Hydra Properties, a subsidiary of Royal Group, was founded in 2006 in Abu Dhabi as a private development company. Hydra plays an important role in the development of the emirate through its residential, commercial and retail projects in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The Hydra Properties projects represent large international businesses involved in various areas, including construction and real estate operations, trade and finance, technology and manufacturing and media.

The Hydra Properties key concept is to implement innovative ideas and create outstanding iconic buildings around the world. As of today, the list of its landmark projects includes Hydra 55, Marina Spirit, Abu Dhabi Golf Walk, Hydra Corporate Towers, Hydra Towers Business Bay, Hydra Twin Towers, Hydra Avenue Towers and Hydra Village. It is worth noticing that the company not only operates in the UAE but also in other countries such as Pakistan, Libya, Mexico and Kuwait. Hydra Properties has numerous international projects, including the 5-star Hydra Waves hotel in Mexico and Al Aqeeq Marina in Kuwait.

Since 2009, the position of Hydra Properties CEO has been held by Ali Bin Sulayem, who has 10 years’ experience in the Private Department of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, where he served as Head of the Internal Audit Department. Ali Bin Sulayem is also an active board member of Commercial Bank International, Sorouh as well as other companies in the industries of finance, trade and real estate.

Principles and features of the work

The company’s management operates following the `Vision-2030` Abu Dhabi government policy where its goal is to expand the emirate’s infrastructure and diversify its economic potential.

Hydra Properties designs real estate suitable for a long-term investment with a solid payback. According to the ValuStrat consulting company, even in 2020, with the pandemic and the financial crisis that followed, the developer’s projects consistently showed high profitability. Based on the results of the year, the most productive one was Hydra Village, with an annual ROI of 6.9%.

The organization pays considerable attention to its customers. A striking example of this is its actions during the Great Recession. The company supported customers who had lost the ability to cover their obligations due to the difficult financial situation. Sulaiman Al-Fahim, who was then the Executive Director of the company, signed an agreement with the National Bank of Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank that saw these lenders provide mortgage loans to property owners for the amount of up to 70% of the property value. The company’s specialists tried to reduce their customers’ debt burden by using cheaper construction and finishing materials on the projects they were working on at the time.