ORA Developers, a globally recognised real estate leader, has established its UAE headquarters at One Central. This strategic move reinforces ORA Developers’ regional expansion while directly supporting the UAE’s vision for sustainable, future-ready urban environments that drive economic growth.
Founded by Naguib Sawiris, ORA Developers boasts a global portfolio spanning residential, hospitality, commercial, and entertainment. With an extensive land bank of more than 76 million sq m, ORA Developers has a global portfolio of 17 projects across seven countries, with an estimated total sales value of over $45 billion.
Industry forecasts indicate that the UAE’s real estate market is on a robust growth trajectory, with a projected increase in total market value from $704.25 billion in 2024 to $1.08 trillion by 2030.
Mr Sawiris, chairman and chief executive of ORA Developers, emphasised the significance of the new headquarters, stating: “In a fast-evolving real estate landscape, establishing our new headquarters is a crucial step that aligns with the UAE’s long-term vision for urban development.
"This hub not only strengthens our ability to deliver innovative, future-ready communities but also allows us to integrate global best practices with the UAE’s dynamic market needs. By prioritising nature, connectivity, and design, we are committed to shaping sustainable, well-balanced developments.
"Our leadership team’s extensive experience and long-standing commitment to ORA Developers have been instrumental in building our diverse portfolio, driving growth, and ensuring the successful execution of transformative projects.”
Since entering the UAE in 2023, ORA Developers has rapidly scaled its presence acquiring prime land, obtaining regulatory approvals, and laying the groundwork for transformative developments. The company built its UAE team from the ground up-growing to nearly 94 employees, with plans to at least triple by the end of 2025. By combining local market expertise with a seasoned leadership team, ORA Developers has established a robust foundation for operational continuity and sustained growth.
Driving the UAE expansion is a leadership team with expertise in development, sales, branding, marketing and finance. Khaled Morgan, chief development officer, ensures delivering unique and innovative urban experiences, while Ahmed Samir, chief human resources officer, drives talent acquisition in the UAE to support rapid scaling. Expanding on this foundation, Tamer Fikry, chief sales officer, enhances investor engagement, Mohamed Sheta, chief financial officer, leads financial strategy, and Lana Sawiris, chief brand officer, alongside Rasha Georgy, chief marketing officer, shapes global positioning. Amr Abdelmoneim, chief technical officer, oversees engineering and execution, maintaining top industry standards.
Furthermore, ORA Developers will soon unveil details of its key investment in the UAE, a 4.8 million sq m master-planned community in Ghantoot. The project, between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, features 1.2 kilometres of pristine Arabian Gulf beachfront. ORA Developers will establish customer experience centres in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to provide a dedicated touchpoint for clients and stakeholders.
ORA Developers is also a strategic investor in Discovery Dunes, a project by Discovery Land Company. The ultra-luxury community is designed around a championship golf course by Tom Fazio. This project further validates ORA’s strategic investment decisions in the sector and the UAE market.
With its strengthened presence in the UAE, ORA Developers remains committed to creating forward-thinking, balanced communities that seamlessly integrate nature, connectivity, and modern infrastructure.
England's lowest Test innings
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- 51 v West Indies in Kingston, February 4, 2009
- 52 v Australia at The Oval, August 14, 1948
- 53 v Australia at Lord's, July 16, 1888
- 58 v New Zealand in Auckland, March 22, 2018
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
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Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour
Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people
Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite food: Fish and vegetables
Favourite place to visit: London
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
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- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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Toilet cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1 cup castile soap
10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice)
Method:
1. Mix the baking soda and castile soap until you get a nice consistency.
2. Add the essential oil to the mix.
Air Freshener
100ml water
5 drops of the essential oil of your choice (note: lavender is a nice one for this)
Method:
1. Add water and oil to spray bottle to store.
2. Shake well before use.
The Way It Was: My Life with Frank Sinatra by Eliot Weisman and Jennifer Valoppi
Hachette Books
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Company profile
Date started: January, 2014
Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe
Based: Dubai
Sector: Education technology
Size: Five employees
Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.
Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)
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Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
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7pm: Yas Island – Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: AF Mukhrej, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
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Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
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Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
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Sheikh Zayed's poem
When it is unveiled at Abu Dhabi Art, the Standing Tall exhibition will appear as an interplay of poetry and art. The 100 scarves are 100 fragments surrounding five, figurative, female sculptures, and both sculptures and scarves are hand-embroidered by a group of refugee women artisans, who used the Palestinian cross-stitch embroidery art of tatreez. Fragments of Sheikh Zayed’s poem Your Love is Ruling My Heart, written in Arabic as a love poem to his nation, are embroidered onto both the sculptures and the scarves. Here is the English translation.
Your love is ruling over my heart
Your love is ruling over my heart, even a mountain can’t bear all of it
Woe for my heart of such a love, if it befell it and made it its home
You came on me like a gleaming sun, you are the cure for my soul of its sickness
Be lenient on me, oh tender one, and have mercy on who because of you is in ruins
You are like the Ajeed Al-reem [leader of the gazelle herd] for my country, the source of all of its knowledge
You waddle even when you stand still, with feet white like the blooming of the dates of the palm
Oh, who wishes to deprive me of sleep, the night has ended and I still have not seen you
You are the cure for my sickness and my support, you dried my throat up let me go and damp it
Help me, oh children of mine, for in his love my life will pass me by.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
