Emaar Hotels & Resorts, the hospitality subsidiary of global real estate major Emaar Properties, has strengthened the core management team at its London headquarters to steer the on-schedule completion of Armani Hotels & Resorts and identify opportunities for greater international expansion.
Emaar Hotels & Resorts is a collaboration between Emaar Properties and haute couture leader Giorgio Armani S.p.A. It works to conceptualise, develop, own and operate luxury hotels across the world under the brand name Armani Hotels & Resorts.
Emaar Hotels & Resorts will complete four luxury Armani Hotels by 2011 in key international cities. Three Armani Hotels are currently being developed in Dubai, UAE; Milan, Italy; and Marrakech, Morocco, with the first opening scheduled for end-2008.
Robert Riley, CEO, Emaar Hotels & Resorts, said that the challenge of building an exclusive global hospitality brand lies in identifying a niche positioning and establishing its identity and appeal to a discerning audience.
“With Armani Hotels & Resorts, our positioning from day one has been to deliver exclusivity. Using this core message, our vision is to build a wide portfolio across the world. Expanding our London office gives us more scope to drive this forward,” he said.
Riley has put together a core team across key business functions including design and construction, development, finance, operations, sales and marketing and human resources. “The team is focused on building and developing opportunities, infrastructure and business systems for the international launch of Armani Hotels,” he said.
Fashion guru Giorgio Armani, with the support of his design team, lends personal touches to the Armani projects by advising on content, design and style as well as offering a special line of design products from the Armani Casa collection.
Emaar complements the vision of Giorgio Armani by providing architectural and engineering expertise as well as property management and maintenance services. “Emaar’s reputation as a premier property developer has been underscored with its array of projects across the world,” added Riley. “The acquisition of Hamptons International, the UK-based realtor, has enhanced its brand equity in the London market and will support the marketing of Armani Hotels globally.”
Armani Hotels & Resorts has announced the opening of a 160-suite Armani Hotel, Dubai, at the up-and-coming Burj Dubai, the tallest tower in the world when completed in 2008. At the epicentre of the vibrant, 500-acre Downtown Burj Dubai development, Burj Dubai will also house 144 luxury residential apartments conceptualized by Giorgio Armani.
The Armani Group is one of the leading fashion and luxury goods groups in the world with 4,600 direct employees and 13 factories. It designs, manufactures, distributes and retails fashion and lifestyle products including apparel, accessories, eyewear, watches, jewellery, home interiors, fragrances and cosmetics under a range of brand names: Giorgio Armani, Armani Collezioni, Emporio Armani, AJ | Armani Jeans, A/X Armani Exchange, Armani Junior and Armani Casa.
Emaar Properties, the pioneer of master-planned communities in Dubai, has diversified its portfolio and has embarked on ambitious overseas property developments as well as projects in education, healthcare, hospitality, finance and retail.
