Hend Al Marri, Chief Executive Officer, Dubai Real Estate Institute, Dubai Land Department

Hend Al Marri joined DLD in 2006 and has held several positions since then before being appointed as CEO of DREI in October 2018. Her contribution towards the establishment of DREI, for education and development has been inspirational for many in the industry.

It was a school trip to the Burj Al Arab, where she fell in love with the science and management of buildings. Since then, she would often find herself exploring real-estate. An analyst by nature, Hend was quick to pick up on ways in which one can increase property value. And the books she read by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, only fuelled her fire to dream bigger.

Proud moments

With over 15 years in the real estate, Hend says that there is nothing by gratitude and passion towards bringing value to the people who join DREI. “I believe learning has no end. It is the key to one's growth. My proudest moment is to be a part of the annual graduation party. Here we witness their achievements and celebrate their success together, despite the challenges and rocky roads that we all chose to take to chase our dreams,” said Hend.

Barriers in Female Leadership

Women can and have proven their ability to succeed in several fields. However, barriers, according to Hend, are something quite often visualized by us. “Instead of focusing on barriers, one should set a target and a strategy that we can use to succeed. The real estate market has always been open to both men and women. Women have a special instinct towards understanding the beauty of construction, buildings, and living,” she explained.

Advice

“Be it, man or woman, if you want to succeed in this field, there are a few steps that one needs to follow. 1. Knowledge - Learn about your market. 2. Specialize and focus - This industry is huge and full of opportunities so, you need to specialize. 3. Set your target - develop a plan and follow your strategy all the way through. 4. Trust is key. 5. Stay in touch with technology and upgrade yourself to understand how it works. Learn more to find out how you can improve your asset.”