Staff Reporter, Gulf Today

Emaar chairman Mohamed Alabbar has told the UAE’s leading contractors that they must prepare for a new way of working as the economic activity gradually starts to pick up.

In the final of a special series of virtual conference calls with key stakeholders, Alabbar said: “None of us have faced anything like this before, and as we work together I am confident that as a company and a country we will come out of this crisis. But we must now prepare for a new way of working. There is a new normal, a new dawn, that awaits us.”

He added: “Together, we must look closely at our systems, our productivity, our efficiencies, our technologies. This is the time for us to take stock not just of our great achievements in the past two decades, but how we can continue to develop the UAE’s world class infrastructure, communities and cultures.”

Alabbar also committed to meeting with the contractors once every three months to review the on-going crisis, and to ensure their own stability.

He explained: “You have grown with us on this incredible journey as true partners. Now is the time for us to protect you in any way we can, and make sure that both of us are in a strong position to benefit from the recovery that I am certain will come.”

Emaar Properties, listed on the Dubai Financial Market, is a global property developer and provider of premium lifestyles, with a significant presence in the Middle East, North Africa and Asia. One of the world’s largest real estate companies, Emaar has a land bank of 1.6 billion sq. ft in the UAE and key international markets.