Magzoid Magazine - A Luxury Magazine in the Creative Space | July 2021

ART OF BUSINESS
backlogs – and above all, employees
health, safety and well-being.
To sustain business, we temporarily
reduced their salary, and then started
paying full salary as soon as the
businesses reopened in July 2020.
In fact, we repaid the 30 percent
as soon as the income flow had
resumed. Now, we are back again,
growing.
With Expo 2020 nearing, there’s
a lot of momentum gaining all
across. How’s Danube planning
for it?
Expo is going to be a big boon for
the UAE’s economy. The estimate
for the number of people coming to
the UAE was around 25 million; but
because of the crisis, I still feel 15+
million will definitely come. Imagine
15-25 million people coming over
here and around 10 percent of the
people decide to buy a property,
which is around 2 million people.
Even if only 1 percent of the 15-25
million actually buy a property, we
are talking about 150,000 to 200,000
apartments or villas being bought
after the expo, which is a big boon.
As the real estate market in Dubai
matures, developers are faced with
making choices on the portfolio
and their ability to sell them, based
on the market dynamics and the
demand-supply situation. There used
to be a limited range of choice for
the developers in the olden days.
However, as market matures, the
option also widens.
Real estate is a long-term business.
It is important to plan, build, market
and sell the properties accordingly.
We have launched more than 6,100
residential units in the affordable
homes since the launch of Danube
Properties seven years ago and
sold all of them due to these four
factors. Some of these projects were
launched during long, hot summer
time and around the holy month
of Ramadan – not the ideal time to
launch properties. However, we were
able to sell it successfully.
So, as a developer, I will continue
to bet on affordable homes.
According to you, what are the
probable impacts and outcomes
of Expo 2020?
Expo 2020 will definitely work well
to raise the investor confidence and
the demand for real estate, hospitality,
trade and tourism in the region. It is a
big opportunity for UAE to bring in a
lot of value and touristic attractions
which will provide the biggest boost
to the UAE’s economy, which is way
ahead of other economies in terms
of the post pandemic recovery. The
hospitality, real estate, restaurants,
rental cars industries will benefit
massively from it and will bring
everything back to the pre-covid level.
What advice do you have for young
and budding entrepreneurs?
Believe in yourself. Make sure
your business fulfills a need or a
gap in the society – and build the
business around it. Be honest, be
truthful and face situations boldly.
Don’t be afraid of failure. Let failure
not define you. You should be defined
by your integrity. Work for a cause,
not money. Success will come and
money will flow.
What according to you are the new
areas of business where you see
potential in?
As an entrepreneur, I always
look for business opportunities
and wherever I can contribute to
the UAE economy. We are always
on the lookout for new business
opportunities. We only engage when
we are sure about the opportunities
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF.
MAKE SURE YOUR
BUSINESS FULFILLS
A NEED OR A GAP IN
THE SOCIETY – AND
BUILD THE BUSINESS
AROUND IT. BE HONEST,
BE TRUTHFUL AND FACE
SITUATIONS BOLDLY.
and our ability to steer that business
into a profitable venture.
As I have mentioned, we recently
launched and expanded our
hospitality division and we would like
that division to stabilize and mature
before we look into any new industry.
I sense the service, entertainment,
hospitality and leisure industries
will see a new lease of life with the
relaxing of the Covid-19 protocols
and we are looking at these industries
with a microscope and are already
making a headway into each of them.
What are the other things that you
get involved in during your leisure
hours?
I am at a phase of life where by I
believe health is wealth. I make sure
I clock in a swim to get my daily dose
of endorphins for the day. Also, in my
leisure I enjoy entertaining friends
and socializing which keeps my
calendar pretty full.
What message do you have for
our readers?
Life is a curveball. You do not find
the happy life, you make it. So, follow
your dreams, do your thing with as
much love and integrity as possible
and leave the rest in the hands of the
creator.
- feature@magzoid.com
www.magzoid.com July 2021 53