 He knows that the value of relationships, cultural sensitivities, politics, legal infrastructure, and government involvement are just some of the factors that effect real estate businesses from country to country, and that the value of each needs to be determined and tackled with varying approaches.
Rohan Marwaha made a life-changing decision to move from London to Dubai. He was in search of a project he could build from the ground up-something toward which he could direct his passion and drive. In 2002, shortly after arriving in Dubai, Marwaha was asked by his then-boss if he wanted to be part of a new exhibition project called Cityscape, which would serve the growing area real estate industry. Marwaha instantly recognized that this opportunity would be transformative for his career.
While Cityscape, a wholly-owned brand of Informa, has certainly taken his career into the stratosphere, as managing director he has cultivated Cityscape from a local B2B information exchange into one of the world’s leading real estate events, comprised of a series of exhibitions, conferences, and seminars spanning across the globe. In just six years of existence, Cityscape Dubai can boast an attendance of more than 52,000 senior real estate pros from 136 countries.
Marwaha has channeled the overwhelming success of Cityscape Dubai into other events (Cityscape China, Cityscape India, Cityscape Asia, Cityscape Abu Dhabi, and Cityscape Latin America), including Cityscape USA, the Cityscape brand’s first-ever conference and exhibition in the U.S., taking place at New York’s Javits Center from September 9 to 12.
Cityscape USA 2008 is a showcase for unparalleled investment opportunities in emerging real estate markets, namely India, China, Asia, the Middle East, Russia, and Latin America. It’s also be an opportunity for the New York and U.S. real estate industries to network with some of the most significant investors and developers from the emerging world, acting as a vehicle to attract investment into New York and American real estate assets, projects, and ventures.
Other initiatives Marwaha has spearheaded is the 2006 launch of Cityscape magazine (thus becoming the leading source of info on emerging real estate markets) and Cityscape Intelligence (an online subscription-based service for the industry). And now, Cityscape is focusing on Cityscape Executive Search, capitalizing on its global network in order to find qualified leaders and personnel for emerging market organizations.
The international scope of his work is aided by his diverse cultural upbringing-his family is Indian, his closest friends are English, and his wife’s family is from Australia. He knows that the value of relationships, cultural sensitivities, politics, legal infrastructure, and government involvement are just some of the factors that effect real estate businesses from country to country, and that the value of each needs to be determined and tackled with varying approaches.
Marwaha also strongly believes in giving back to the global community. He developed an initiative for Cityscape to support charitable organizations and initiatives around the world. At each real estate event, Cityscape offers free exhibition space and ready-built stands to non-profit organizations looking to help impoverished countries through projects that include building schools and low-cost housing.
Marwaha has a powerful vision for the future of the Cityscape brand, one that sees it becoming the most recognizable real estate services provider in the world. Informa’s global resources and information is an invaluable catalyst for Cityscape’s growth, as is having a tireless leader with the ability not only to learn the fundamentals and drivers in each emerging market, but to develop it all into tangible, explosive results.
Travel
September 4, 2008Big Ambition: Dubai's Thriving Growth
