Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, Chairman of the Al Habtoor Group met with the Group’s unit heads today to motivate them for the new year. Al Habtoor told the department leaders from Habtoor Hotels, Al Habtoor Motors, Diamondlease, and Emirates International Schools that 2015 is forecasted to be an exceptionally strong year throughout the Group and that employees must be ready to grasp potential opportunities.
“There is no time for complacency,” the Chairman said, “As our motto states, we are ‘Growing with the UAE.’ We are an ambitious Group that is demonstrating growth throughout all our units and playing a vital role in the UAE economy. We might not be the biggest company, but we have the biggest presence. We need to ensure we stay ahead of the game, and be number one in everything we do.”
He reminded the Directors that the Al Habtoor Group will celebrate its 45th anniversary next year. “We are approaching our 45th year with great success. These are exciting times for the Al Habtoor Group; we are gaining market share across all our businesses and successfully implementing our strategy of collaborating with other world-class brands.”
“I expect 2015 to be a momentous year. We are setting new benchmarks for ourselves,” he added. “We don’t just compete within the UAE, but globally. We have adopted international standards and best practice, and have raised the bar for others to follow.”
“We are known for our pioneering vision,” he said. “We were among the first to open a hotel in the Dubai Marina area with the Habtoor Grand Beach Resort & Spa, and the first to pick a location on the Palm Jumeirah – where the Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah now stands. The naysayers doubted there longevity. But look at us now. Our hotels are in the best locations, and the most expensive real estate in Dubai.”
He added, “It is important that we motive our employees. They are our biggest asset. I want our Human Resources Departments to identify our weaknesses and push them harder. We need to continue to train our staff, prepare them for our future, and retain our talent, while putting emphasis on the customer.”
The Chairman added, “Profit forecasts look strong for the coming year, and we will be opening our landmark project - Al Habtoor City, while embarking on our new developments. Al Habtoor City has great significance as it is located on the site where we first entered the hotel business in 1979 with the Metropolitan hotel. Our new project will be a major landmark for visitors and residents.”
Earlier this week the Al Habtoor Group announced three new products costing more than AED 2 billion. The Group unveiled the Habtoor Polo Club & Resort – which will incorporate a five-star hotel and luxury villas, a polo academy and riding school with 500 stables. Plus it said work is underway for a new Metropolitan Sheikh Zayed Road and Oasis Villas in Jumeirah.