Kasun Illankoon interviews Mr. Jamal Lootah, Group CEO of Imdaad, who discusses the organisations success and how innovation has helped them continue to be a leading player in the facilities management market
Impact Player
Jamal Abdulla Lootah is the Group CEO of Imdaad, a Dubai-based group of companies that provides integrated, sustainable facilities management services that enhance operational efficiencies of physical assets.
2019, saw Imdaad have a steady growth of nearly nine percent due to new contract being won and many successful renewals.
The UAE’s facilities management sector has been steadily expanding primarily due to the growth of the tourism industry and an increase in investment in urban infrastructure development as well as the construction sector. It is expected to continue the momentum in the coming years. Industry projections estimate that the sector will witness a CAGR of 9.8 percent during the 2019-2024 period to generate $23.8 billion in revenue in 2024.
“It is our robust short and long-term strategy that enabled us to maintain a steady growth trajectory since the company’s establishment in 2007 in spite of volatile markets and turbulent business environments. This strategy has allowed us to anticipate and adapt to changing market conditions to weather challenges and capitalize on new opportunities. We constantly explored new avenues to grow our business both horizontally and vertically, adding complementary products and solutions and branching out into new service sectors. A keen focus on sustainability has been the most important underlying element of our continued success,” said Mr. Jamal.
For 2020, the market will continue to be challenging for the facilities management market but due to Imdaad’s unique competitive advantage Mr. Jamal is confident overcoming their challenges.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi have traditionally remained key growth markets in the UAE. However, the industry is picking up in other emirates such as Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah. At Imdaad, we have expanded our footprint across the country through service contracts.
“Our strong portfolio of diverse and specialized services will continue to offer us a competitive edge in the business. We will carry on with our efforts to manage costs and increase efficiency without compromising on quality.”
Furthermore Mr. Jamal pointed out: “There is a growing trend of construction companies entering the facilities management business. This shift is not easy. Our industry demands expertise in understanding the evolving customer needs, retaining clients, and balancing the cost of services with the quality of services. The entry of new players is not only leading to unhealthy competition, pricing pressure and shrinking margins, but also causes reputational risk. Clients are increasingly demanding price cuts, which will adversely affect the quality of services provided. Imdaad has built a stellar reputation in the market and we will never compromise on quality.”
The potential growth isn’t just limited to the UAE as other countries around the GCC are picking up pace regional governments have implemented numerous social and economic reforms to stimulate the private sector. In addition, there are several infrastructure projects, including airports, roadways, ports, and railways, under development. On account of these, the facilities management industry holds bright prospects for growth.
Mr. Jamal points to Saudi Arabia as one of countries as a prime example where business can flourish under these reforms: “Saudi Arabia will be the next big market for FM businesses given the unprecedented pace of economic activity taking place in the Kingdom. Imdaad has been exploring opportunities to extend our reach to the country. Oman is also emerging as a key growth market. We have established our presence in the Sultanate through our subsidiary Imdaad Al Batinah, which provides solid waste management, landfill management, and specialized waste management services in the governorates of Al Batinah North and Musandam.”
Technology and Sustainable Implementation
A big believer in innovation and foreseeing change, Lootah is a lifelong learner who reads extensively about past and present business and technology leaders like Steve Jobs and Jack Welch.
“Technology, policy and processes, and people are the mainstays of Imdaad’s sustainable growth. The company has always remained at the forefront of technology adoption, enabling itself to take advantage of new possibilities in adding value to its service offerings. Our constant pursuit of product innovation offers us a competitive advantage in the market.
We study and test any new technology before adopting it to ensure that it meets the current and future needs of our customers and is suitable for the market. For instance, not all technologies used in Europe can be brought to the UAE as we have a completely different climate here. The integration of new technology will lead to higher costs; however, our clients understand that innovative products and solutions will offer significant cost savings in the future,” Mr. Jamal explained.
Sustainability has become a serious factor and a necessity for a number of companies hiring facilities management professionals for leading, implementing, educating and enabling sustainable practice within their business. Sustainability in facilities management is about making smart decisions that will reduce business’s negative impact on the environment.
Furthermore, there have been a number of initiatives taken by the UAE government to ensure that buildings follow the best sustainable practices. For example, The Department of Energy (Abu Dhabi) announced the completion of the Emirate’s first Energy Saving Performance Contracting (ESPC) pilot project encompassing eight retrofitted government buildings.
Take for example ‘The Building Retrofit’ programme is a part of Abu Dhabi’s Demand Side Management and Energy Rationalisation Strategy 2030, which aims for a 22% reduction in energy consumption and a 32% reduction in water consumption over the next decade.
“Sustainability, to me, is all about making use of the right tools and equipment, while taking the environment into consideration. At Imdaad, our products and services are developed with this philosophy in mind whether it is Imtedaad, which provides energy management solutions through industry-leading technologies, Farz, a state-of-the-art, automated materials recovery facility, Vision Safety, which offers installation and maintenance of fire detection and protection systems, or any other business division.
In keeping with our commitment to the UAE Vision 2021 National Agenda, we strive to adopt sustainable practices across all aspects of our operations. In procurement, we carefully examine the level of efficiency, energy consumption, and carbon footprint of materials and equipment we use before acquiring them. For instance, we conduct thorough research on the products or tools we use in our fire safety or façade cleaning services to ensure they deliver long-lasting value to our customers and are environmentally-friendly,” said Mr. Jamal
Leadership Figure
Mr. Jamal is also the Co-founder and President of the Middle East Facilities Management Association (MEFMA), a non-profit association supported by the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) that aims to establish a dedicated resource for industry professionals seeking industry knowledge and best practices for the facilities management sector.
He explains why it’s crucial to have such an association for the facilities management industry:
“It has been playing a vital role in driving growth and development of the industry through various initiatives including educational, knowledge-sharing, networking, and thought leadership programs. As a collective voice for the industry, MEFMA has also been engaging governments and other entities on regulations, pricing, and quality standards among others. Our mandates also include providing a standardized framework for facility management professionals, wider construction industry stakeholders and building owners and tenants. We also place a special emphasis on the development of local talent to lead the industry in the future.”
The most important quality of leaders is their ability to have a strong and transparent relationship with the people they manage and work with and Mr. Jamal exemplifies that.
“Ever since I started my career, I have strived to stay close to my colleagues. I attach great importance to listening to the people to understand their viewpoints on every aspect of the business. Also, I am a strong advocate of continual improvement and I use any opportunity to learn new things because the pace with which changes are happening is beyond belief. It has become a necessity for a leader to keep himself or herself informed of developments as they take shape,” concluded Mr. Jamal.
