a multitude of residential apartment
blocks, palm trees and luxury yachts. The Marina was buzzing as usual tonight
with families, groups of friends and young couples grabbing a bite or having a
stroll along the walkway under the star-filled sky.
‘So how is life in banking, buddy? Are you
making the big dough?’ asked Hani as my strawberry-flavoured shisha arrived.
‘Not yet, I’m still working on it. You know,
things take a lot longer in Dubai than I thought.’
‘Welcome to the real Dubai, my friend! From the
outside this place looks like the perfect city. But Dubai is not the West and
many people forget that. This is a new city with all the teething problems of
an emerging market,’ said Hani. Sami nodded in agreement. ‘You know what Dubai
is?’ Hani continued. ‘It’s a third-world country with a first-world face.’
‘I guess you’re right and I’m learning it the
hard way,’ I replied with a sigh. ‘Sami, how’s everything in the website design
world?’
‘Things are good, habibi . Work is crazy
busy at the moment. There are new businesses starting in this city every day
and they all need a website, so I am working flat out.’
‘What types of businesses?’ I asked.
‘You name it. Recruitment firms, PR agencies,
events management companies, luxury yacht brokers… Everybody believes they can
start a company and get rich in Dubai.’
‘Wow...’
‘And that’s not including all the property
related business! I would still say 80 per cent of our work is real estate
related. I spend most of my time designing websites for new property agents,
developers or other real estate service providers. Actually, just this morning
I was in a meeting with the CEO of a new developer called Darius Developments.
Very impressive guy. They are planning to launch five new projects in Dubai by
the end of the year and are actively looking for plots. We are helping them
build their corporate identity and brand.’
I almost choked on my pipe. ‘Did they say
where?’
‘Where?’ Sami looked confused.
‘Where they are looking for plots?’ I repeated
impatiently.
‘No, not specifically, but they said something
about building a land bank in prime locations across the city. The CEO is
called Saff Haque, a British Pakistani guy. He seems like he’s on the ball. You
know, I think they will soon be a serious player in the development market.’
I jumped out of my seat, threw a hundred dirhams
on the table and ran for the taxi stand.
‘Where the hell are you going?’ shouted Hani.
‘I gotta rush home. I’ll explain later.’
I ran out of the taxi and into my hotel room. I
immediately googled ‘Darius Developments Dubai’ and an article popped up
entitled ‘Dubai’s New Kid on the Block’. And there it was, an interview with
the CEO Saff Haque about how the company planned to build five landmark
commercial and residential towers in the city’s best locations, and was actively
in the market for plots of land. Saff looked impressive in the picture, a well-groomed,
middle-aged man in a sharp pinstriped suit. Surely he was the buyer I had been
looking for. I simply had to speak to him.
So the following morning while at work, I found
an unused meeting room and made the call.
‘Good afternoon, Darius Developments,’ answered
the female operator in a nasal Arabic accent.
‘Good afternoon. May I speak with Saff Haque
please?’
‘I’m afraid Saff is in a meeting.’
‘Ah, do you know when he may be available?’
‘I’m sorry, he has a full schedule today.’
‘I see. And tomorrow?’
‘He is completely booked tomorrow too.’
I was rattled by her blunt responses. ‘Okay.
Well, can you perhaps suggest when may be a good time to catch him?’
‘No sorry, I can’t.’
‘I see, well I guess I’ll call back another…’
She hung up before I could finish, and just like that my chance had disappeared
into thin air.
I felt like a total loser. My single lead had
disappeared in a puff
blocks, palm trees and luxury yachts. The Marina was buzzing as usual tonight
with families, groups of friends and young couples grabbing a bite or having a
stroll along the walkway under the star-filled sky.
‘So how is life in banking, buddy? Are you
making the big dough?’ asked Hani as my strawberry-flavoured shisha arrived.
‘Not yet, I’m still working on it. You know,
things take a lot longer in Dubai than I thought.’
‘Welcome to the real Dubai, my friend! From the
outside this place looks like the perfect city. But Dubai is not the West and
many people forget that. This is a new city with all the teething problems of
an emerging market,’ said Hani. Sami nodded in agreement. ‘You know what Dubai
is?’ Hani continued. ‘It’s a third-world country with a first-world face.’
‘I guess you’re right and I’m learning it the
hard way,’ I replied with a sigh. ‘Sami, how’s everything in the website design
world?’
‘Things are good, habibi . Work is crazy
busy at the moment. There are new businesses starting in this city every day
and they all need a website, so I am working flat out.’
‘What types of businesses?’ I asked.
‘You name it. Recruitment firms, PR agencies,
events management companies, luxury yacht brokers… Everybody believes they can
start a company and get rich in Dubai.’
‘Wow...’
‘And that’s not including all the property
related business! I would still say 80 per cent of our work is real estate
related. I spend most of my time designing websites for new property agents,
developers or other real estate service providers. Actually, just this morning
I was in a meeting with the CEO of a new developer called Darius Developments.
Very impressive guy. They are planning to launch five new projects in Dubai by
the end of the year and are actively looking for plots. We are helping them
build their corporate identity and brand.’
I almost choked on my pipe. ‘Did they say
where?’
‘Where?’ Sami looked confused.
‘Where they are looking for plots?’ I repeated
impatiently.
‘No, not specifically, but they said something
about building a land bank in prime locations across the city. The CEO is
called Saff Haque, a British Pakistani guy. He seems like he’s on the ball. You
know, I think they will soon be a serious player in the development market.’
I jumped out of my seat, threw a hundred dirhams
on the table and ran for the taxi stand.
‘Where the hell are you going?’ shouted Hani.
‘I gotta rush home. I’ll explain later.’
I ran out of the taxi and into my hotel room. I
immediately googled ‘Darius Developments Dubai’ and an article popped up
entitled ‘Dubai’s New Kid on the Block’. And there it was, an interview with
the CEO Saff Haque about how the company planned to build five landmark
commercial and residential towers in the city’s best locations, and was actively
in the market for plots of land. Saff looked impressive in the picture, a well-groomed,
middle-aged man in a sharp pinstriped suit. Surely he was the buyer I had been
looking for. I simply had to speak to him.
So the following morning while at work, I found
an unused meeting room and made the call.
‘Good afternoon, Darius Developments,’ answered
the female operator in a nasal Arabic accent.
‘Good afternoon. May I speak with Saff Haque
please?’
‘I’m afraid Saff is in a meeting.’
‘Ah, do you know when he may be available?’
‘I’m sorry, he has a full schedule today.’
‘I see. And tomorrow?’
‘He is completely booked tomorrow too.’
I was rattled by her blunt responses. ‘Okay.
Well, can you perhaps suggest when may be a good time to catch him?’
‘No sorry, I can’t.’
‘I see, well I guess I’ll call back another…’
She hung up before I could finish, and just like that my chance had disappeared
into thin air.
I felt like a total loser. My single lead had
disappeared in a puff
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