An Outlook on the Real Estate Industry - Challenges & Opportunities
This dynamic session will allow you to garner critical insights on the Real Estate industry through the lens of our well-renowned guest speakers who will share their knowledge and expertise in the real estate industry. You will develop a comprehensive understanding of the challenges that the Real Estate industry is facing as a result of the pandemic, and will also learn about some of the opportunities for the industry.
Our Panel Speakers:
Saed Arekat - Group Chief Financial Officer at Bloom Holding
Saed Arekat is the Group Chief Financial Officer of Bloom Holding. He has extensive experience in the real estate investment and development and assets management as well as hospitality and education sectors. Saed has broad responsibilities including strategic and business planning, corporate finance, funding and treasury, financial planning and analysis, and financial reporting. In addition to leading the group procurements and IT functions.
Saed is a member of the Executive Committees, plays a pivotal role as a key member of the Executive Management Team of Bloom Holding, and has a leading role in all aspects of the development and execution of business strategies and transformation plans to ensure long-term sustainable growth and value creation for Bloom Holding Group. Concurrently Saed is a board of governors’ member of Brighton College Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Dubai in addition to Dwight Dubai school.
Prior to joining Bloom in 2007, Saed was an Executive Manager/Director at Ernst & Young Baghdad, Iraq and held different senior positions at Ernst & Young, Arthur Andersen and KPMG in Jordan and Palestine. Saed involvement in a variety of service lines and serving wide range of local and international customers, provided him with an extensive exposure across different industries globally.
Christopher Seymour - Managing Director at Mott MacDonald Middle East
Chris Seymour has more than 30 years’ experience in the industry and manages the 1300 strong Mott MacDonald operation in the Middle East. Chris has worked in most of the major cities in the Middle East region over the last 12 years and he is also Chair of the RICS MENAT Market Advisory Panel.
Chris is also an independent advisor on the Investment Committee of ENBD Real Estate Investment Trust and is an active member of the IPFA. Having spent many years in PFI and PPP procurement practising in both UK, Europe and Middle East he also advises many clients on strategy, risk, commercial and technical advice for large public-sector investments.
Specializing in a range of sectors including real estate, master planning, hospitality, retail and commercial, Chris also advises clients at a programme, technical and organizational level to achieve the right outcomes for their businesses.
Prior to joining Mott MacDonald in 2016, Chris worked for Arcadis and was a member of the strategic advisory board to the Group, advising on mergers and acquisitions, divestments, strategy changes and shareholder presentations.