Target 2015

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Electric avenue: one of Bawadi’s glittering towers — the entrance to Dubai’s future mega entertainment venue.

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Sing the Blues: outdoor shows and state-of-the-art attractions will form a major part of Dubai’s theme park strategy.

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As Sheikh Mohammed says ‘if you fall, stand up, don't just sit on the ground and wait for someone else to help you, because no one will'," says Khalid Al Malik, CEO of giant UAE developer Tatweer. Al Malik quickly proceeds to dismiss the challenges posed by Dubai's strategic plan, which targets a number of 15 million tourists by 2015 as well as increasing the UAE's GDP to US$108bn or a growth of 11.2% per year.

What if 2015 arrives and this goal is not met? One can't help but wonder what the future of the company's multi-billion projects will be. Malik, however, answers: "Nothing," adding "We need to continue and if we don't achieve the target it doesn't mean the target won't be achieved. There will be a time issue and that's a challenge. Our challenge is to meet our target at the given time so if we don't achieve it we have to move on, and become a lot more aggressive."

He again cites the words of Dubai's ruler saying: "I refer to the book of His Highness, like a horse if you fall down you have another race to go to. We are very optimistic so let's go, try again and get there."

Tatweer has three main divisions focusing on the real estate industry and knowledge; healthcare and energy; leisure and entertainment, which also includes hospitality. Al Malik believes most of the company's projects contribute to the 2015 plan, especially when it comes to attracting the targeted number of tourists.

"This is evident whether when it comes to attracting healthcare tourism or leisure and entertainment, which consists of Dubailand, Global Village, Tiger Woods Dubai, and Universal Studios. All these attract family tourism and manufacturing attracts business, as you can see in Dubai Industrial City," says Al Malik.

Tatweer hopes to attract tourists by offering premium health and wellness services in the region at Dubai Healthcare City. So far, the facility has managed to attract some of the best doctors and hospitals in the world, according to Al Malik.

"This is how we contribute and that's our mandate, to sustain and develop this growth in Dubai by adding the right projects and companies or services to its portfolio so we can contribute to the achievement of the vision of His Highness. We re-engineer our core businesses in the industries we go to so they become a bit different and customised for Dubai," he suggests confidently.

One of the company's latest contributions to the future plan is the International Design Forum (IDF), launched by its Moutamarat division. Al Malik strongly believes that through Moutamarat the company is meeting another component stressed by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed in his strategic plan; that of knowledge. "It's a very important component and we have a product called IDF which is focusing on design and how it is important. We have launched many books throughout this event and brought in the best designers. So knowledge is how we are contributing in one area of the vision," he says.

Whether big or small, Tatweer launches an average of three to four projects a year. In order to attract people from neighbouring countries or from around the world, Al Malik stresses it is important to continue launching new initiatives.

"If you don't produce projects of the type we do you will come to an end. I think we are blessed with this kind of opportunity and we have the resource whether financial or other to move on. It is our job to create projects that provide opportunities for the others so we will continue and we'll have more projects," he says.

Personally, Al Malik has one favourite project, although he takes equal interest in all others. The closest to his heart, he says, is Dubai Healthcare City (DHC) and that is nothing to do with its design or structure but because the project is "about us in this part of the world".

"We are in dire need of good quality healthcare. Real estate, leisure, entertainment and energy are called for economics and financials but this is more about people, their health, future and having a better life. I like to see it accomplished as a project in terms of having both clusters: the medical and the wellness," he says.

Through DHC, AL Malik hopes to raise the standard of healthcare in the Arab world. After examining the region and finding huge gaps and growing issues surrounding the healthcare industry the project was launched. The existing problems, Al Malik explains, are due to obvious reasons such as the lack of standard and quality healthcare, lack of liability and accountability, which are very important in healthcare.

"Without them you will see what you already witness probably in many of our Arab countries," he says, adding: "What we have done is filled that gap by attracting the best institution in healthcare which is Harvard Medical International (HMI) out of Boston which joined us in a joint venture to help develop this cluster."

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