His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman & CEO of Emirates Group, today, presented the Leadership Award instituted by the Arabian Hospitality Investment Conference (AHIC) to Mr Mohamed Ali Alabbar, Chairman, Emaar Properties. The Award honours Mr Alabbar’s thought-leadership and pioneering initiatives in driving the hospitality, leisure and tourism sectors in the UAE.




Emaar, one of the world’s largest property developers, has expanded into the hospitality & leisure sector through a diversified portfolio of hotels, serviced apartments, golf courses and other leisure amenities. Today, the development value of Emaar’s hospitality assets, managed by the company’s wholly-owned subsidiary Emaar Hospitality Group, stands at AED 3.67 billion (US$1 billion). Emaar recently unveiled its own brand of five star premium hotels, The Address Hotels & Resorts, to further drive its global expansion in the hospitality sector.




Mr Alabbar is a member of the Dubai Executive Council, and serves on the board of directors of the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD) and Noor Investment Group. He spearheads Emaar’s high-profile global expansion in 36 markets and chairs John Laing Homes in the USA and Hamptons International in the UK as well as a joint venture with Italy’s Giorgio Armani to set up a global Armani-branded luxury hotel and resort chain.




FDi magazine, published by the Financial Times Group, has named Mr Alabbar “Middle East Personality of the Year.” Arabian Business, the leading regional business magazine, ranked him sixth in its March 2008 list of the 100 Most Influential Arabs in the World. Fortune magazine in their issue of December, 2007, has named Mr Alabbar among the top 30 in power positions globally.




Mr Alabbar said: “Dubai’s ambitious growth strategy of 11 per cent annual GDP growth, as outlined in the Dubai Strategic Plan by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, is powered by two key drivers: Tourism and services. Dubai has already cemented its global standing as a premier hospitality & leisure destination through investments in these two sectors, which hold tremendous growth potential.”




He added: “As the catalyst of the tourism sector, the hospitality industry plays a defining role in shaping the prospects of a destination. Dubai’s evolution as the tourism hub has inspired the international investment community to further explore the city’s potential in hospitality. Emaar is privileged to contribute to the overall dynamism of the tourism sector through our diverse portfolio.”




Emaar’s hospitality portfolio includes the Al Manzil, Qamardeen and The Palace, The Old Town hotels in Downtown Burj Dubai; the Arabian Ranches Golf Club and The Montgomerie, Dubai; the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club; Nuran Serviced Residences; and the Dubai Marina Yacht Club.




About Emaar Properties PJSC:




Emaar Properties PJSC is one of the world's largest real estate companies and is rapidly evolving to become a global provider of premier lifestyles. Powered by its Vision 2010 to become one of the most valuable companies in the world, Emaar is charting a new course of growth with a two-pronged strategy of geographical expansion and business segmentation.




Emaar has highlighted its remarkable global growth by debuting on the Financial Times Global 500 ranking, which provides an annual snapshot of the world's largest companies. Emaar has been assigned A- and A3 ratings with stable outlook by Standard & Poor's and Moody's Investor Services, respectively.




Replicating its successful business model in Dubai, Emaar is extending its expertise in creating master-planned communities to international markets. Emaar is also developing new competencies in malls, hospitality & leisure, education, healthcare and finance, which have evolved from its integrated approach to customer service and property development.




Listed on the Dubai Financial Market, part of the Dow Jones Arabia Titans Index and certified to ISO9001:2000 for quality standards, Emaar is developing Burj Dubai, the world's tallest building and free-standing structure, and The Dubai Mall, one of the world's largest shopping and entertainment destinations. In Saudi Arabia, Emaar is developing the US$26.6 billion King Abdullah Economic City, the region's largest private sector-led project. Emaar's portfolio currently covers the following countries: the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Morocco, Egypt, Turkey, Libya, Algeria, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, the US, the UK, France and Canada.




An award-winning developer, Emaar has strengthened its product sale competencies, market reach and best practices through strategic acquisitions and joint ventures. Emaar acquired John Laing Homes, America's second largest privately held home builder; Hamptons International, UK's premier realtor; and formed a joint venture with US-based Turner International to strengthen execution capabilities.




Emaar has joined hands with Giorgio Armani and Accor Hotels to strengthen its presence in hospitality, and will launch ten luxury Armani Hotels & Resorts world-wide and 100 Formule 1 budget hotels in India. The company is opening educational institutions and healthcare centres in South Asia, Middle East and North Africa and the Subcontinent. Emaar acquired Singapore-based leading education provider, Raffles Campus, to extend expertise to its educational institutions.




Emaar holds 30 per cent equity in Dubai Bank, focused on retail and commercial banking. Emaar is also the largest shareholder in Amlak Finance, UAE's leading Islamic home financing company. For more information, visit http://www.emaar.com/.