Meet Azizi, the rising star in Dubai real estate development

Another day, another skyscraper on the Dubai horizon.

Already home to more skyscrapers (buildings higher than 300 metres) than any other city in the world with 25 already standing – not to mention the world’s tallest building (Burj Khalifa comes in at 828m) – Dubai is showing no sign of slowing down on its towering ambitions. 

As the latest announcement to build Dubai’s second-tallest building and the world’s fifth-tallest proves.

The new ‘Supertall Skyscraper’ – as it has been dubbed – will stand over 570m tall, consist of 122 floors, and be home to a seven-star hotel.

Once completed in 2027, the US$1.36 billion tower is also expected to be one of the most tech-savvy, innovative and state-of-the-art buildings in Dubai.

The brains behind such lofty ambitions?

Not the big-name developers you might expect (Emaar, Aldar, Damac) but a company with humble Afghan roots that set up shop with just US$500 in 1989.

Enter Azizi Developments.

Formed in 2007 by Afghan businessman Mirwais Azizi, the UAE-based developer, which is known for its luxury, low-rise residential communities, has grown at a dizzying pace since first rolling out its Dubai-based projects in 2016.

The family-run firm, now helmed by the Chairman’s son, CEO Farhad Azizi, is well on its way to becoming one of Dubai’s largest developers and one of its most interesting, with exciting plans to invest up to AED 60 billion (US$16.33 billion) in hospitality projects including building 50 luxury hotels in the city over the next five years.

“We aim to become a major part of Dubai’s promising future as a global hub for tourism,” Chairman Mirwais Azizi recently said. 

The last 18 months has seen record-breaking sales and construction speed for the developer amid Dubai’s property boom, with completion of its 634-resident condominium in Dubai Healthcare City and construction of the first seven buildings in Riviera, its ambitious French-Mediterranean-inspired waterfront lifestyle community in MBR City.

Having already delivered thousands of homes, Azizi has more than 100 ongoing projects set to be delivered in 2023 and more than 130 in planning that are projected for completion by 2025.

More interestingly. Azizi has signed a deal with Dubai South, acquiring a plot of land with plans to launch an entire city, comprising villas, townhouses and residences, and has acquired numerous plots of land throughout Dubai with plans to build 50 hotels adding 20,000 new keys to the emirate’s hotel stock.

Dubai developers battling for skyscraper supremacy

This comes as the UAE’s Tourism Strategy 2031 aims to leverage public-private partnerships and seeks to attract more than AED 100 billion in new investment in the tourism sector.

Azizi is battling for skyscraper supremacy however with a number of new skyscrapers set to lift Dubai's tourism appeal including the 100-storeyed Burj Binghatti in Business Bay, which is currently under development to become the world’s tallest residential tower.

Other upcoming Dubai skyscrapers include Ciel Tower (365.5m), Il Primo Tower (356m), Uptown Tower (340m), Regalia (331m) and One Za'abeel Tower 1 (330m) — all figuring in the world's 100 tallest under-construction buildings, according to report by Zoom Property Insights. Dubai Creek Tower, RP One and 106 Tower are other spectacular developments in the pipeline. 

Positioning itself 22 storeys higher than Burj Binghatti, and made up of 100 floors or residential and 22 dedicated to a seven-star hotel, the Supertall Skyscraper marks quite the departure for Azizi, whose development to date has focused on low-rise residential communities.

With plans to start construction before the end of 2023 on a highly coveted plot of land on Sheikh Zayed Road, the Supertall Skyscraper “will change the skyline of Dubai,” Azizi’s hospitality COO Michael Zager told Hotelier Middle East.

“The hotel will reflect Dubai. It will be defined by its service, it will have incredible space, incredible use of materials and an amazing marriage of software and hardware. It will be tech-savvy, innovative and state-of-the-art in every regard.”

The last 18 months has seen record-breaking sales and construction speed for the developer amid Dubai’s property boom, with completion of its 634-resident condominium in Dubai Healthcare City and construction of the first seven buildings in Riviera, its ambitious French-Mediterranean-inspired waterfront lifestyle community in MBR City.

Having already delivered thousands of homes, Azizi has more than 100 ongoing projects set to be delivered in 2023 and more than 130 in planning that are projected for completion by 2025.

More interestingly. Azizi has signed a deal with Dubai South, acquiring a plot of land with plans to launch an entire city, comprising villas, townhouses and residences, and has acquired numerous plots of land throughout Dubai with plans to build 50 hotels adding 20,000 new keys to the emirate’s hotel stock.

Digital transformation at heart of Azizi Development growth

While Azizi’s rapid growth and ambitious plans are not to be sniffed at, it is perhaps the developer’s commitment to being a tech-driven, stakeholder-centric developer that makes it stand out in the construction crowd.

Central to the developer’s growth strategy is digital transformation, which like its construction projects, Azizi has been advancing at a rate of knots as it looks to enhance operational efficiency and raise the bar on transparency and service quality for all stakeholders.

Azizi has implemented AI across its communication channels, reducing wait times by 45% and customer satisfaction by 80% with the provision of more personalised experiences. APIs hae also been integrated across all of Azizi’s systems to giving service staff a 360-degree view of clients.

Among further cutting-edge technologies, Azizi recently introduced its very own mobile app, used by all sales staff, to enable faster lead qualification and simplified allocation. This has resulted in a 50% increase in the success ratio. The development of its new website with an integrated design is expected to boost international page views by 40%, while its Vortex CAFM solution has been customised, resulting in a 32% faster closure of work orders, and client post-sales cases have been digitalised, delivering a 50% faster turnaround time.

According to CEO Farhad, Azizi is also prioritising investment in “comprehensive training for our staff to ensure their proficiency in navigating the digital landscape”. 

Education of the industry is also on its agenda. In February, the developer announced plans for a brokerage academy, to facilitate knowledge transfer and education channel partners on everything from construction to customer service. Designed to help strengthen the real estate brokerage force in the UAE, the Azizi Center of Excellence will deliver a roster of topic-specific workshops.

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