Nakheel appoints General Manager 'Discovery Gardens'

Mahdhar will have complete responsibility for the running of Discovery Gardens. Following on from the success of The Gardens development - the first phase of which was completed in 2003 - the Discovery Gardens is a 2.4 million square metre development of six themed communities inspired by garden living: Zen, Mediterranean, Contemporary, Cactus, Mogul and Mesoamerican courtyard gardens. Conveniently located next to Ibn Battuta Mall, Discovery Gardens will be made up of 291 buildings with 29,000 spacious, multi-sized apartments in a family orientated community.

A certified Financial Advisor, Mahdhar's background is predominately in banking and finance. Having grown up in Dubai, Mahdhar graduated from the University of Wollongong with a degree in Business Administration, and a major in Finance and Banking. He has worked for a variety of banks including Citibank, the National Bank of Dubai, as well as HSBC where he worked for three years as a Business Development Officer. In this role he was integral in setting up the retail sales arm of HSBC in the UAE. As well as sales and finance, Mahdhar has extensive experience of management training and communications. He joined Nakheel as Senior Manager Group Sales in March.

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman Nakheel said, "Mahdhar's strong and diverse background in Business and Finance makes him an excellent appointment for General Manager, Discovery Gardens. His skill and ability as Senior Manager Group Sales at Nakheel has been evident, and his particular expertise in retail development and management will stand him in good stead for his new role."

Mahdhar commented, "Nakheel is at the forefront of building the vision of Dubai - creating it into a 21st century city and a world class hub for business and tourism. It is a pleasure and an honour to be a part of this. Discovery Gardens is one of Nakheel's leading inland residential developments, and offers excellent family-orientated apartments and facilities, set within a beautifully landscaped environment. Discovery Gardens is a key part of meeting the demands of the market for quality residential developments in the city, and helping continue Dubai's excellent growth."

This appointment is part of a number of announcements that will be made over the coming weeks as Nakheel restructures its senior management team in order to enhance customer focus and delivery, and to prepare for the next stage of growth and profitability. Each Nakheel project will now act as an autonomous strategic business unit complete with its own management, budget and team.