Business Bureau, Gulf Today

CBRE, the global real estate consulting firm, has launched its first ever Proptech event in the Middle East. Hosted by Dubai’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), the event will cover the digital transformation of the real estate sector and its effects on property lifecycles from finding and marketing a property to buying, selling and letting it more easily.

Led by Dr. Thomas Herr, EMEA Head of Digital Innovation at CBRE, the forum will provide a unique opportunity for all of those in real estate — from residential to commercial, retail and hospitality — to learn more about the technologies that are revolutionising their sector and how they can be implemented to empower investors and tenants, drive efficiency, increase profitability and enhance trust.

The event featured a lively panel discussion comprised of a number of CBRE leaders in the field of Proptech including: Scott Sullivan, Director, Digital Solutions — Property Management — APAC at CBRE; Anna Tng, Head of Business Development For Property Management — Asia at CBRE; Matt Hallett, Associate Director In EMEA Retail & Consumer Advisory at CBRE; Alexandra Rose, Director, Digital Product Sales EMEA at CBRE; Aidan Purvis, Associate Director, Digital Product Sales at CBRE and Borja Quintero, Architect & Valuation Advisory at CBRE.

In addition, Ben McGregor, Investment Director at ICD Brookfield Management Limited and Mohamad Khodr Al-Dah, Director, Survey Department at Dubai Land Department added their expert insights as panelists.

Thomas Herr, EMEA Head of Digital Innovation at CBRE, said: “Digital technologies are already having a transformative effect on the real estate sector and it Is important that as an industry we come together to better understand how to utilise the latest innovations to better service our clients whilst advancing the sectors in which we work.

The Middle East is known for its commitment to innovation and yet Proptech is yet to be fully explored in this region.”

“We look forward to working closely with our partners and with the Government of Dubai to ensure that the most pioneering solutions are adopted in the emirate to further support its proposition as a world leading business hub and investment powerhouse.”

In addition to the panel discussion, the event featured a number of live demonstrations of innovative Proptech solutions including PULSE, Calibrate, Floored Plan & Build, Asset IQ and Discovery which aim to transform the experiences of investors, landlords and tenants alike by increasing work efficiency and profitability in the long-run.

The company, which  has more than 90,000 employees (excluding affiliates), and serves real estate investors globally, has heavily invested in technology to support its client-base, identifying a number of products, such as tools that create 3D images of buildings, and interactive walk-throughs of unbuilt and built properties, to add further value to both personnel and client activity.

Simon Townsend, Senior Director and Head of Strategic Advisory at CBRE MENAT, said: “Dubai is constantly evolving as an emirate and with this comes an opportunity to set a new standard in smart and sustainable buildings with state of the art tenant experiences. Just 1 per cent of global Proptech is currently based in the UAE, but this is growing rapidly.

At CBRE, we are deeply committed to leading this drive to support the Government’s push to digitise real estate processes to further bolster Dubai’s proposition as one of best places in the world in which to invest in real estate and conduct business.”

“We believe that as a city synonymous with innovation and smart technology, Dubai has all of the ingredients required to become a shining example of the opportunities and advantages that exist through the adoption of Proptech solutions.”

CBRE Group, a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2018 revenue).

The company has more than 90,000 employees (excluding affiliates), and serves real estate investors and occupiers through approximately 480 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide.

CBRE offers a broad range of integrated services, including facilities, transaction and project management; property management; investment management; appraisal and valuation; property leasing; strategic consulting; property sales; mortgage services and development services.