Bye bye "Frank Shinawatra"

"The Donald Trump of Abu Dhabi" has taken over Manchester City, ending Thaksin Shinawatra's stormy love affair with the British Premier League football club he bought only a year ago.

In a deal whose financial details remained a secret, 31-year-old Dr Sulaiman Al Fahim will represent the Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment (ABUG) as the new City owner.

Described as a "one man publicity machine", Al Fahim has even followed the example of Trump, as well as the former Tottenham Hotspur chairman Sir Alan Sugar, into hosting his own reality television programme.

Entitled 'Hydra Executives', Al Fahim's show pits two teams of eight British and American contestants against each other in a variety of business-related challenges in Abu Dhabi to compete for the chance to win $1 million to invest in their own projects.

A press statement from Thaksin's camp tried to save the former Thai prime minister's face, only confirming that discussions were going on to accomodate ABUG as a strategic partner. But ABUG was far more blunt. It said in a statement that it completed the buyout late Sunday with Thaksin and the deal was a "massive achievement" that hopefully would make Abu Dhabi a global sports capital.

Only days ago, media reports quoted Thaksin as saying he was "dismayed" by speculation that he was planning to sell out the club. Legal consultants were reportedly told to stand by for reports damaging his and the club's images.

The takeover was reported to be a 150 million pound deal. Thaksin bought Manchester City for more than 80 million pounds. Thaksin will reportedly stay on as honorary president of the club without any administrative responsibilities.

One report said he could retain a minority stake in the club.

The press statement from Thaksin's camp strongly indicated ABUG's involvement was part of Thaksin's "vision" for the club.

"When I bought Manchester City, I had two goals," the press release in Thai quoted him as saying over the weekend. "First I wanted the club to be among the country's best and top teams. The second phase for me is to make the club an international brand that can break into new markets. And I have realised that the best way to make inroads into new markets, especially the wealthy Middle East, is to have a strategic partner with strongest potentials in development and investment, who also understands Manchester City's very high ambitions."

Al Fahim is the chief executive of the company Hydra Properties, while his television venture has cemented his status among the best known and most charismatic Arab businessmen. He is regularly named in the list of 100 most influential Arabs and is associated with many of the world's richest and most famous celebrities.

Last month, he was photographed dining with Leonardo Di Caprio on Sunset Boulevard and, earlier this year, he spent time with Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore, Katherine Heigl and Charlie Sheen at the Chrysalis Butterfly Ball at an estate in Bel-Air.

Aged just 31, Al Fahim's life-story is already remarkable. He claims to have started investing and running businesses at the age of just 11. "I thrive on the dynamism of the business environment," he said in a recent interview with gulfnews.com. "When I sniff an opportunity, I am driven to check it out. Sometimes I go to remote areas that no one wants to touch."

Mr Al Fahim, who led negotiations, told Arabian Business: "This is a great event for both the club and Abu Dhabi.

"Our goal is very simple - to make Manchester City the biggest club in the Premier League, and to begin with, to finish in the top four this season."

Mr Al Fahim stressed the group will solve all the club problems and clear any pending payments.

He added it will comprehensively support the club by bringing in some of the best football players in the world.

Al Fahim was born and raised in Dubai, though the rest of his family is based in Abu Dhabi and he continues to divide his time between those two cities.

At a young age, he become involved in his father's pharmaceutical industries and says that his life would revolve around school and work.

"I used to go to school in the morning and work at the pharmacy between 8 and 11pm," he said. "We continued to manage our pharmacies till our teen years. Those years taught me a lot about dealing with customers, people skills and reinvesting money."

At the age of 14, he began investing in the stock market under his mother's name and, at 15, he started buying property. "There is a certain satisfaction to earning and building your own wealth," he said.

At 18, he created the Sulaiman Al Fahim Group, an organisation to support education and sports. He does have a history of interest in sports and did attempt to become a football player, while his knowledge of Manchester City is already said to be extensive.

However, a main passion away from school and work was chess.

He has sponsored various chess players and says that he was ranked number five in the world when he was aged nine. "I love competing and winning," he said.