Judy Neil appointed Director of Marketing and Communications at The Pearl-Qatar

The Pearl-Qatar, the US$2.5 billion offshore, man-made island being built in Qatar, has appointed Judy Neil as Director of Marketing and Communications for the ambitious project, which is the country’s first international real estate venture and first to offer freehold and residential rights to global investors.

Neil joins The Pearl-Qatar from Dubai Festival City, the mixed-use real estate project being built on the banks of Dubai Creek where she was General Manager, Marketing.

“Judy is currently overseeing the development and launch of an iconic brand identity for The Pearl-Qatar which will clearly differentiate this residential, retail, leisure and hospitality destination from other Gulf real estate offerings,” said Nick Bashkiroff, Development Director, The Pearl-Qatar.

“We plan to launch a highly stylised and individualistic themed masterplan, brand identity and essence within the next few weeks and are confident it will be well received in local, regional and international markets where we will position this world-class project as an attractive, high-end investment proposition.”

Judy Neil has 25 years experience in the retail and real estate industries, having worked with a number of blue chip companies. She counts among her interests global marketing trends and socio-economic developments.

“The Pearl-Qatar is a truly unique proposition and we will be taking this to local, regional and international markets in the very near future. Working with our marketing and public relations partners we are confident we can promote this rediscovered island, which is currently being reclaimed from the Arabian Gulf, to highly selective audiences for which the project’s exclusive nature will have considerable appeal.”

In a soft-launch test-marketing period The Pearl-Qatar received considerable interest from investors both within the Gulf and overseas. The Pearl-Qatar, being constructed offshore the West Bay Lagoon in the Qatari capital, Doha, is being developed by United Development Company, Qatar’s largest private sector shareholding company.

This offshore, Riviera-style man-made island, covering 988 acres (400 hectares) of reclaimed land will create some 63 kilometres of new coastline. The Pearl-Qatar’s name and location, on a former pearl diving site, leverages the country’s traditions, and strong historical and cultural ties to the sea – it is an island rediscovered.

The Pearl-Qatar will eventually house 30,000 residents. The four-phase development comprises 10 distinct districts to be developed over five years, with the first investors expected to take up residency in 2006. The Riviera Arabia themed districts will house three luxury hotels, four marinas, with combined mooring for over 700 boats, and 60,000 square metres of luxury retail and restaurant space.

Dredging work for The Pearl-Qatar is currently under way; the project is due for total completion in 2009.