Always aiming for exceeding expectations
This month, March 2022 we get to know Fredrik Jonsson, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Net Real Estate. Swiss school trained hotelier with an eye for real estate in the Middle East.
Hej SBC Member!
Navid Hemedi and Fredrik Jonsson, both Co-founders and Managing Partners, Net Real Estate
Who is Fredrik Jonsson?
A global nomad that settled at the shores of Dubai back in 2007. Between high school and my military service, I worked in various capacities at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm. As I enjoyed the hospitality and tourism industry, after my 18-month military service in the north of Sweden, I enrolled to attend a 3-year hotel and tourism degree curriculum in Switzerland following which I took up a development role with Melia Hotels International based in its headquarters in Palma de Mallorca. During my 7 years with Melia I was responsible for growing the brands international presence via acquisitions, management and lease contracts, which gave me the opportunity to spend significant amount of time travelling around Europe and the Middle East.
After finalizing my MBA at IE university in Madrid in 2006, Dubai was calling and I joined Majid Al Futtaim’s hotel division as General Manager – Development, overseeing land acquisitions and hotel developments in the GCC. I met my wife Shoshanna in Dubai so I guess it was meant for me to move here.
During my time with Majid Al Futtaim I was involved with the opening of Kempinski Mall of the Emirates and the roll out and Development of various hotels in Oman, UAE and Bahrain. I then spend close to 5 years in Doha, as Director of Asset Management and Head of Hospitality for Qatari Diar (a direct subsidiary to Qatar Investment Authority) with a remit covering Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
In 2014, we moved back to Dubai and I took up a position as SVP Hotel Asset Management with Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD). At the time ICD had just acquired the majority interest in Kerzner International and I assisted with establishing the hospitality vertical within the group, including assets such as Atlantis the Palm, Mandarin Oriental New York and W Hotel in Washington DC.
In 2017 I perused a long-term entrepreneurial dream, which resulted in the establishment of Middle East Real Estate Hospitality Advisors (MEREHA), a boutique advisory firm, focused on hospitality tourism and entertainment. Through MEREHA our team has advised on numerous developments, acquisitions, and asset management assignments in the field of tourism and hospitality. The benefit of having your own business is that it allows you to venture out into different business, which lead to establishing Net Real Estate in 2021.
Fredrik Jonsson
With a background in hotel and tourism management how do you use the skills learnt then to the job you do today?
I think the biggest skill that I have accumulated over the years is to always have a service mind set and always aiming for exceeding expectations. That is something which is very true to hospitality and tourism and that is a skill to be applied in any sector. Without a doubt, in anything you do in today’s world requires dedication and hard work. This is arguably even more true today than maybe 20 years back as the world is becoming an increasingly competitive market place. Hard work and a passion for what you do is critical.
You recently co-founded Net Real Estate. What made you want to do this?
As our partners in Net Real Estate have been active in the Dubai property market for the last 50 years including establishing Dubai’s first Cinema and today own a significant real estate holding comprising over 140 residential and commercial properties in Dubai, it was only a natural move to establish Net Real Estate as an agency vertical, to booth oversee and manage our own asset base, as well as capitalizing on the deep Dubai Property market knowledge and provide value to third parties and entities active and interested in the Dubai property Market to help them realize targeted investments or disposals of their assets.
We today have 15 real estate agents working for us and we cover both off plan and resale residential and commercial properties. Given my personal background in hotels and hospitality, Net Real Estate also serves as a platform to undertake hotel related transactions in the UAE which is a strategic fit to our activities under MEREHA.
Fredrik with his wife Shan, children Edvard, Victoria and the dog Mimmie.
What are some of the challenges and some of the positive points of operating as a small business in the UAE?
At any start-up company the key challenge I think is to establish the right mix of talent and a healthy work and play environment, keeping in mind the profitability goals of the company. I am a firm believer in that establishing the right corporate values (regardless how small the company) is vital to make our colleagues and co-workers feel at home to allow them to excel. Also investing in the right technology infrastructure is vital to provide the best possible infrastructure and structure to enable our colleagues to thrive.
The first year is always tough as it takes time and investments get established and get the machinery well-oiled. We have now achieved this milestone. In part we have been fortunate with the timing of establishing Net Real Estate as the Dubai property market has seen a significant growth since our inception. Along with our strong team of property consultants the market dynamics has certainly help to achieve our initial targets at a much quicker pace than expected.
What is your dream?
Big question, with many answers, but certainly providing the best possible platform to enable our children to succeed in life is certainty a key priority, regardless in what part of the world we end up.
Thank you Fredrik for sharing your story! Fantastic achievements you have reached! We wish you all the best for the future.
Fredrik Jonsson, Co-founder and Managing Partner Net Real Estate
Email: fj@netrealestate.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jonssonfred/
Website: http://netrealestate.com/