Marjan GCEO Abdulla Al Abdouli on turning Ras Al Khaimah’s ambition into ground broken
Fresh from Arabian Travel Market, Marjan group CEO Abdulla Al Abdouli talks about the group’s expanded platform, the discipline behind an 85 million sq ft masterplan, and why global names such as Wynn and Janu are reshaping the emirate’s investment story.
24 September, 2026
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Ras Al Khaimah has spent the past few years turning ambition into ground broken, and few companies sit closer to that shift than Marjan Group.
This year’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM) was the first at which the master developer appeared as an expanded group, spanning development, hospitality and lifestyle, and it used the platform to unveil new residences, an interactive digital masterplan and an extended adventure network on Jebel Jais.
Behind the announcements is a bigger question: how to sequence a decade-long pipeline of homes, hotels and offices without outrunning demand. Gulf Business spoke to Marjan Group CEO, architect Abdulla Al Abdouli, about the agreements inked at ATM, the phasing of Marjan Beach, the arrival of global hospitality brands, corporate demand at RAK Central, and what the emirate’s credit rating means for international capital.
Tell us about some of the key agreements you signed at ATM.
ATM 2026 was particularly significant for us, as it marked Marjan’s first participation as an expanded group, bringing together our three core verticals: development, hospitality and lifestyle.
This broader platform gave us an opportunity to engage with a much wider range of partners and businesses, and to explore how we can create greater value across the full destination ecosystem.
During the event, we had valuable discussions around potential collaborations and opportunities across all three verticals, from destination development and hospitality to lifestyle experiences.
It was also an opportunity to showcase how each vertical is evolving. From Marjan Development, we launched the Marjan Digital Universe, an interactive platform that allows investors, partners and the public to explore our masterplans and future developments. Through Marjan Hospitality, we announced the next phase of The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert, with 35 new ultra-luxury private villas. And from Marjan Lifestyle, we shared our plans to further develop Jebel Jais’ trail and climbing network, including the 80km Grand Loop and a new five-way Via Ferrata.
For us, the value of such participation goes beyond any individual announcement. It is a platform to build relationships, exchange ideas and understand where there is potential to work together. Partnership is an important part of our growth strategy, and ATM provides an ideal environment to connect with businesses that share our ambition for Ras Al Khaimah.
As Marjan continues to grow as a group, we see strong potential in bringing the expertise, capabilities and networks of different partners together to create more connected and compelling destinations.
Marjan Beach is an 85 million sq ft masterplan with 22,000 residential units and 12,000 hotel keys planned. With major developers already committing to the destination, how do you ensure demand keeps pace with such a significant pipeline of new residential and hospitality supply?
The first principle is discipline. We do not release supply simply because land is available. We look closely at the underlying demand, the pace of investment, market dynamics and the infrastructure required to support the destination as it grows.
Marjan Beach is a long-term masterplan, with the full development expected to take around 10 years to complete and the first phase of earthworks now progressing. This phased approach allows us to develop the destination in line with market demand rather than bringing the full planned supply to market at once. The scale of Marjan Beach also allows us to create real depth. It is not simply a residential or hospitality development; it is planned as an integrated destination bringing together residential communities, hospitality, lifestyle experiences, open spaces and waterfront.
As the master developer, our role is to carefully sequence that growth and ensure that infrastructure, connectivity and supporting amenities develop alongside it. That is what allows each phase to build on the last, and creates a destination that can continue to attract residents, visitors, businesses and investment over the long term.
Ultimately, we are focused on sustainable growth, making sure supply is supported by genuine demand and that we build the foundations for a destination that can continue to grow and evolve with Ras Al Khaimah’s economy.
Marjan and Wynn Resorts recently broke ground on Janu Al Marjan Island, their second joint venture on the island, with the development scheduled to open in 2029. How are Wynn and projects such as Janu changing the profile of hospitality brands, developers and investors now looking at Ras Al Khaimah?
The arrival of global hospitality brands such as Wynn and Janu reflects the growing confidence in Ras Al Khaimah and in its long-term potential as a destination.
What is changing is the diversity and depth of the hospitality proposition. International brands are increasingly looking at the emirate as somewhere to build distinctive, long-term businesses. That outlook brings new standards, new investment and new audiences, while giving the destination greater depth.
Janu is a good example, bringing a different approach to contemporary luxury, wellbeing and social connection, while also representing the second joint venture between Marjan and Wynn Resorts. As the master developer, our role is to create the infrastructure, environment and long-term vision that enables strong operators and development partners to establish themselves and grow.
We have seen this confidence develop over time. In the first six months of 2026, 1,399 new investors from 68 nationalities registered in Ras Al Khaimah, while the emirate attracted more foreign direct investment than any other in 2025.
RAK Central is set to deliver 2.27 million sq ft of Grade A office space across five buildings, with opening targeted for the fourth quarter of 2027. What evidence are you seeing of genuine corporate demand in Ras Al Khaimah, and which sectors are you targeting to anchor that commercial growth?
The strongest evidence is the growing interest we are seeing from businesses looking to establish a long-term presence in Ras Al Khaimah. That is creating demand for quality commercial space that meets international standards. RAK Central is part of a broader shift in how we think about the destination. Ras Al Khaimah needs places where people can work, live and build businesses, supported by the right infrastructure and quality of life.
We are seeing interest across a range of sectors, and our focus is on creating the conditions for a diversified commercial base. Grade A office space is a part of that, but the surrounding residential, hospitality, retail and lifestyle offer is equally generous, because businesses are choosing a place for their people as well as their operations.
The strength of Ras Al Khaimah’s fundamentals is already becoming visible. The proof is in the 1,399 investors from 68 nationalities that registered in the emirate during the first six months of 2026. RAK Central is designed to bring offices, homes and hospitality together around a business district, and with the topping-out milestone approaching, we see it as an important part of creating a stronger commercial ecosystem for Ras Al Khaimah.
Ras Al Khaimah has retained an A/A-1 credit rating from S&P Global with a stable outlook, with the agency pointing to its fiscal strength, liquid assets and expected revenue growth. From an investor perspective, how important is that rating in attracting long-term international capital into projects across Marjan’s portfolio?
A strong credit rating is an important signal of financial strength and institutional stability for international investors, another independent reference point when they assess the emirate and its long-term prospects. S&P Global’s latest affirmation reflects the agency’s view of Ras Al Khaimah’s robust fiscal and economic policies, substantial net asset position and continued revenue performance.
For Marjan, investor confidence is built across several foundations. It comes from the strength of the emirate, the clarity of its long-term vision, the quality of its infrastructure, the demand we see in the market and our ability to deliver.
The rating is therefore one part of a wider investment story. Our responsibility is to continue strengthening these fundamentals and creating an environment where international capital can see clear opportunities for sustainable, long-term value.
