Nakheel has successfully embedded itself in the roots of the Middle East, as the bearer of some of the most iconic UAE landmark projects such as The Palm Jumeirah, Jumeirah Islands, Discovery Gardens, etc. In an attempt to strengthen its position as a developer that ‘builds happiness and prosperity,’ Nakheel unveiled its re-brand last month.

Amid the excitement, the real estate giant has also revisited its plans for Palm Jebel Ali, a megaproject that has been dormant since 2009. The news comes in with a surge in demand for beachfront villas and apartments. “We confirm that the Palm Jebel Ali masterplan is being revisited. Further details will be released in due course,” Nakheel told Communicate. Palm Deira, which was renamed, Deira Islands and is now known as the Dubai Islands is also on Nakheel's agenda to contribute to reinforcing the emirate’s position as a global destination of choice for residents, visitors, and investors.

2021 satellite photo of Southern Dubai. Right to left, you can see Palm Jebel Ali, Jebel Ali Port, Dubai Marina, and Palm Jumeirah. Photo Credits: Planet Labs

Through this rebrand, Nakheel is also aligning itself with Dubai’s 2040 Urban Masterplan which is a comprehensive breakdown provided by the government for sustainable urban development in Dubai. The plan focuses on enhancing people’s happiness and quality of life, which is very similar to Nakheel’s rejuvenated brand anthem.

Communicate speaks with Abed Bibi, Chief Marketing Officer at Nakheel to further understand the developer’s stance on this re-brand.

In image above: Abed Bibi, Chief Marketing Officer, Nakheel

Why did the brand decide on a new identity at this time?

Nakheel is on a path of transformation. While the old identity has established the brand over the last 20 years, it was time for us to go through a re-brand that echoes our brand values in a digital world. Our values, “We serve, we deliver, we work as one,” are aimed at evoking a sense of culture among our people, our communities, and all those who believe in our brand.

What does this new identity aim to convey? How does it echo the brand’s values?

Since we’re specifically known for developing properties near the water, we like to call ourselves the master of the sea. All our projects either bring water to the living communities or we build our communities on water, so we wanted to highlight elements of water and land in this re-brand. Which we did with the color palette. Moreover, we are focused on delivering happiness to our communities through luxury living as well as experiences.

As a luxury real estate developer, how does Nakheel manage to engage the younger generations across the region?

Through this re-brand, we are looking to target the younger generations. The generation who doesn’t care about owning expensive cars but more about experiences. While we’re also connecting with our young followers over social media, we also involve them through various initiatives. Our Live Well program is a series of community health and wellness initiatives organized every month, implemented by our Communities Management Team is one such example.

How does this identity align best with Dubai’s 2040 Urban Master Plan?

Dubai is known as the emirate of happiness and in line with the Dubai 2040 masterplan, we are working on building sustainable solutions for our communities and educating them to make wise choices in living responsibly. We are focusing on building both high-end premium luxury villas as well as villas that offer consumers a more sustainable living environment. Therefore, enhancing the future for our communities to have a better life quality.