FACILITATOR
Forbes Middle East - English|July 2022
In a region that seems eternally under construction, the potential for growth in the facility management sector increases with every new building opened. Under Group CEO Tariq Chauhan, Dubai's EFS is becoming a key playe serving multinationals and governments across MEA, Turkey, and South Asia.
SAMUEL WENDEL
FACILITATOR

Dubai’s recently completed Expo 2020 offered over 24 million visitors an opportunity to experience an array of entertainment, architecture, and innovation.

But just as impressive as the show was the community of people working behind the scenes to keep the venues clean and safe for guests—an army of janitors, attendants, security guards, and beyond.

One company that provided several such services during the Expo, including housekeeping, technicians, and facade cleaners, was Dubai’s EFS. A key regional player in the facility management sector, EFS is one of those companies that helps keep business humming at offices, resorts, schools, factories, and more. “When I maintain a building for a client, I’m looking at the end-user ease in terms of a better quality of service,” says Tariq Chauhan, the long-time Group CEO of EFS. His company does everything from providing technical maintenance like plumbing and HVAC to delivering so-called soft services such as catering, landscaping, and security.

Taking on a contract for a generational event like the Expo is a sign of the times for EFS, which employs over 20,000 people and operates across the Middle East, Turkey, Africa, and South Asia. The group reports that it generated roughly $270 million in revenue in 2021. When Chauhan became CEO in 2010, EFS was a small player with $180 million in contracts, but today the CEO says that the group has a contract backlog of $1.3 billion and over 600 clients. That includes over 200 multinationals and many regional governments. And EFS has continued adding to that roster in 2022, announcing a new soft services contract for Saudi’s Jeddah Airport, valued at over $200 million.

This story is from the July 2022 edition of Forbes Middle East - English.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the July 2022 edition of Forbes Middle East - English.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM FORBES MIDDLE EAST - ENGLISHView All
WATCHING OUT FOR THE WEALTHY
Forbes Middle East - English

WATCHING OUT FOR THE WEALTHY

Faisal Al-Hamad, CEO of Kuwait-based NBK Wealth, has been leading the NBK Group's client-centric businesses under a unified umbrella since 2021. With over $20 billion in assets under management, he's now planning for expansion.

time-read
4 mins  |
May 2024
Middle East Forbes THE MIDDLE EAST'S TOP 100 TRAVEL & TOURISM LEADERS 2024
Forbes Middle East - English

Middle East Forbes THE MIDDLE EAST'S TOP 100 TRAVEL & TOURISM LEADERS 2024

Thanks to their geographical position and historical and cultural richness, Middle East countries are attracting both tourists and investors.

time-read
2 mins  |
May 2024
PARTY WITH PURPOSE
Forbes Middle East - English

PARTY WITH PURPOSE

New Forbes billionaire Kabir Mulchandani, Founder and Chairman of FIVE Holdings, is building an entertainment ecosystem with a sustainable footprint. Now, he's talking IPO plans.

time-read
7 mins  |
May 2024
EMPIRE BUILDING
Forbes Middle East - English

EMPIRE BUILDING

Hussain Sajwani, Founder and Chairman of the DAMAC Group, has built a property empire and accumulated over $5 billion in wealth since establishing the group in 1982. As he continues to seek out new opportunities, he's also supporting the next generation as they follow in his footsteps.

time-read
9 mins  |
May 2024
The Middle East's RICHEST BILLIONAIRES 2024
Forbes Middle East - English

The Middle East's RICHEST BILLIONAIRES 2024

It's been a banner year for the mega-wealthy. Forbes found an unprecedented 2,781 billionaires around the globe for this year's World's Billionaires list-141 more than in 2023 and 26 more than the previous record, set in 2021.

time-read
2 mins  |
May 2024
Riches from Rags
Forbes Middle East - English

Riches from Rags

Investors have blown billions of dollars on loss-making luxury clothing resale firms. VINTED, an unlikely startup from Lithuania, finally cracked the code.

time-read
6 mins  |
May 2024
The New Goal Standard
Forbes Middle East - English

The New Goal Standard

JORGE MAS took a risk with a lucrative bet on Lionel Messi and quickly transformed Inter Miami into MLS's second billion-dollar franchise. But now the clock is ticking.

time-read
5 mins  |
May 2024
Reasons To Seek Adventure
Forbes Middle East - English

Reasons To Seek Adventure

Whether it’s the exhilaration of free-falling out of the sky or the thrill of being immersed among the shark-filled reefs of the Indian Ocean, adventure enthusiasts are drawn by the allure of life-changing experiences. Here are some reasons why.

time-read
3 mins  |
April 2024
THE MIDDLE EAST'S 30 MOST VALUABLE BANKS 2024
Forbes Middle East - English

THE MIDDLE EAST'S 30 MOST VALUABLE BANKS 2024

MENA’s banking sector has shown resilience over the last year, supported by higher interest rates and oil prices.

time-read
10+ mins  |
April 2024
INVESTING AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
Forbes Middle East - English

INVESTING AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr, Cofounders of Egypt-based digital investment platform Thndr, are facing competition from brokerages and investment banks to democratize investing. Having seen exponential growth in four years, they’re now looking at expanding to the U.A.E. and Saudi Arabia.

time-read
7 mins  |
April 2024