking show launched an unconventional approach by spotlighting the drivers rather than the technical aspects of the cars.? The personalities of the drivers and the rivalries between teams like McLaren and Ferrari have made the sport engaging beyond just the races. According to ESPN, the growth of Formula 1 viewership has nearly doubled, with just 600,000 viewers per race in 2020 now sitting at over 1 million. American company Liberty Media, which owns Formula 1 has made it known that their biggest goal was to increase the number of viewers in North America. They have been working to close the gap between the much larger European Formula 1 fan base since they bought the Formula 1 Group in 2017. Along with an increase in viewers online, spectators in person have been transformed as races were added in Las Vegas, Austin and Miami. In 2023, the average weekend attendance for Formula 1 events totaled more than 270,000 spectators, up from 195,000 four years prior. Whether it’s the high-speed action, the technical aspects of the cars, or the personalities behind the wheels, Formula 1’s rise in popularity globally is going to continue. Having this very special opportunity to learn about Formula One remined me of a great quote from Mario Andretti.?"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough." Formula 1

Adele Had the opportunity to see Adele play at the Coliseum at Caeser's in Las Vegas this weekend thanks to my dear friends at Viral Nation.?It was such a memorable experience.??This was her 100 th show in Vegas in 2 years and was her last for a while. On June 9, the United Kingdom’s Official Charts Company?announced?a major milestone for their resident soul singer, Adele. Her sophomore album,?21, was the best-selling U.K. record of the decade.??21?spent an?astonishing 23 weeks?at No. 1 and had sold 4,751,000 copies in the U.K. That’s especially amazing when you consider that the U.K. only has a population of?64 million. Adele was?born?Adele Adkins in?1988?to a working-class mother and an estranged father. It was her young mother, who was only 18 when Adele was born, who encouraged the soul singer to test her limits and explore her creative side. From four years old, Adele had been obsessed with emotive voices, especially those of singers like Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill and Alicia Keys. But her real musical “awakening” came when she discovered Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald records at a thrift store. “There was no musical heritage in our family,” Adele?told?the?Telegraph. “Chart music was all I ever knew. So when I listened to the Ettas and the Ellas, it sounds so cheesy, but it was like an awakening. I was like, oh, right, some people have proper longevity and are legends." Adele left public school at 14 to attend the BRIT performing arts school, where musicians like Leona Lewis and Amy Winehouse also honed their crafts. There she uploaded?three demos to her MySpace page —?among them her first?song, “Hometown Glory” —?that caught the attention of London record label, XL. At 18 years old, and just six months after her graduation, Adele signed to XL and began her career. In January 2008, Adele?released?her debut album,?19, and shortly thereafter, she won the prestigious Brit Critic’s Choice Award.?19?saw nearly instant?success?in the U.K., debuting at No. 1 and helping its single, “Chasing Pavements,” reach No. 2. In 2008, a series of serendipitous events helped Adele secure four Grammy nominations. She?played?on?Saturday Night Live?in October alongside host Sarah Palin, an episode that saw the show’s highest ratings in 14 years. The?Washington Post?reported?that within 24 hours of the?SNL?episode’s airing, Adele’s debut album hit No. 1 on iTunes. By December, Adele had her first Grammy nomination. She?won?two of those come February 2009, among them best new artist. Now she was firmly established as a powerful force in the industry. My 11 year old daughter Adelle so loved the performance .?She told jokes,?laughed, cried, shot t shirts in the crowd and took the time to speak directly to some of the attendees.?Adele truly has the girl next door appeal which makes her very special and real.??Music is one of the few mediums left in our world that can bring people together. Dick Clark said it best.?"Music is the soundtrack of your life."

Legacy Today is the four year anniversary since my father 's passing. Think of him everyday. There are many legends in the cemetery and very few legacies. My father left an amazing legacy with his family and J & B. So grateful Dad for all you gave to the world. Desmund Tutu said it best. "You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you as you are to them."

Kurt Moosmann Finally, after being virtual friends for several years, met Kurt Moosmann in person.?It was such a treat ! Dr. Kurt Moosmann is a highly sought expert with more than 30 years of experience in advising business owning families, family offices and entrepreneurs across the globe. Before establishing Moosmann Advisors in 2014, he had co-founded and successfully assumed the role as Chairman of Dara Capital, a Multi-Family Office with offices in Zurich and New York. From 2014 - 2021 he presided over the Advisory Board of FODIS LLC, Pittsburgh, which serves global family-owned business enterprises and family offices with significant direct investment holdings in US operating family businesses. Formerly Dr. Moosmann was Managing Director and Member of the Executive Committee of Quilvest Switzerland, where he had founded and managed their Wealth Advisory Department. Before joining Quilvest, he had chaired Deutsche Bank’s International Wealth Planning Division from 1998-2004. Today Dr. Moosmann also serves as Executive Vice-Chairman of the Elsa Peretti Holding Ltd., the single-family office of the legendary late jewelry designer Elsa Peretti, and acts as Vice-Chairman of Ms. Peretti’s charitable Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation. Since 2019 he has been President of Switzerland’s Single Family Office Association (SFOA). Dr. Moosmann is also Co-Founder and Co-Chairman Emeritus of the esteemed Family Office Roundtable (FORT), a global Think-Tank for leading entrepreneurs in association with Wharton University. For many years, he also served as a Member of the University Board of the Private University of Liechtenstein (UFL) and has been an active member of the STEP. Today, the Swiss Single Family Office Association has 250 members and represents over $ 650 billion USD in AUM. The native Swiss Canadian holds a Doctor of Law from the University of Zurich. His thesis, comparing the Anglo-Saxon and Liechtenstein trust structures, with special consideration of beneficiaries’ interests, was published in 1999. He also holds an MBA in International Wealth Management from Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business (USA) and regularly lectures on topics related to Cross-Border Estate and Tax Planning, and on generational transition and governance matters within Family Business Enterprises. Could have spent hours with Kurt who has so much knowledge and grace on so many topics.?There is truly nothing like in person time with amazing and inspiring people. Teddy Roosevelt said it best.?"People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care." Kurt Moosmann

3 G So enjoyed meeting Justin Fox and his 3 G team recently in NYC and learning more about one of the better kept secrets in the family office world. 3G Capital?is a global investment firm and private partnership built on an owner-operator approach to investing over a long-term horizon.?Founded in 2004, 3G Capital evolved from the Brazilian investment office of?Jorge Paulo Lemann,?Carlos Alberto Sicupira, and?Marcel Herrmann Telles. 3G Capital is led by Alex Behring, Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner, and Daniel Schwartz, Co-Managing Partner. The firm is best known for its long-term investments in?Anheuser-Busch InBev,?Restaurant Brands International?(Burger King,?Tim Hortons,?Firehouse Subs, and?Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen),?Hunter Douglas,?Kraft Heinz?as well as partnering with?Berkshire Hathaway?for its acquisitions. In 2010, the company acquired?Burger King?for $3.3 billion and subsequently took the company private. Under new management, Burger King went on to introduce a reworked menu and innovative marketing strategies. In June 2012, Burger King was once again listed as a publicly traded company through a $1.4?billion deal with?Justice Holdings. Despite the relisting, 3G Capital retained a 71% stake of the company. In December 2014, the Canadian government approved the purchase of?Tim Hortons?by 3G Capital for $12.5?billion, creating Restaurant Brands International, the world's third largest quick service restaurant company and a new global powerhouse. In March 2015, 3G Capital partnered with Warren Buffett to acquire?Kraft Foods?for $40?billion, and merged it with?Heinz?to form the world's fifth largest food company.?In September 2021,?Kraft Heinz?announced that?Hemmer, a Brazilian company focused on condiments and sauces, was acquired for an undisclosed amount.?The acquisition followed an agreement with?Assan Foods?– a Turkish company focused on sauces – belonging to?Kibar Holding, for approximately $100?million. Restaurant Brands International went on to acquire Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc. in 2017 for $1.8?billion, and Firehouse Restaurant Group Inc. for $1.0?billion in 2021.?3G Capital Co-Managing Partner Daniel Schwartz who served as CFO (Jan. 2011 to Mar. 2013), COO (Mar. 2013 to Jun. 2013), and CEO (Jun. 2013 to Jan. 2019) is credited for turning around Burger King and later growing the Restaurant Brands International holding group.?After stepping down as CEO, Daniel Schwartz went on to serve as Co-Chairman of the Board alongside Alex Behring from 2019 to 2021 and both continue to serve on the Board of Directors today. Always love learning about family offices and what they are doing.?My time with this great group reminded me of a great quote from Alex Haley.?"In every conceivable manner, the family is a link to our past and bridge to our future."