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Yusef Shalabi
Tucked into a small
corner of the Al Habtoor Group head office is the
Projects and Real Estate Department.
The department is currently at the centre of many of the group’s major activities. I
have the privilege of managing it under the guidance and hands-on leadership of the
Chairman.
The Projects Department is handling projects valued at over AED3 billion and once
completed, these will add significantly to the physical presence of the group in Dubai.
The hotel on the Palm will be a premium Hilton Brand and will operate under the
Waldorf Astoria name. The Habtoor Palace complex on Sheikh Zayed Road will include
the luxury St Regis Hotel, the iconic W Hotel and the 5-star Westin Hotel, with a total
of over 1,660 keys. In addition, this project will include a water-themed theatre which
will be the first of its kind outside the US and China and will be a significant addition to
the entertainment attractions currently available in the city of Dubai.
Four years ago the Chairman asked me to come back and work for him as his
representative at the site of the new hotel that the company was starting to build on
the Palm. I agreed immediately as it appeared to me a golden opportunity to achieve
the eventual retirement plan I had worked out in my head. I thought I would ease into
a sinecure and slowly enjoy a few more years of work with a lot of free time and travel
thrown in. I got it right on the travel bit, but it is not the travel I had planned. Business
travel it is not! As for free time, I have now forgotten all about it.
Joking aside however, I feel rejuvenated and look forward to coming to the office early
every morning. One of the attributes of the Chairman, an attribute that contributes to
his success, is his ability to mould his staff and those closest to him into working as he
himself does. His relentless drive for achievement in all fields, drives all those around
him into the same frame of mind. No vision or task is impossible or unachievable. We,
at the Projects Department have adopted that attitude - with enthusiasm!
Yusef Shalabi
Project & Real Estate Department
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