Bloom launches multi-deal education partnership

Dr Hani Shammah, Bloom Properties' CEO, told AME Info in an interview that the group was looking to partner with a 'very prestigious secondary school in the Bloom Gardens project' as part of a new differentiation element for its upcoming community developments.

Bloom, which operates as the development and lifestyle arm of Abu Dhabi's National Holding, currently has $10bn of projects in the pipeline; from the $6bn Dunya development in Algeria, to projects in the UAE capital, and emerging markets.

The agreement with English private school Brighton College will see the company develop a dozen 'offshoot' schools around the world, with the first two being created in Abu Dhabi and further colleges planned in Mauritius, Oman, Jordan, Vietnam and India.

Although Romania has also been put forward as a possible location, it is unclear how Bloom's freezing of its planned development in the country will affect the roll out.

Multi-site expansion

The terms of the deal, the specifics of which remain private, will see Bloom build and develop the schools as part of its communities, they will then be managed by Brighton College, who will also provide senior staff for each.

'We were determined to get involved in a country with sound fundamentals, providing us with a strong platform for international expansion,' said Brighton College's headmaster Richard Cairns in a statement.

'We have never been interested in just one school because we felt that a single satellite school would generate insufficient income for Brighton College to justify the additional focus and time that such a venture requires. That is why I am so delighted with this multi-site, multi-national deal. It has allowed us to set up our own company with its own director and staff.'

Sports venture

Bloom, through its Bloom Sports subsidiary, has also entered into a joint venture with Treble Group International to form Treble Sports. According to Bloom, the new venture will manage sporting events, initially within Abu Dhabi, from Q4 2009.

'This joint venture is one of a series of partnerships that Bloom is pursuing...in various lifestyle sectors and will help us deliver on our promise of community development,' said Dr Shammah.

See also:
Sorouh unveils new personal financing schemes
Aldar confirms affordable housing plans