In an exclusive interview with CBNME, James Marsh, Chief Development Officer at RAK Properties, gives us an insight into the latest projects, their sustainability goals, and how they are an active contributor to RAK’s Vision 2030 and the real estate mandate, by developing destinations that feed into the economic, societal, and environmental pillars of the emirate.
- As Chief Development Officer, can you tell us about your role in shaping the future of RAK Properties and its developments?
RAK Properties has a rich portfolio of exciting and diverse large-scale projects in the pipeline across the Emirate, which is one of the reasons I was drawn to the role of Chief Development Officer (CDO).
As CDO, I will be primarily responsible for developing RAK Properties’ land bank, but I will also be closely involved in identifying and advancing future projects in Ras Al Khaimah, in line with the RAK Vision 2030.
Developing RAK Properties’ land bank includes growing the company’s master planned communities to provide a variety of residential, hospitality and commercial real estate products and assets.
At RAK Properties we are committed to developing the highest-quality communities that exceed our customers’ expectations, which I am confident delivering, following many years’ experience leading large-scale, mixed-use residential and commercial property development across the UAE. I also bring a breadth of knowledge from 25 years’ working in the real estate industry
I am very excited to execute RAK Properties’ community-centric vision, that aims to provide so much more than just a building to live in. Our goal is to deliver exceptional residential communities to the people of Ras Al Khaimah, and for those wanting to invest in this growing tourism hub. Ultimately, what we have planned over the coming months and years will enhance peoples’ lives and embody the spirit of RAK.
- What are some of the unique features of RAK Properties’ developments, and how do they set them apart from others in the market?
As an ambassador and active contributor to RAK Vision 2030, RAK Properties’ developments honour the natural beauty of Ras Al Khaimah. We are fortunate to have a beautiful waterfront setting within which to build our developments thatadds something extra special to what we offer here.
By integrating the natural environment into our communities, protecting the beautiful mangroves and the authentic wildlife that surrounds us we truly believe in embracing a sense of place.
Because we are committed to developing the highest quality communities in nature, our developments provide a superior living experience, through beautifully designed homes, a rich array of amenities and beachfront living
Our goal is to enhance the lives and places that we develop through our diverse and unique portfolio of lifestyle projects. We will bring to life a dynamic portfolio of communities and holiday destinations, that will add value economically, environmentally, and socially to the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah
- How does RAK Properties approach sustainability in its projects, and what measures are taken to minimize the environmental impact of its developments?
Sustainability is at the heart of our projects at RAK Properties, and we apply this outlook to every part of our developments. To us sustainability is a long-term commitment to enhance the lives we touch and the places we create, whether it be through generating long-term financial returns, prioritising community wellbeing, or protecting the natural environment.
Firstly, regarding our people and team, we are committed to their economic sustainability by ensuring that we provide opportunities for growth and enrichment in both their careers and personal lives.
We ensure we maximise long-term financial well-being for our shareholders and investors by making more responsible decisions throughout our operations, meaning that we balance financial gain with positive social and environmental outcomes.
We seek to establish communities that can be sustained for years to come, which is why all our developments put the people who will live there first.
When it comes to the environment, sustainability goes way beyond simply implementing an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy and adhering to the minimal government regulations.
We are proud and fortunate to be based in the nature emirate, and consequently one of our priorities is to preserve, protect and enhance our stunning natural environment. We achieve this by integrating nature into our communities, responsibly using scarce water resources, saving energy costs, and protecting the beautiful mangroves and wildlife.
We believe we have a responsibility to drive the long-term success of RAK, our shareholders, and to enhance our communities and the natural environment. We don’t look at the short-term. Our vision is long-term, and our core principles are to provide quality homes, neighbourhoods, and communities that, for people to appreciate, enjoy and stay for a lifetime.
- Can you tell us about some of RAK Properties’ recent projects, and what sets them apart in terms of design and innovation?
We have a number of recent projects, including the successful sale of Julphar Residence at the heart of Al Reem Island in Abu Dhabi. We have recently launched an extension to the popular Marbella Villas development,
alongside the second phase of Bay Residences, located on Hayat Island in Mina Al Arab. Both offer residents fantastic waterfront living with access to pristine beaches.
Bay Residences phase 2 offers 324 apartments, ranging from studios to three-bedroom units, across two towers The residents will have direct beach access, which evidently proved popular as when the apartments sold out within hours of its launch.
The Bay Residences neighbour the Intercontinental Mina Al Arab Resort & Spa, which has had a highly successful first year and the luxury Anantara Mina Al Arab Resort, which is due to open later this year and features Maldivian inspired overwater villas, a first for the Emirate.
Our residential developments provide beautifully designed homes and a rich array of including swimming pools, playgrounds, shops, cafes, restaurants, sports and leisure. Each community is richly landscaped with local parks with walkways, cycling and jogging tracks And of course, not forgetting all residents have access to pristine beaches and lagoons.
- How does RAK Properties manage the expectations of its clients and stakeholders, and ensure that they are satisfied with the final product?
At RAK Properties we have established our own Customer Service Centre, which helps all clients and future residents with completion of the sales process, handover of their new home or property and aftercare services related to ongoing maintenance.
There are opportunities for residents to benefit from local events during the course of the year and new promotions such as leisure activities and new product launches from local retailers.
- What role does RAK Properties see itself playing in the future development of the emirate and the country as a whole?
RAK Properties is an ambassador and active contributor to RAK’s Vision 2030 and the real estate mandate, by developing destinations that feed into the economic, societal, and environmental pillars of the emirate.
We also contribute to the broader vision of Ras Al-Khaimah to promote the emirate as the nature emirate and an authentic and desirable UAE destination for tourists. RAK Properties play an active and collaborative role within the RAK ecosystem, leveraging Emirate-wide initiatives and leading the way to initiate the RAK story as a holiday destination.
Delivering on Ras Al Khaimah’s mandate of creating a sustainable economy and society, we are doing our part as we foster community driven activities and carry out our placemaking strategy for Mina Al Arab to be the location for urban island and waterfront living, that has people’s long-term wellbeing as a key pillar.
Through our financially viable business model, we aim to deliver an effective contribution to the expansion of the economy. Already, our contribution to the UAE economy is evident when it was announced that we were a key contributor as UAE stock markets closed in the green on Wednesday 17th May 2023, as our new project launches drove investment into the emirate and UAE as a whole.
We are committed to the long-term growth and development of RAK, and to playing an important role in delivering the government’s vision for the nature emirate.
- How does RAK Properties balance its focus on growth and innovation with its commitment to responsible development and social responsibility?
We are ideally situated to drive growth and innovation in core industries in the UAE, including real estate, hospitality, and tourism. In order to generate long-term growth and create innovations of value, it is necessary to create sustainable and successful developments where people aspire to live, work, and play. This is why we consider our environmental and social responsibility in everything we do and have embedded the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into our operations, as we aspire to enhance people’s lives while protecting land, nature, and the environment.
As part of our Environment and Sustainable Report, we carried out an assessment that found 11 SDGs on which RAK Properties can have a meaningful impact. As a result, we are developing quality residences and commercial buildings sustainably. We are also ensuring that our spaces are safe and accessible to all, and that our developments are designed to promote the well-being of residents. We are also investing in sustainable supply chains, optimising our energy use, and designing buildings that are energy-efficient and can be constructed sustainably, in order to control our impact on the climate.
Further, as an active contributor to RAK Vision 2030, and ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision, we are aligned with the government’s 10-year strategy for attracting investment and driving sustainable innovation in the country. Therefore, we are constantly measuring our impact and seeking new ways that we can contribute to and drive the fulfilment of the SDGs both locally and globally.