Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Chestertons MENA, a provider of Real Estate Management, Agency and Professional Services Solutions, today announced the promotion of Simone Dobson to Chief Services Officer.
Dobson will now have primary responsibility for ensuring maximum value to stakeholders through the efficient deployment of people, processes, and technology, thereby providing a strong foundation for implementing the company’s strategic business plan.
Nick Witty, CEO of Chestertons MENA, said, “In the MENA region, Chestertons is renowned for the volume and reach of its agency and valuation transactions, and the new strategic plan will build upon our strength in these areas, but with an additional focus on all aspects of the real estate value chain, such as operations related service lines.”
“Simone has been heavily involved in our expansion plans over the past six months, and we are confident that she will be able to support us even further in this important position with this promotion.”
Dobson joined Chestertons MENA in 2021 as Head of Property and Facility Management Consultancy and quickly demonstrated her forward-thinking capabilities in terms of new service lines and digital transformation. Dobson also assisted franchise partners who needed guidance in terms of international best practices and those setting up facilities and property management services globally.
Commenting on her new role, Dobson said, “Our focus on customers and end-users, both internal and external, through simplified transactions, will ultimately drive the success of our new service lines and future expansion.”
“This essentially entails process efficiency and digital transformation, enabling seamless interaction for customers and end-users via our website or mobile app. Innovative ways of conducting business will be introduced by analysing the customer journey, identifying the various touchpoints, and considering how we can streamline the experience for them.”
“We are also working on some exciting alliances to provide the turnkey real estate solutions that time-sensitive customers now demand.”
“Furthermore, by listening to our staff, we will implement similar technology to improve their day-to-day interactions within the company. Low staff turnover is key to achieving consistent performance and high customer satisfaction, so we will measure and act on staff satisfaction levels. I’m looking forward to spearheading the company’s strategic direction as we begin a new and exciting chapter of corporate development,” she added.
Dobson has worked in the Real Estate industry for nearly 30 years, during which time she has covered all classes of property assets across more than 35 countries, advising clients from both the public and private sectors.
She originally came to the UAE in 2001 whilst working for CBRE in a pan-EMEA corporate real estate role before making a permanent move to Dubai in 2007 with JLL, where she was responsible for onboarding and managing India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in addition to other EMEA locations.
Since then, Dobson has held various FM and consulting positions with locally established companies, fulfilling roles on both the client-side and supplier side, working on projects involving development management, fund management and asset management.
This experience formed her value-based approach to operational management, whereby operations are directly linked to value creation for owners and investors. Prior to joining Chestertons in July 2021, Dobson was the director of property and FM for Savills Middle East.
