In the latest episode of devcast, we sat down with Sameh Muhtadi, CEO of RAK Properties, to explore his remarkable journey from civil engineering to leading one of the UAE's most dynamic property developers. Here's what we learned about building brands, embracing excellence, and the future of Ras Al Khaimah. 

The unconventional path to real estate leadership 

When I sat down with Sameh Muhtadi for this podcast, I quickly realised his story was anything but ordinary. Sameh spent a decade as a civil engineer, tackling some of the toughest construction projects imaginable. 

"The National Airport in Washington, D.C., we had to rebuild it while maintaining the airport operations ongoing," Sameh recalled. "The crew that was building the new runway would start work at midnight, demolish the old runway, cast concrete for the new runway, and get out of there at 6 o'clock in the morning so that the flights could continue." 

Learning from the best at Emmar Properties 

Sameh's transition to real estate came through Mohamed Alabbar at Emaar, where he served as CEO of Emaar Egypt during the company's ambitious international expansion in 2007. This experience proved formative in shaping his approach to development. 

"His attention to detail, his unwavering dedication to quality," Sameh explained when I asked what he learned from Alabbar. "The guy would literally approve just about everything on the project. His vision and persistence on his level of quality is what set Emaar apart from other developers at the time." 

This philosophy of obsessive quality control would become a cornerstone of Sameh's leadership style, something I've observed consistently among elite CEOs in this sector. 

Capitalising on the Emirates' rising star 

Since joining RAK Properties in late 2022, Sameh has positioned the company to benefit from Ras Al Khaimah's emergence as the UAE's third most important emirate. The timing proved exceptional, coinciding with increased government investment that saw the emirate's shareholding in RAK Properties rise from 5% to 34%. 

"We were victims of our own success," Sameh admitted when discussing 2023 performance. "Because of the attention to Ras Al Khaimah, because of the new products that we brought to the market, we sold out. And I found myself in 2024 out of product, almost literally." 

Strategic brand partnerships 

The company's partnership strategy exemplifies Sameh's understanding of brand-building in luxury real estate. The Armani collaboration represents Giorgio Armani's first-ever beach villa development globally and was a significant coup for RAK Properties. 

"He's an incredibly talented, creative individual," Sameh shared about working with Armani. "When you watch him create, it's a master at work. Having him convinced of our location and convinced in RAK Properties as a partner, we're so proud of that." 

The philosophy of excellence and customer care 

During our conversation, Sameh's leadership philosophy became clear. When I asked what he looks for in talent, his response was insightful: 

"I look for people that care. I categorise people as two: you either add to life or you don't add to life. If you add to life, that ticks one of the boxes. Two, do you care about what you do? Are you ambitious? Are you going to put your heart into it?" 

This people-first approach extends to customer relationships, where Sameh emphasises the importance of every touchpoint in the customer journey. "From the minute that person calls the hotline to handing over that property, the number of touchpoints along the way to make sure every one of them is satisfying to the client." 

Looking forward: The UAE's global position