Robin Lohmann.



The brand master

by Anil Bhoyrul Thursday, 06 December 2007

Robin Lohmann is a man in a hurry. No sooner have we finished lunch then he turns to racing legend Niki Lauda for a quiet word. "I have another idea. We can discuss it after pudding is served," says Lohmann.

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The chances are it is another cracking idea - right now, Lohmann is on a roll. The boss of German-owned ACI has added spice to the UAE's property market, by putting branded buildings onto the market. And not just any brand - in the past month, Lohmann has persuaded sporting legends Michael Schumacher, Nikki Lauda and Boris Becker to lend their names to his projects. Early next year, the Michael Schumacher Business Avenue will be launched in Dubai - hot on the heels on Niki Lauda Twin Towers and Boris Becker Tower.
"I nearly got burnt when I first started out and Niki nearly got burnt when he drove Formula One cars, so we have a lot in common," jokes Lohmann, adding: "It is something different, something new and something that I think will make our investors a lot of money."

Everyone in life has to find the right time to do the right thing. I think I have found mine.
His track record suggests he is more than right. In less than two years of trading in Dubai, ACI has revenues topping the billion dollar mark. So far the company has launched Victory Bay and Sami Tower in Dubai's Business Bay, Dubai Star in Jumeirah Lake Towers and Wings of Arabia in Dubailand. With his sports-branded developments now off the mark, car-branded buildings are on the drawing board, again in new projects based mostly in Dubai.

"It is simple. We develop and we flip. We make people money. There is a lot of talk about the property market not being sustainable but those people talking that way - well, they don't know what they are talking about. There are still millions of people forecast to move to Dubai in the coming years. They all need somewhere to live and work. Prices will keep rising and I actually think we can double our turnover next year," says a confident Lohmann, adding: "As for the idea of branded buildings, well, again it is a simple equation. What would an investor pay more for - No.1 Business Avenue or No.1 Michael Schumacher Business Avenue?"

The real coup for German-born Lohmann has been in persuading Lauda and friends to join his property empire. Lauda's son Lukas is a friend of Lohmann, through whom the plan for Niki Lauda Twin Towers was first pitched.

Lauda liked what he saw and very quickly signed up. "I've never seen anything like Dubai - the pace of development here is just amazing, and everything is so much bigger every time I come here," says former F1 champion Lauda.

"Robin approached me with this idea and I was very impressed. The property market here is booming so it is nice to be a part of it in some way. I don't think you can find this kind of pace and energy anywhere else in the world," he adds.

In focus: Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher (born January 3, 1969) in Hürth Hermülheim, Germany is a former Formula One driver, and seven-time world champion.

According to the official Formula One website, he is "statistically the greatest driver the sport has ever seen". He is the first German to win the Formula One World championship and is credited with popularising Formula One in Germany. In a 2006 FIA survey, Michael Schumacher was voted the world's most popular driver among Formula One fans.

After winning two championships with Benetton, Schumacher moved to Ferrari in 1996 and won five consecutive drivers' titles with them from 2000-2004. Schumacher holds many records in Formula One, including most drivers' championships, race victories, fastest laps, pole positions, points scored and most races won in a single season. Schumacher is the first and only Formula One driver to have an entire season of podium finishes (2002).

His driving sometimes created controversy: he was twice involved in collisions that determined the outcome of the world championship, most notably his disqualification from the 1997 championship for causing a collision with Jacques Villeneuve. On September 10, 2006, Schumacher announced his retirement as a driver. Schumacher is currently assisting Scuderia Ferrari CEO Jean Todt for the 2007 Formula One season.

Off the track, Schumacher is an ambassador for UNESCO and a spokesman for driver safety. He has been involved in numerous humanitarian efforts throughout his life. He is the elder brother of former Toyota driver Ralf Schumacher.

Schumacher will be in Dubai on January 27 next year to officially launch the Michael Schumacher Business Avenue. Lohmann, clearly excited about Schumacher's arrival, says: "It is going to be a very special occasion for us. The deal was done in a very short space of time, and Michael is very choosy about what he gets involved in, so we are very proud to have him on board. What he has achieved in Formula One is second to nobody. We couldn't ask for a bigger guy to be involved."



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