With a BSc in Civil Engineering and a diploma in leadership and management from Cambridge University, Okbah Abdulkarim has supervised the punctual completions of distinct collection of hotels, commercial and mix use developments, hospitals, schools, and residential projects in the UAE, UK, Croatia, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, and India.

After more than 25 years of experience, the civil engineer veteran has been responsible for completion of the Emirates Towers, Dubai Sports City, Dubai Marina Mall, Intercontinental Dubai Marina, Bay Central, the Torch Tower, The Address Hotel Dubai Marina among others.

Before joining ARTAR in June 2014, Abdulkarim was the director of projects management at Select Group from 2008. During his time at Select Group, he managed and delivered more than 3,800 units in projects such as Botanica, Royal Oceanic, The Point and West Avenue in Dubai. Invest-Gate sits with COO Okbah Abdulkarim.

Why did you choose this side of Dubai in particular?

We are located right in the heart of Downtown Dubai, only a minute walk to the new Dubai Mall extension and two minutes from the newly announced Business Bay Marina, Yacht Club, Promenade and Water Taxi Station.  

Our location combined with an attractive price offer and user-friendly payment plan makes Mada Residences an unmatched project in the city. We are now on the 31st floor, offering outstanding views across Downtown Dubai, Business Bay, Dubai Water Canal, and Marasi Promenade.

We believe the Dubai property market has to transform and evolve to prioritize the needs of buyers, whose expectations have risen in the shifting economic climate. We are therefore confident that Mada Residences is helping to move Dubai residential property forward and end-users and investors will benefit from similar offers on the market in the future.

Mada Residence in Downtown Dubai

How different will the residential project be than the rest in the city?

One of our main priorities is to uphold our commitment to investors that we will complete the 193 apartments in Mada Residences by Q2, 2018. We have been working very hard to deliver the project on time.

We also place a lot of value on genuine liveability and for that reason each apartment has been designed around the principles of intelligent space usability to create family-centric interiors. In addition, each unit features the finest finishes and amenities that take the concept of liveability to the level of excellence while bringing the users enduring value.

Another major attraction for investors and buyers is the availability of spacious two-, three-, and four- bedroom units in addition to rooms for the help, which are rare in the Downtown Dubai area.

Have you decided on the prices yet?

We are offering a rate of AED1,650 per square-foot, which translates into selling prices of one- bedroom start at AED1.9m, two-bedroom units start at AED 2.5m, three- bedroom units start at AED 3.4m,  and four-bedroom units start at AED 5.6m.

Will you offer any other facilities on site?

We will have rooftop swimming pools, with one dedicated for children and families; a terrace lounge, gym, jacuzzi, sauna and steam rooms, as well as a play and games room alongside a spacious ground floor residence lounge.

All interiors have been designed to provide remarkable spaces, well equipped and crafted with the principles of livability in mind. They feature natural materials and warm colours to promote a warm, cosy atmosphere and a sense of wellbeing.

Any future plans? Are you considering to invest in other places?

Due to the outstanding success of our first project, we are considering a second to be announced in the near future. We look to strengthen our position as one of the best boutique developers in Dubai by continually evolving and meeting our investors and end users’ needs.