Pace Joinery appoints new General Manager

53 year old South African-born Hand has over 34 years' international experience in construction and interior fit-out, 15 of those in the Middle East.

He has managed the fit-out of the Jumeirah Beach hotel and was part of the project team at Dubai International Airport for over eight years. Hand's other roles include, founding director of Plafond interiors and managing director of MEP company Macair.

In addition, regionally and internationally, he has managed some of the most prestigious interior fit-out projects, two of which received national industry excellence awards. Hand was also involved in projects such as the Queen Alia International Airport in Jordan and the Military Hospital in Muscat, Oman.

Hand also worked in Southern Africa predominantly in Johannesburg, the Eastern Transvaal and Namibia. It was during his time there that he received numerous accolades on behalf of Goldstein's and Stocks & Stocks.

These included the Southern African Productivity Council Construction Industry, Contract of the Year Award and the Fulton Award for the Standard Bank Corporate Headquarters, project which recognises the highest quality concrete structures.

Hand sees his key role with Pace as substantially developing the company's manufacturing business to support major international hotel projects, while at the same time ensuring the bespoke furniture business maintains its reputation for exceptional quality.

By combining traditional workshops, with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities,
Pace Joinery has built an enviable reputation throughout the region for its high-quality, handcrafted, furniture, which serves its prestigious client-base, as well as providing interiors, furnishings and fittings for major hotel, hospitality and retail projects.
With an annual turnover in excess of Dhs50m, Pace has a fulltime staff of some 350 skilled personnel and has manufacturing facilities totalling some 35,000 square feet.

"Pace is renowned, particularly in the hotel, hospitality and retail sectors, for combining traditional carpentry skills and craftsmanship with state-of-the-art manufacturing and fabrication processes. My strategic business plan for this highly successful regional company is to develop it still further, into an exceptionally successful organisation on an international level," said Hand.