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Emaar Properties finally gets its marketing man

Former Aujan Industries boss Alex Andarakis has finally joined property giant Emaar, to oversee the company's international marketing strategy.

Andarakis quit the drinks giant two months ago, though at the time refused to confirm speculation he was heading for Emaar.
Arabian Business has since learned that Andarakis took up his new post less than two weeks ago, reporting directly to Emaar chairman Mohammed Alabbar.

Emaar is hoping Andarakis will push the company's brand to an international scale. "We have done great things in the UAE and the Arab world but the next phase is to make Emaar's success story known across the world. People in New York and Hong Kong should know what we do and how well we do it," an Emaar source said.

Andarakis is credited with rejuvenating Aujan during his three years at the company. He launched the group's ‘555' strategy, aimed at concentrating on five brands over five years. Within his first three years, he managed to double the group's revenues to over US$250m, and Aujan is now seen as one of the region's top drinks companies.

In this week's Arabian Business 50 Most Admired Companies list, Aujan ranks No.29.

Nevertheless, his move to Emaar (ranked No.4 in the same list) will be seen as a major coup for the property giant. It has won critical acclaim for its regional projects, including the iconic Burj Dubai and Saudi Arabia's Economic City.

"Emaar has shown it can do the business in the UAE and elsewhere in the Arab world, but what it needs is someone to co-ordinate the worldwide marketing plans," said an Emaar source, adding: "Nobody has any doubt about Alex's ability to make a huge difference. Everywhere he has worked he made a huge difference. It's taken a long time to get him on board, but now he's here there's already a real buzz about the place."

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