Emirates Sunland Group bring Palazzo Versace Hotel team to Dubai

Sunland Group, who formed a 50:50 joint partnership with Emirates International Holdings to form Emirates Sunland Group (ESG), built the world's first Palazzo Versace Hotel on Australia's Gold Coast in 2000. They are now preparing to build the second Palazzo Versace Hotel in Culture Village on the Dubai Creek. Construction is expected to be completed by 2009.

The same team that are working on the Palazzo Versace Hotel are also working on D1 Tower, a residential/resort tower also being built on Dubai's Creek, and White Bay, a master-planned community in Umm Al Quwain.

David Brown, International Design Director for ESG, says the decision to permanently relocate the Palazzo Versace design team to Dubai was based on their expertise, reputation and attention to detail.

"Sunland Group has over 20 years of construction history in Australia and we have built up a strong reputation for excellence. We have bought the expertise behind that history to Dubai to ensure that same standards of excellence are maintained throughout all our international projects," he says.

Several well-known locally based companies have also been contracted to work with ESG, including Arabtec, Holford Architects and Hyder Engineering.

As well as design and construction staff, Sunland Group have also bought several members of their Australian based sales team to Dubai to prepare for the launch of ESGs new projects.

This staffs has been joined by sales professionals from around the globe, including Iranians, Russians and Gulf nationals, and together they have over 40 years of combined sales experience.

Soheil Abedian, Joint Managing Director of Emirates Sunland Group, says the decision to create a multi-national sales team was due to Dubai's global appeal.

"Dubai is a city that draws people from all parts of the globe and we have chosen to build a sales team that represents this diverse cultural mix," he says. "Our products are very international in feel and having such a diverse sales team will mean that people can feel comfortable buying our properties in their own mother tongue.

"Of course we will also be collaborating closely with local real estate agents," he says. "We want to learn from the industry as a whole, while also adding to what is here in Dubai and showcasing the Australian way."