SELECT GROUP - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- in 2023 As the Group Chief Financial Officer
Adnan joined Select Group in 2023 as the Group Chief Financial Officer, bringing with him a wealth of international experience across diverse industries.
A seasoned Chartered Accountant, Adnan commenced his professional journey in the financial world in the heart of London, where he both graduated and trained. His professional journey has lead him to live in various cities such as Manchester, Johannesburg, Karachi and New York, enriching his professional acumen through exposure to varied business landscapes.
Before joining Select Group, Adnan held the pivotal role of Chief Financial Officer for the Middle East and Africa at Clyde & Co, the largest International law firm in the region.
His early career saw him honing his skills at BDO, one of the top five accounting firms in the UK, where he trained as a Chartered Accountant. His dedication and expertise paved the way for a remarkable 13-year tenure at Marsh & McLennan, a Fortune 500 Financial Services firm, culminating in his role as the Regional Finance Director.
Adnan is fluent in both Urdu and Punjabi, and he is actively working on improving his Arabic.
With his extensive background and strategic financial insight, Adnan is a key asset to Select Group.
With over a decade of dedicated service to Select Group, Asad has been an integral part of the Group's success. Commencing his career as a Civil Engineer, Asad has amassed an impressive 20 years of hands-on experience in the construction industry.
He has played pivotal roles in several key developments during his tenure at Select Group, including iconic projects such as the Intercontinental Hotel, Marina Gate, Torch Tower, Bay Central, Peninsula, Six Senses Residences The Palm, Dubai and Nautica. His commitment and expertise have been instrumental in contributing to the company's growth and reputation in the construction sector. Prior to joining Select Group, Asad's professional journey included a noteworthy stint with Emaar.
Asad has successfully managed contracts worth AED 8 billion to date. His ability to navigate complex projects and deliver outstanding results has been a consistent hallmark throughout his career. Currently, Asad is primarily focused on the management of pre and post contracts, claims and final account, quantity surveying, and tendering. His keen attention to detail, strategic thinking, and wealth of experience make him a valuable asset in these critical areas of construction project management.
Asad holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Engineering & Technology, Pakistan. Additionally, he has earned a Masters in Commercial Management & Quantity Surveying from the esteemed Heriot Watt University, Dubai campus.
Job Titles:
- Manager, Treasury & Accounts Payable
Bram joined Select Group in 2023 as the Head of Legal.
Originally hailing from the Netherlands, Bram has accumulated extensive legal experience, primarily in Amsterdam, where his primary area of expertise was real estate law.
He briefly resided in Brussels, where he worked as an in-house lawyer in the hospitality industry, further solidifying his legal background.
Upon his move to Dubai, Bram continued to focus on the hospitality industry within the legal domain.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Bram is deeply dedicated to charitable initiatives. He has taken the lead in launching non-profit projects in Rwanda, one of which involves local youth providing assistance to senior citizens in their daily challenges. Additionally, Bram recently founded The Future Light Football Academy, aimed at enhancing the lives of underprivileged street children through the power of football.
Georges is a highly experienced and accomplished professional in the commercial field with over 19 years of experience in the hospitality and real estate industries. He joined Select Group in 2020 as a vital member of the team.
Georges began his career with the Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG), where he built a long-standing relationship with the company. He served as a commercial director on a property level and was later promoted to the role of General Manager at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Dubai. He also served as the regional commercial director of Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts for the Middle East, Africa, and South East Asia Region.
In his current role with Select Group, Georges is responsible for developing and executing the company's commercial strategy in alignment with our long-term goals. He is actively involved in managing strategic customer/vendor relationships, supervising the international partner broker program, pricing and positioning future projects. Additionally, his responsibilities include regional business development and high net worth individual relationship development.
Georges holds a degree in hospitality management from the Lebanese University and a master's degree in business administration from College De Paris Ascencia Business School . His academic qualifications, coupled with his extensive work experience, have enabled him to excel in his field.
Johan is a high-performing leader with over 20+ years of progressive experience managing multi-million dollar construction operations on a global scale. He brings with him a breadth of knowledge and skills to manage large scale-projects.
He has a strong command of the project management life cycle with proven exposure to commercial development, agile leadership, tendering, large contract negotiations, vendor relations, reporting, and P&L. Johan's core expertise lies in directing comprehensive day-to-day operations, fortifying stakeholder relationships, and ensuring that all budget and quality parameters are achieved.
Johan is consistently characterised by his steadfast dedication to streamlining operations, capacity to provide strategic oversight, drive to and ability to beat corporate objectives and cost targets.
Kevin joined Select Group in January 2022 as Director, Marketing and heads up the Marketing activities for the Group. Kevin brings with him an extensive international curriculum with over 17 years of experience in marketing, brand and commercial roles, spanning continents.
Having held successful tenures in leading brands, primarily within hospitality, multi-use developments and tourism sectors, Kevin brings a strategic overview of marketing distribution for the group.
Originally from Australia, where he completed his education, Kevin has lived most of his life in Portugal before moving to the Middle East, where he continued building his success, earning him the distinction of Marketing Leader of the Year, 2018, at Intercontinental Hotels Group.
Kevin is a passionate and committed leader with expertise in building, coaching and driving international teams.
Job Titles:
- Manager, HR & Administration
Ksenia joined Select Group in February 2023 as HR and Administration Manager. In her current role, she is responsible for leading the Group's overall human resources strategy, people operations, global talent acquisition, leadership development, organisational design and cultural development, compensation and benefits, technology, employee relations, and security.
With a strong and genuine passion for hospitality, Ksenia has been part of numerous pre-opening projects from well-known international hotel brands to passenger ships and innovative start-up companies. Ksenia holds a BA degree in International Affairs & Tourism and her professional experiences include executive-level management, strategic program management, training/employee development, resource and budget forecasting, organisational development, and employee relations.
She enjoys working with people from all over the world and is inspired by travelling and exploring different cultures. She has visited over 60 countries and conquered the Annapurna base camp.
Laura joined Select Group in 2022 as Design Manager and is responsible for leading the architecture of developments in the UAE and the UK.
With over 11 years of professional experience in designing buildings across 3 continents, and having specialised in computational design technologies, Laura brings with her a strong design vision, analytical approach, and precision into all aspects of her work at Select Group.
In her experience she has been exposed to refurbishment of Japanese residences, large scale residential developments across China, residential and hospitality high rise projects in Dubai, such as Forte Towers in Downtown Dubai, Marsa Al Arab, and most recently 7-star hospitality resorts in the Red Sea.
Laura holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree of Architecture from the University of Architecture and Urbanism in Bucharest, with scholarships at Madrid Polytechnic and Sao Paulo University. She completed a second Master's program in Japan, in Pritzker Award Winner Kazuyo Sejima's Studio: "Applied Environmental Design ''.
Job Titles:
- Financial Controller
- in 2024 As the Financial Controller
Muneeb joined Select Group in 2024 as the Financial Controller within the finance team.
Originally from the UK, Muneeb brings with him over 15 years of comprehensive experience in finance and accounting, with a significant 12-year stint at Westcon International. This substantial tenure underscores his profound understanding of financial complexities and his ability to navigate intricate financial landscapes with precision and expertise.
Muneeb holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the London School of Commerce, a testament to his academic dedication and foundational knowledge in business principles. Furthermore, he is a qualified member of the esteemed Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, reflecting his commitment to professional development and adherence to industry standards.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director, Asset Management
Paul joined Select Group in 2008 with extensive knowledge in both asset and facilities management gained at blue-chip corporate organisations in the UK, alongside 15 years of international experience within the Middle East. Paul's background allows him to bring a unique perspective to the company in the areas of asset and facilities management.
Paul started his career in electrical engineering in the healthcare and industrial sectors in Ireland before moving to Saudi Arabia in 1987. In 1994, he began managing FM service delivery for clients, such as JP Morgan and Fidelity Investment in London. In 1996, he joined Fidelity Investments before returning to Ireland in 2003 to work at Citigroup's flagship headquarters in Dublin. He later returned to the Gulf to occupy a senior role for Stow International, managing a portfolio of properties across Dubai and Saudi Arabia while developing The Group's interests across the region.
Paul has a Master's Degree in Facilities Management from the University of Westminster, London, UK.
Paul joined Select Group in 2023 as a Project Manager, bringing with him a wealth of experience and expertise from the construction industry.
He has a strong background in construction management, construction law & arbitration, fitout, and civil engineering.
With 11 years of experience in the field, including 9 years in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Paul has worked on several notable projects in the region including the EXPO 2020 Mobility Pavilion, Dubai Festival City Mall expansion, The Etihad Arena in Yas Island, and The Link Bridge at One Zabeel, which holds the World record for the longest Cantilevered Building.
Paul holds a Master of Law (LLM) in Construction Law & Arbitration from the Robert Gordon University in Scotland (Aberdeen), along with an Honors degree (HONS) in Construction Management from WITS University South Africa.
Job Titles:
- Director, Project Development
Prince joined Select Group in 2010 and currently holds the position of Senior Manager, Project Development. His primary focus is on high-rise mixed-use developments (residential and commercial), along with luxury villas, offices, and staff accommodation.
Prince has accumulated a vast wealth of professional knowledge and experience throughout his 18-year career, giving him a deep insight into the rigours of project management in the Gulf region.
Prior to joining Select Group, Prince managed some of Emaar's most prestigious projects in Dubai Marina, including residential, hospitality, commercial, and leisure; in parallel, he oversaw Dubai Marina and Emirates Hills third-party developments.
He holds a degree in Civil Engineering from the NWFP University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Founder
- Group Chief Executive Officer
As Founder and CEO, Rahail has taken Select Group from a nascent property developer to one of the largest privately-owned property development and real estate investment companies in the GCC, with interests expanding to the UK and Europe.
At age 16, Rahail started his own technology company. Within only nine years, he became one of the largest importers and distributors of IT hardware across the UK and Europe, with over GBP 1 billion in revenues annually. Rahail successfully managed this business for more than a decade.
In the early 2000's, Rahail established Select Group in the UAE and went on to deliver some of the regions leading residential projects. Under his leadership, Select Group's portfolio has grown to over 20 million square feet of top-tier property, with a combined GDV in excess of AED 20 billion.
A well-researched diversification and acquisition strategy has been put in place by Rahail to mitigate risk and deliver double-digit returns for Select Group. This has included the acquisition of underperforming and competitively priced assets in multiple jurisdictions and deploying the Group's strong asset management skills resulting in higher asset values.
With instantly recognisable architecture and a distinguished exterior, Sherlock Mews, 98 Baker Street embodies a singular blend of chic character and rich heritage, taking its name from the fictional character Sherlock Holmes, who famously made the address his home in Victorian-era England.
Job Titles:
- Director, Development, UK
- in 2024 As Development Director, UK
Stephen Allsop joined Select Group in 2024 as Development Director, UK, bringing with him a wealth of experience as a seasoned expatriate, with a robust background in real estate development spanning across the globe.
His professional journey includes significant roles within prestigious organizations such as Britishland in the UK, the King Faisal Foundation in KSA, Khazanah Nasional Berhad in Malaysia, as well as Al Futtaim and Dubai Holdings in Dubai. Notably, he has also contributed to the success of the globally renowned hospitality entity, Kingdom Hotel Investments.
Prior to his tenure with us, Stephen served as the Development Director at Omniyat, a prominent Dubai-based developer. His pivotal role in overseeing the completion and handover of the Dorchester Collection hotel and apartments in Dubai Business Bay underscored his instrumental impact within the industry.
Throughout his career, Stephen has had the privilege of engaging in remarkable projects, including the Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield, UK, the Al Faisaliah Complex in Riyadh, KSA, and Dubai Festival City.
His international portfolio extends to prestigious ventures such as the Four Seasons Resort and The Datai Hotel on Langkawi Island, Malaysia, as well as the refurbishment of the Jumeirah Carlton Tower in London.
Stephen holds an MSc in Corporate Project Management from the esteemed University of Liverpool, UK, further enhancing his credentials as a distinguished professional in the field.
Job Titles:
- in 2022 As Senior Manager, Project Development
- Senior Manager, Project
Thomas joined Select Group in 2022 as Senior Manager, Project Development. He has been working in the Gulf region for the last 8 years, gaining valuable knowledge and experience in high rise hotel and residential developments, airport refurbishments, commercial and mixed-use facilities.
Thomas's background in contracting gives him a sharp eye for buildability, sequencing, and quality assurance throughout the lifecycle of a development. He has worked on many iconic projects in the region, including the Marina Gate Development, Dubai Airport Refurbishment, Wahat Al Karama and Eihad Arena, to name a few.
Thomas has an undergraduate and master's degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cape Town and is currently enrolled in a master's degree in Commercial Management and Quantity Surveying through Heriot-Watt university.
Trevor has over 17 years of business and real estate experience. Before joining Select Group, he headed one of the UAE's largest private developers with over USD 1.6 billion assets under management. His role included debt restructuring, and the development and handover of over 5 million square feet in commercial, retail, and residential real estate projects. With this background, Trevor brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in real estate development and management to Select Group.
Originally trained as a software engineer, Trevor moved into consultancy and professional services at KPMG, supporting clients across the MENA region, predominantly in the real estate, technology, and banking sectors.
Trevor has an Honours Degree in Mathematics and Physics and an MBA in Finance and Strategy from the Manchester Business School.