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Building on their success growing Keller Williams real estate offices in the United States and South Africa, a group of business leaders has announced plans to open a new Keller Williams region based in Dubai. The venture is being led by a team that includes Operating Principal Werner Burger, Regional Director Piaras Moriarty and CEO Zhann Jochinke.
"We're excited to bring the proven models and systems of Keller Williams to real estate agents and clients in Dubai," Burger said. "Keller Williams is the real estate industry's leader in training and technology and Dubai is one of the fastest-growing, most dynamic real estate markets in the world. In many ways, the Middle East is still in the startup phase when it comes to selling real estate. Keller Williams, with its agent-centric principles, will revolutionize the market, just as it has in the United States and Canada."
Keller Williams, which is the largest real estate franchise in North America with more than 97,000 associates, announced the plans during its annual convention. The Austin, Texas-based company started expanding beyond North America two years ago, and has awarded master franchise agreements covering dozens of coutries, including Austria, Germany, Indonesia, South Africa, Switzerland, Turkey, the UK and Vietnam. After a record-breaking year for growth, productivity and profitability, the company is on pace to become the largest real estate franchise by agent count, transactions and volume all across the world.
"We are constantly looking for the right business leaders to share the Keller Williams mission, vision and culture around the world," said Chris Heller, president of Keller Williams Worldwide. "We are excited by the opportunity to work with Werner and his talented team to help real estate professionals in the Middle East grow their business and serve clients at the very highest level."
Burger brings to KW Dubai more than two decades of experience in real estate management and development. He serves as CEO of IFA Hotels & Resorts (IFA HR) for the Middle East and Africa and as the operating principal for Keller Williams market centers in Zimbali and the Western Cape. KW Dubai will build on the successful partnership between IFA HR and Keller Williams in South Africa. Last fall, they joined forces to sell out a 400 million Rand development in KwaZulu-Natal within hours of the sales office opening.
"KW Dubai is a great strategic fit linking Africa and the Middle East," Burger said. "We're seeing increased client movement between the regions and anticipate strong cross-selling and marketing opportunities. From my experience leading IFA HR's global expansion and sales and marketing, I firmly believe that the Keller Williams model is going to change the world of real estate in the Middle East. Keller Williams and IFA HR are a perfect match in terms of culture and strategy. We're both growth-oriented and committed to being the market leader in everything that we do."
Jochinke, who is originally from Australia, joins KW Dubai from New York City, where he has been instrumental in growing the Keller Williams Manhattan office by almost 300 associates since 2011.
"With the best business model and the best training in the real estate industry, Keller Williams is transforming the real estate business around the globe," Jochinke said. "We look forward to opening new offices, welcoming new associates to our family and helping to fulfill the Keller Williams mission of building careers worth having, businesses worth owning and lives worth living."
Piaras Moriarty, who will also hold dual roles with IFA Hotels & Resorts and Keller Williams Dubai, is exploring opportunities to grow the franchise beyond Dubai.
"Dubai's extraordinary growth and strong economic outlook make it an ideal fit for the most innovative real estate model in the business," Moriarty said. "We expect KW Dubai to emulate the same trajectory of success achieved in every country the company has entered to date. Our longterm goal is to roll out KW franchises across the Middle East through strategic partnerships in key markets and to transform the manner in which real estate is sold."
About Keller Williams Realty, Inc.
Keller Williams Realty, Inc. (kw.com | kwworldwide.com) is the largest real estate franchise company in North America, with approximately 700 offices and 98,000 associates in more than a dozen countries around the world. The company has grown exponentially since the opening of the first Keller Williams Realty office in 1983, and continues to cultivate an agent-centric, education-based, technology-driven culture that rewards associates as stakeholders. The company also provides specialized agents in luxury homes and commercial real estate properties.
About IFA Hotels & Resorts (IFA HR)
IFA Hotels & Resorts (ifahotelsresorts.com | ifahi.com) develops, licenses, operates and manages luxury residential, hotel and resort projects for international investors and owners across emerging markets. The company has dozens of projects throughout the Middle East, Europe, Africa, North America and the Indian Ocean. Each of the company's operational assets is managed by its wholly owned subsidiary, Dubai-based IFA Hotel Investments. As the largest foreign investor on Dubai's Palm Jumeirah, IFA HR is an established market leader in development and sales. Listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange, IFA HR has a market capitalization of approximately US $1 billion. The company's main shareholder is Kuwait-based International Financial Advisors.
Contact: amantha McBride
P: +971 4 447-8282 - E: samantha[.]ifahotelsresorts.com.
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