GRENKE Chronicles with Mazin Suliman: Cultivating Success in Abu Dhabi

Mazin, You have joined us almost 1.5 years ago. What was your impression of the first months of employment at GRENKE?

Identifying company culture is often difficult, and even employees may struggle to articulate it. However, this is not the case at GRENKE. In the very early days of my joining, I was impressed by GRENKE's "CULTURE," which was easily identifiable and characterized by collaboration, iterative processes, and open communication. All of this makes it a very welcoming and healthy environment.

We believe in the team and its unique spirit. Now that you've settled down with us and understood the GRENKE process, how would you define your main challenges in the Abu Dhabi territory?

I like this question, as it provides me with a platform to shed some light on one of the main ingredients for our success at GRENKE, which is "Team spirit". Rooted in a common purpose, our team is aligned toward one goal of overachieving and excelling. Having lived and worked in Abu Dhabi since 2005, it certainly made it easier for me to overcome many challenges related to the Abu Dhabi territory. The main challenge remains urgency and bringing the customer up to speed and aligned with our motto: Fast, Forward, Personal.

With your wide experience in sales in Abu Dhabi, do you see any changes in your sales strategies from the time you joined GRENKE until today?

Certainly, when dealing with leasing, a sales strategy needs to be adapted to the unique characteristics of this business model. In our leasing model, we emphasize the long-term value proposition, highlighting benefits such as cost savings, flexibility, and access to up-to-date technology without the burden of ownership. Additionally, educational selling is a part of our job to help customers understand the advantages of leasing, especially if they are more accustomed to traditional purchasing models. Highlighting the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) provides a clear comparison between leasing costs and potential ownership costs. Transparency about our leasing agreements, terms and conditions and building trust is crucial for long-term leasing relationships. With all this in mind, I have adapted my strategy, placing relationship and trust-building at its core.

Considering further UAE development, especially Abu Dhabi's business mindset progress, how do you see leasing in this emirate 5 years from now?

As we all know, the leaders of the UAE have always been keen to put the country on the map. The Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 has outlined the roadmap for achieving this vision. The government has identified nine pillars that will form the architecture of the emirate's social and economic future. Some of them are : “A large empowered private sector”, “A sustainable knowledge-based economy”, “The optimization of the Emirate’s resources” and ”Premium education, healthcare, and infrastructure assets”

By examining these pillars, we can recognize significant potential for leasing in the coming years. Abu Dhabi's invitation to global investors, coupled with the well-known leasing concept/model, is expected to play a crucial role in changing traditional purchase mindsets. Additionally, I anticipate significant growth in the real estate sector, with an increased demand for office space. For instance, the recent expansion of the financial free zone to Reem Island in May could create a need for companies to lease IT infrastructure and furniture for their office requirements.

The growth plan is ambitious and intriguing. We keep our fingers crossed that it will come true. On a side note, what do you like to do in your free time? Any hobbies you'd like to mention?

In my free time, I thoroughly enjoy cooking, especially experimenting with different recipes. One of my favorites is making pepper steak, a dish I find both delicious and rewarding to prepare. Additionally, I'm a huge fan of football, so I like to spend spare time with my son and teach him a few things about the game.