How was Infinity Group started?
Infinity Group came to be after consolidating, and rebranding all of the different already existing operating companies in the group. These entities were initially set up by our father, who got into the world of business over 35 years ago and who has very recently retired, and now takes a less active role as an advisor.
The group is currently being run by myself, and my siblings who worked very closely under our father and as a result managed to learn from his lifetime of experience in doing international business. Infinity Group would not be where it is today if it were not for his leadership, guidance and lifetime of hard work.
Our goal was to set up what would come to be a one-stop shop to service all of the different property developers in Dubai and their respective needs. We saw that some of the largest revenues in Dubai were all directed to the real estate sector, and it only made sense for us to try to help service the market. Today, we have put a focus primarily on international property development projects in Zanzibar, and have done redevelopment projects in Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah.
What is your competitive advantage in a market like Dubai?
Dubai is definitely one of the most competitive markets in the world, and I think that the main thing that distinguishes us from other companies in the region is our knowledge of the market and our deep understanding of the business, which allows us to look at projects from a much more holistic point of view while also focusing heavily on relationships.
To sum it up, if you are a developer in Dubai; we design, build, manage, and sell for you. Shifting an emphasis from quantity to quality of relationship. We come to understand what our clients look for in much further detail, and as we look to cross-sell the different services that we provide we make sure not to compromise on the quality of work that is being done by any of our entities.
Operating in these different sectors allows us to have unique insight that other service providers may not necessarily have while we work hand in hand together with developers from project inception to completion where we help manage their assets and ensure that their customers are left with a positive opinion of their investments and potentially be repeat customers.
Tell us more about your latest project in Zanzibar.
Our project in Zanzibar is by far, definitely the most exciting project we have been working on till date. We are building a five-star residential and resort complex in the northern side of the island. There will be approximately 70 apartments, and 111 hotel Rooms, compromised of suites, and one- to two- bedroom villas. We are very confident that together with Anantara, we are set to deliver what is going to become the best hotel on the entire island.
Currently the offering of five-star hotels in Zanzibar does not compare with the international standards expected of luxury travellers from around the world. The quality of accommodation, service, and food in particular are areas that need to see strong improvement.
The gap in the market was obvious, and we are looking to fill it as most of the current hotels on the island are “mom and pop shop” boutique hotels, only now are we seeing international chains coming to the island such as the Four Seasons, Park Hyatt, and of course the Anantara Zanzibar Resort.
We are the only company on the island that is offering a branded, beachfront resort living experience with access to all of the hotel amenities, including the gym, spa, restaurants, and sports facilities. Currently, we are seeing very strong feedback from primarily European, Russian, and Arab investors who are looking to ditch the traditional investment options in their respective countries.
We are also the only company that is offering investment opportunities into our hotel project, where investors will have the opportunity to purchase a hotel unit and in turn benefit from the returns that the hotel is set to make when operational, while also receiving two weeks a year free of charge hotel usage.
Why did you choose Zanzibar as an investment destination?
I consider myself very fortunate to have travelled all around the world and have had the opportunity to visit some of the most beautiful places. When I first went to visit Zanzibar, I was immediately blown away by the beauty of the island and saw the potential of the island, and that it not only competes with other international destinations but surpasses them in many different key points.
One step onto any of the beaches of Zanzibar and you will find crystal white soft sand and a rich turquoise coloured sea. The greatest asset that Zanzibar has to offer is its people. You immediately feel the warm embrace and energy of the people of Zanzibar from the second you land on the island, until when you leave. The country also has a great airport, amazing roads, and provides far more value for tourists in terms of getting what they pay for.
I would also like to take a second to praise Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, The President of Zanzibar and the government that he has built. The government of Zanzibar is one of the most proactive, responsive, and helpful governments that I have ever had the pleasure to work with.
The president is not only a man with great ideas, but also one who knows how to bring them to reality – and this is evident the second you step into the country. Not to mention, that the entire process of investing in Zanzibar as a foreigner has been made very easy, and all government departments are very active in providing assistance whenever needed.
What do you see in the future for Infinity Group?
I very much believe to sticking to what you know, so the primary focus for Infinity Group going forward over the next few years is definitely going to be real estate. We are already looking at placing other investments here in Dubai, and in Zanzibar over the next few years.
The market in Dubai is one of the strongest around the world and having lived here for 22 years I have been able to witness this market’s resilience and growth first hand. Zanzibar is also a place that is most likely going to stay as a very interesting market for us too, due to its infrastructure, government, influx of tourists, safety, friendly citizens, land availability, warm climate, and crystal blue beaches.
What role do you play as chairman of Infinity Group?
My job is to ensure that we have the right people who are following the right processes. Our company has been growing quite fast, and I think that the main way to continue to fuel this growth is to have the company change from a people-based organisation to a process-based organisation.
I also spend a lot of time with our clients, developing those relationships while also actively exploring other areas of opportunities in the market. From going to look at new deals, investment opportunities, or seeing how to grow our existing companies and make them perform better.
Infinity Group is a family-run organisation. How has that whole experience been?
We are a family-run business, so I am very grateful that the people whom I work very closely with are also the people that I spend most of my time with. Our conversations throughout the day, both in and out of the office all revolve around work and how to address issues or improve certain areas of our business. Each family member is responsible for one business service, and what works very well for all of us is that we service the same clients.
There are very few companies in Dubai that you can sit in the same room with, that will be able to offer you a 360-degree solution from project inception to execution. As a client, dealing with a multitude of different companies for a project can be tiresome, expensive, and more often than not prove to be troublesome in managing all of the coordination between the different entities to bring a project to fruition.
The entire family learned about business from a very young age, as we were very exposed to our father who was a serial entrepreneur.
The other big thing of course is that our staff and team have become like family to us. We spend the majority of our day, every day inside of the office working together. We are very blessed and lucky to have an amazing team that works tirelessly day and night to help us execute our goals, objectives, and to see our clients’ deadlines met.
I think it is safe to say that if it was not for our amazing team, Infinity Group would not be where it is today; so I would like to definitely extend a second of praise to our team because if not for them we would not be able to do what we are doing.
Source: CEO Middle East