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Arabian Business
01-08-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
RED Summit explores design ideas and forges connections for Vision 2030
The 17th Real Estate Development (RED) Summit Saudi Arabia | Europe Edition, hosted by GBB Venture, took place in Lisbon, Portugal. Themed – Connecting Beyond Boundaries, the two-day event featured some of the most prominent personalities from Saudi Arabia's real estate sector. Held at the Lisbon Congress Centre's RIO Pavilion, the summit featured the Kingdom's key decision makers exchanging ideas and exploring themes with some of Europe's leading minds in design, construction, and hospitality, in line with Vision 2030. Day 1 – Technology, innovation and design The 17th edition of the event opened with a welcome address by Ravi Kumar Chandran, Founder & MD of GBB Venture. The address highlighted the organiser's milestone achievement of 25 successful events, followed by a speech by Rui Lourenço Pereira, Deputy Director at Commercial Department of AICEP (Portuguese Trade & Investment Agency), who shared a message of cross-continental partnership, setting the tone for a summit rooted in collaboration. What followed was a series of fast-paced, thought-provoking sessions that spotlighted bold innovations shaping the future. Ron Bakker, Founding Partner at PLP Architecture, shared visionary insights from 'The Edge,' a smart, sustainable office building redefining how we think about workspaces. Pablo Vidarte, CEO of BIOO, introduced groundbreaking technologies including soil-powered batteries and bioluminescent plants, merging nature and innovation. Tetyana Kovalenko, CEO of Elite Stone Group, presented the concept of green luxury with sustainably sourced marble. Dr. Andreas Wieser of Smart United GmbH emphasised the critical role of indoor air quality in real estate development. Shifting the focus to the Middle East, Ali Al Ghamdi, Transformation Consultant at OSUS, explored the dynamic transformation of Saudi Arabia's hospitality landscape, while Elias Abou Samra, CEO of Rafal Real Estate, examined evolving development models that are reshaping the Kingdom's urban future. The final session before the break featured Christos Passas, Director at Zaha Hadid Architects, who shared innovations in sustainable high-rise design. The session was followed by RED Summit's mainstay on the roster – pre-scheduled one-to-one meetings where connections are forged to explore potential commercial collaborations. Post lunch, attendees gathered for a quick wellness boost with Technogym's energizer session, led by Amâncio Santos, proving that a five-minute fitness fix can do wonders. The schedule featured a series of panel discussions beginning with 'Simplifying Agility,' a panel on building for adaptability in a fast-changing world. Moderated by Daniel O'Brien, Director, Development at Qiddiya, the session brought together Sanjay Tanwani, Regional Director at AECOM, Paul Fraser, Director of Cities and Communities for KSA at AtkinsRéalis, James Passmore representing PIF, and Al. Motasem B. Attiyah, CEO of CLEAR Holding Co. The conversation centered on how flexibility, responsiveness, and strategic design are becoming must-haves in the Kingdom's future-ready developments. The day wrapped with more focused B2B meetings and a sunset drive to Arriba, for a cocktail dinner, with conversations and connections alongside the scenic coastal side. Day 2 – Evolving trends and designs The second day of the event featured a deep dive into Saudi Arabia's evolving real estate landscape. Harmen De Jong, Regional Partner & Head of Consulting at Knight Frank, unpacked key market trends and demand-supply insights shaping the Kingdom's future. The momentum continued with 'Designing the Iconic,' a presentation series where Maximilian Zielinski, Senior Partner at Foster + Partners, Viggo Haremst, Partner & Design Director at Henning Larsen, and Mark Kennedy, Head of Design at MAGNA – NEOM, shared bold visions behind structures designed to last for generations. This was followed by an intense panel discussion: 'Market Dynamics & Mega Events Reshaping the Industry,' moderated by Tala Michel Issa, Chief Reporter at Arabian Business, which featured panelists – Dr. Bassam Boodai, Board Member & Investment Committee Chairman at AL MOZAINI Real Estate and Eng. Abdulaziz Al Zamil, CBDO from Tatweer. The discussion shone a light on the economic and cultural shifts influencing Saudi Arabia's real estate evolution. Post-lunch, delegates returned for the final curated experience, a speed networking session titled – GBB's Delegates-Only Bash. In just under 100 minutes, over 100 developers, designers, consultants, and operators interacted via quick meetings, ending the summit on a strong note of connection and momentum. As the curtain drew on the Europe iteration of the event, the 17th Real Estate Development Summit – Saudi Arabia | Europe edition left behind more than connections, it built momentum. With conversations and strategies underway, the next chapter of real estate is taking shape with new technologies and ideas. The event was supported by APIMA, Ghorfa (Arab-German Chamber of Commerce), Saudi Portuguese Business Council, G-Kreations, AICEP, Saudi Business Council, and AstroLabs.
Arabian Business
13-06-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Connecting beyond boundaries
The 17th Real Estate Development Summit – Saudi Arabia: Europe Edition The 17th Real Estate Development Summit (REDS), Europe Edition, is set to take place on 25 to 26 June 2025 at the Lisbon Congress Centre, Rio Pavilion, Portugal. Organized by GBB Venture, this invite-only summit brings together decision-makers from across the globe, focusing on innovation, strategic partnerships, and investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia's evolving real estate sector. A Visionary Behind the Summit Ravi Kumar Chandran, Founder and Managing Director of GBB Events, is a seasoned event strategist with a passion for curating business ecosystems where meaningful partnerships flourish. With a rich legacy in creating industry-specific platforms, Ravi has positioned REDS as a must-attend summit for real estate influencers seeking to unlock the Middle East's potential, especially Saudi Arabia's. What to Expect This edition promises to take the focused platform a notch higher with over 120 international solution providers, over 200 decision makers representing some of the top projects in Saudi Arabia and a stellar speaker line-up addressing some of the most exciting subjects and creative ideas. Ron Bakker, Founding Partner – PLP Architecture will present EDGE, Amsterdam a unique project intelligently connecting people, creating a truly inspiring workplace. Ideas that can change the way greenery can contribute to real estate projects will be presented by Pablo Vidarte, CEO – BIOO. While Dott. Geol. Tetyana Kovalenko – CEO, Elite Stone Group will share how marble paves the way for sustainable building in Saudi Arabia and ME. 2 of Saudi Arabia's notable real estate firms, OSUS and Rafal Real Estate Development Company will both share key presentations highlighting the industry growth, some key projects and the way forward. Ali Al Ghamdi, Transformation Consultant will represent OSUS while Elias Abousamra, CEO will represent Rafal and share the priorities shaping the industry landscape over the next 18 months. Harmen de Jong, Regional Partner Head of Consulting at Knight Frank will take the stage to present some very interesting facts and stats on Saudi Arabia's key market indicators, pipeline projects and trends in the industry. A panel of project heads and experts then delves into flexibility and adaptability of design and development process to deliver extraordinary projects defining the future of the Kingdom. This panel moderated by Daniel O'Brien, Director of Development at Qiddiya will host Paul Fraser, Director – Cities & Communities KSA – AtkinsRealis, Sanjay Tanwani – Regional Director, AECOM and B. Attiyah – CEO, Clear Holding Co. Further shedding light on some iconic projects are a set of most notable design leaders: Maximilian Zielinski – Senior Partner, Foster + Partners, Viggo Haremst – Partner & Design Director, Henning Larsen, Mark Kennedy – Head of Design, Magna – NEOM who will individually share their take on the design process of these futuristic projects. Christos Passas, Director – Zaha Hadid Architects will also be sharing recent work in sustainable high-rise design. Finally, not to miss the extraordinary mega events and the future outlook of real estate and tourism industries in the Kingdom, Eng. Abdulaziz Al Zamil, CBDO – Tatweer, Dr. Adil Al-Qusadi, Advisor on Strategic Partnerships and International Cooperation – Saudi Arabia, Dr. Bassam Boodai – Board Member, Al Mozaini Real Estate and Ahmed Abas – Director, MENA Sports Advisory, EY Parthenon will share their expert opinions on the subject moderated by Tala Michel Issa, Chief Reporter, Arabian Business. Fun & Networking Sessions: While there's much learning and knowledge sharing anticipated at the summit, there's also a bit of fun and quality networking in the process. A quick Energizing Session With Technogym gives time to stretch and relax. The highlight dinner is straight out of a storybook. Beginning with a beautiful coastal drive to the venue Arriba, the dinner itself is planned with a breath-taking view of the sea to one side and a fort on the other, it is a great place and time to let loose, enjoy and network in the amazingly charming Portuguese ambience. Furthermore, the pre-arranged face-to-face meetings with the decision makers provide for undeterred attention to business networking where every individual requirement is pre-matched to ensure a high-success rate to all the meetings. This signature offering by GBB is a time-tested method to bring together people who mean business and can help build long-term partnerships. The summit also ends with a delegate-only networking session allowing the attendees yet more focused time to foster business relationships. Why Attend? Gain first-hand insights into Saudi Arabia's giga and mega projects Meet 200+ top owners, developers, operators, architects, designers and 120 global solution providers Explore real-time business opportunities through pre-scheduled meetings Experience value for time through a focused decision-makers only platform With a proven track record of driving results and forging connections, REDS continues to be a leading summit at the intersection of vision, innovation, and opportunity.a leading summit at the intersection of vision, innovation, and opportunity. For more details, visit:
Hospitality Net
03-06-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Fraser's Modena brand opens 325-Key property in Shenzhen
Modena by Fraser Shenzhen, which soft opened on 29 March 2025, brings a refreshed take on flexible urban living in the heart of Luohu District within the Greater Bay Area. The residence features 325 contemporary apartments, ranging from smart studios to spacious two-bedroom units, all thoughtfully designed with multi-functional areas to support both short- and long-term stays. Housed in the distinctive Shennan 1001, a landmark development in Shenzhen designed by London-based PLP Architecture, the tower's spiral façade draws inspiration from traditional Chinese scroll paintings, creating a poetic silhouette on the city skyline. The city's first Modena by Fraser property offers direct connectivity to Hong Kong and is mere minutes away from the Luohu, Wenjindu, and Liantang border crossings, and a short drive to Luohu Port. It is also conveniently connected to the Shenzhen Metro via Lines 2, 5, and 8. Among the lifestyle amenities are a pickleball court, alongside a gym, yoga studio, relaxation lounge, lobby café, and outdoor barbecue area — all designed to support active living and foster a connected community. With its vibrant setting, thoughtful design, and our award-winning service, Modena by Fraser Shenzhen presents a fresh option for cross-border professionals and leisure travellers alike. Hotel website
