Waterfront & investment issues top Cityscape Abu Dhabi agenda

A three-day conference on real estate finance and investment and a concurrent conference on waterfront development, will address the in-depth issues currently facing regional investors and developers.

Mark Goodchild, Project Manager, Cityscape Abu Dhabi commented, 'At over US$ 46,000, Abu Dhabi has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world. With miles of unspoiled coastline and many uninhabited islands, Abu Dhabi holds untold potential for waterfront development. Although they both encompass phenomenal opportunities, they are also highly complex, so we have organised two dedicated conferences that will go in-depth, tackling the composite issues that one generalised conference could not address.'

The 'Real Estate Finance & Investment Conference' is a magnet for leading international and regional investors that will help uncover the latest and most lucrative investment strategies in real estate today. The conference will also address Islamic real estate investments highlighting the growth of the Shari'ah compliant real estate sector through Sukuks, Islamic Real Estate Investment Trusts (IREIT) and Funds.

Key speakers include Jason B. Kern, Executive Director, Real Estate Investment Banking, J.P. Morgan Securities (Asia Pacific) Ltd., Hong Kong; Shahil Akram, Deputy CEO, Amlak Finance; Reda Khatim, VP, Citigroup Property Investors, UK; Richard Stockton, MD, Investment Banking Division, Morgan Stanley, UK. The main conference will be preceded by two optional pre-conference workshops which will examine 'Structuring An Islamic Real Estate Investment Fund' and 'Real Estate Valuation, Finance and Investment'.

Running simultaneously, the comprehensive 'Waterfront Development Conference' will address the key issues and opportunities to be managed by planners, designers, developers and end-users of waterfront developments. Often with open sea-views and desirable rental or sales returns, waterfront real estate is traditionally the most attractive and lucrative real estate investment class and the conference will provide an ideal platform to highlight global best practice.

High profile speakers have already been recruited such as, Salah Al Shamsi, Chairman & Managing Director, Al Qudra Holding, Mounir D. Haider, CEO, Sorouh Real Estate; Nick Smith, CEO, The Wave Muscat; Lee Tabler, CEO, TDIC; Robert Lee, Director Development, Nakheel. A site visit to Al Raha Beach will also be organised, which in-keeping with the conference theme is being developed as the 'Great Arabian Water City'. Again two optional pre-conference workshops have been organised to examine marketing returns and transport and infrastructure.

Local and regional industry support has been robust for Cityscape Abu Dhabi, with TDIC, ALDAR, Sorouh, Tamouh Investments, Aqaba Development Corporation and ESCAN signed up as platinum sponsors. Dubai-based Amlak Finance and Zonescorp have taken the gold sponsorship package.