1. Charlie Acworth MA MBA FRICS
Independent Real Estate Consultant
PO Box 95347 Abu Dhabi UAE
PO Box 37377 Doha, Qatar
Tel: +971 (0) 508188712
Email: charlie.acworth@btinternet.com
OVERVIEW
A strategic Real Estate and business adviser with a broad range of skills developed over 24
years across the EMEA region and covering the majority of product sectors.
Solid track record of delivering practical, workable and cost effective solutions to a broad
spectrum of real estate and business related issues to developers, investors, owners, occupiers
and government bodies.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
• Asset, Property and Facilities Management • Real estate strategies for investment,
strategies development and corporate purposes
• Development Consultancy • Design reviews (scheme or building)
• Marketing, sales & leasing strategies and • Corporate occupier advisory and
plans acquisition
• Valuation & financial appraisals • Master plan & use mix assessments
• Market research – both qualitative and • Product & finishes specifications for
quantitative commercial office and residential product.
• Business restructuring, processes & • Staffing structures, role assessment staff
procedures creation and implementation recruitment and training/mentoring
CASE STUDIES
Asset, Property and Facilities Management
• Restructuring of entire asset, property and
facilities management strategy, business plan
and staffing for Al Wa’ab City - $3.2bn
residentially dominated mixed use scheme in
Doha, Qatar
• Creation of estate & facilities management
strategy, business plan and business
structure for 1,200 unit residential, golf
course, retail and school scheme in Riffa,
Bahrain
Page 1
2. • Restructured entire asset and property
management function for commercial portfolio
for Pan Africa Insurance – 14 buildings in
Nairobi and Mombasa, Kenya. Increased rent
recovery by over 30% within 9 months
• Revitalised and restructured established
property and facilities management
business in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania for
Knight Frank. 12 residential compounds, 3
retail centres and 7 office buildings for
range of institutional and private clients
Research, Valuations & Appraisals
• Established in house Research function to
include economic and population analysis and
forecasting, market tracking and indices, real
estate market analysis and forecasting, sales
analysis, customer satisfactions surveys
• Project management and analysis of
extensive qualitative study to include
future tourist analysis and customer needs
assessment through 45 focus groups in 12
countries.
• Review of current rentals and secondary sales
market in Abu Dhabi for fund investor. Primary
research including full broker interviews and
analysis
• Review of Aldar’s development appraisals
(totalling US$67bn development costs) and
creation of a set of uniform appraisal
guidelines for use by Development Managers
• Part of restructuring team handling corporate,
project and financial restructuring, including new
corporate and product strategies, revised
staffing, new policies and procedures.
Page 2
3. • Sales team recruitment and training for
Durrat Al Bahrain, including systems,
policies, salaries, bonus structures, research
and customer care methodologies
• Econometric modelling and forecasting with
sector demand forecasting (including
affordability) and product supply reviews and
calculations.
• Valuation of Blue City (Madina al
Zarqa) in Oman for acquisition by
private developer from Omani
government. Valuation of on-site
Hotel and beach complex for
sale/compensation purposes.
Commercial Offices
• Created sector strategy for Aldar Properties’
commercial office portfolio in Abu Dhabi
totalling over 1,000,000m2, including plot sale,
building lease/sale/hold decisions, development
pipeline phasing, design review and creation of
sector design guidelines. Marketing, Sales,
Leasing strategy for retained 800,000m2
portfolio
• Marketing and Leasing of Al Mamoura
(65,000m2) and Baniyas Towers
(54,000m2). 100% pre-let including largest
ever commercial lease transaction in Middle
East history (22,000m2). Record rents set
in Abu Dhabi. First long term ‘institutional’
and ‘green’ leases created in the UAE.
• Design Review then marketing and launch of
HQ (65,000m2) and Central Market
(72,000m2) in Abu Dhabi to International
tenant market.
• Design Review and Leasing Strategy for
Jordan Gate (32,000m2) Amman, Jordan
Page 3
4. • Acquisition and leasing of commercial
offices in England, Scotland, Jordan,
Bahrain, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Kenya,
Tanzania, Uganda.
Residential
• Master plan review, unit design review,
marketing & leasing strategy, development
phasing for Al Wa’ab City, Qatar. $3.2bn
mixed use scheme including 2,500 unit
residential (villas, townhouses and
apartments) core, retail mall, hotel, offices &
showrooms.
• Master plan review, unit design review,
pricing and estate & facilities management
strategy, for 1,200 unit residential & golf
course scheme in Riffa, Bahrain
• Master plan review, unit design review,
Marketing & Sales Strategy for Durrat al
Bahrain, a mixed use scheme including 2,500
villas, 7,000 apartments, golf course, hotels
and retail.
• Master plan review, unit design review,
Marketing & Sales Strategy, Sales team
recruitment and training, for Royal Village,
Amman, Jordan a mixed use scheme
including 250 villas, 400 townhouses and
900 apartments together with regional retail
mall of 80,000m2.
Page 4
5. • Units mix, sizing, specifications and pricing
review for Vlllamar, a three tower apartment
complex, part of Bahrain Financial Harbour.
• International research, unit mix review and
full strategic development recommendations
for residential element of Al Dana Precinct, AL
Raha Beach, Abu Dhabi
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
MA – Cambridge University – Land Economy
MBA – Ashridge Business School
Past Chairman(2009) – International Council for Offices
Executive Panel – Overseas Property Professionals
Founder – Society of Property Researchers – UAE.
Page 5
