Spiderman and Donald Trump to speak at RERA conference

A Frenchman who has climbed the outside of the Burj Khalifa and US business tycoon Donald Trump have been confirmed as the headline speakers at a property conference being organised by Dubai’s real estate regulator.

The inaugural MEFMA (Middle East Facility Management Association) Conference will be opened by New York billionaire businessman Donald Trump, whose flagship project on the Palm Jumeirah was one of the major casualties of the downturn in the Dubai property.

Due to speak by video link, Trump’s speech will outline “the potential that exists in the regional real estate market.”

In addition to HE Marwan Bin Ghulaitha, the CEO of RERA (the real estate regulatory agency), Frenchman Robert Alain will also climb the podium at the event in March. Known as 'Spiderman', Alain has climbed the outside of 85 buildings, including the Burj Khalifa in March 2011.

Commenting upon the events importance, HE Mohamed Al Mehairi, CEO of Musanada and Board Member of MEFMA, said: “Facilities management is becoming the barometer for a developing economy because it marks the completion of new developments being handed over with improved consideration for the service agreement.”

In the Middle East, the facilities management industry is expected to be worth $8bn by 2013 operating at a profitability margin between ten percent and 15 percent, according to Jamal Lootah, chairman for MEFMA and CEO of Imdaad.

MEFMA will be held on March 11 and 12 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.