NOVEMBER 2015www.endeavourmagazine.com

INSPIRED BY YOUR SUCCESS

Edan K PropertiesThe Only Way Is Up

Edan K. Properties Ltd has sought to identify and exploit a gap in the industrialisation infrastructure market within Trinidad and with a string of hugely successful projects in its portfolio, Endeavour Magazine spoke with Nyal Khan, Executive Director of the company, to find out what drives the company forward.

WRITTEN BY AMY TOCKNELL

THE ONLY WAY IS UP

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EDAN K PROPERTIESWWW.EDANKPROPERTIES.COM

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Founded in 1998, as part of the Wazir Khan Group, EKPL started out with modest aspirations, as Nyal Khan tells us,

“The key area focussed on, initially, was the acquisition, development and construction of commercial properties. As the company grew, it ventured into larger land development projects and the development of industrial estates.”

With such a fast and impressive upward trajectory, we asked if there was already a gap in the market for the services EKPL provides or if they actively created one,

“Trinidad is highly industrialised and there was a gap in the market to provide industrial infrastructure. Edan K, through its subsidiary 445 Ventures, is involved in restaurants and health clubs that add value to existing commercial projects.”

Having moved into the fast-paced world of commercial real estate, the company clearly has a firm grasp on the changeable marketplace and a deep understanding of what is necessary in order to stay ahead of competitors. To date, EKPL has developed and manages in excess of 10 million square feet of real estate that includes not only commercial shopping centres and buildings, but also two industrial complexes. Though impressive feats, the question is, how does the company make itself unique in such a competitive industry?

“The company has a history of developing somewhat iconic projects that add tremendous value to otherwise overlooked real estate. This in turn increases the value of surrounding properties, which greatly benefits the communities in which we operate. This also adds to employment opportunities both during and after

construction and promotes industrial growth. The company is also a contributor and sponsor of a number of charities throughout the country. We are a regular sponsor of the Prime Minister’s Charity Golf Classic, a number of community football and cricket teams and a number of religious organisations.”

Being well known and respected not only for business reasons, but also community support initiatives is something of a rarity, but EKPL always seeks to make the time to give back to local communities, as without them, they would be unable to enjoy the success that they do, despite the property industry still being relatively buoyant, as Khan explained,

“The real estate market, at this time, remains strong with prices holding steady. However, demand has slowed from the pace seen over the last 10 years as the economy is slowly showing the effects of slowing trade and retail spending as a result of lower energy prices and fall in consumer confidence. As a long-standing developer, we see this as an opportunity for us to pick up deals in the market. Also, 2016 may be an ideal time for construction as global steel prices are showing a downward trend. Late 2017 may be the best time to bring a completed project to the market. The main hurdles being faced would be that the energy companies might be unwilling to commit to rentals or purchases of properties while the oil price remains low. Some projects depend on commitments from these companies in order to get the green light to start construction. Without the commitments from these potential tenants, some projects may be delayed.”

Not a company to dwell on the ‘what ifs’, however, EKPL is

EDAN K PROPERTIES

As the title suggests, the only way is up when you are part of a hugely successful organisation that has quickly become renowned for creating innovative developments and exciting real estate projects, such as Edan K. Properties Ltd (EKPL), but what has lead to such unprecedented success in such a short time?

looking to the future and continuing to gear up for even more success, with a 60-strong team of dedicated and highly experienced professionals on board. Having a reputation for innovation and excellence, we were unsurprised to learn that employees are held in the highest esteem and given every opportunity possible to improves themselves,

“Staff are normally recruited and trained by their line manager. All staff must comply with basic standards of competency and qualifications for their position prior to recruitment, however, individual staff development is very important as it serves to motivate employees, improve performance, reduce turnover, build loyalty and create a family environment, particularly on projects where there is a small number of staff.”

Happy to offer people local to new developments employment opportunities, EKPL recognises that its people are not only the front-facing representation of the company as a whole, but also the backbone that will offer clients the levels of service that they have come to expect,

“‘Customers’, for us, would be tenants and/or purchasers/investors in development projects. To keep these people happy, it is most important that our Facility Management division maintains a safe and clean environment, thereby providing a first class facility and maintaining the value of the asset and with this in mind, after-sales is extremely important to us as. We have a small portfolio of customers that invest considerable amounts with us and as such, they expect the investment to be very successful and would no doubt continue to invest in future projects if we satisfy them from the start.”

Citing the acquisition of information and high value properties ahead of competitors as another key to the success of the company, Khan alludes to the expert knowledge that permeates every faction of EKPL, making the organisation al the more impressive for its relative modesty.

Looking ahead to the future, it seems as though EKPL has a number of exciting projects in the developmental pipeline, all of which look set to raise their profile even further. Including two business parks and a comprehensive office and conference complex, the projects are undoubtedly going to have a huge impact on the Trinidad real estate market, but how will they impact on the company itself?

“These are projects that more or less fall in line with what we already do at the moment, so not much, in terms of operations, will change. More staff will be hired to manage these projects during and post-completion though. In total, these developments represent a US$60M investment, spread over the next two years.”

There is no doubt that EKPL is well equipped and prepared to handle whatever these projects bring, but we feel sure that the disruptions will be minimal, as when you are already at the top of the development industry there is only one thing to do; start building even higher!

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