Dubai-based PNC Menon, Founder and Chairman of Sobha Group, who hails from Palakkad, Kerala, has pledged to restore hope by building 50 homes for Wayanad landslide survivors. In a letter to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Menon expressed his grief and sorrow over the tragedy, emphasizing his commitment to support the affected families.
In the presence of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), MBRGI and Sobha Realty signed a charitable grant agreement for the establishment of an endowment university in Dubai, as part of the Mothers’ Endowment campaign, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to honour mothers by establishing an AED 1 billion endowment fund supporting the education of millions around the world.
While other developers aspiring to go global are tying up with international brands, PNC Menon, founder and Chairman Emeritus of Sobha Group believes in organic growth of the brand. In an exclusive interview with Ravi Sinha at his Dubai office, he explains how Sobha has the inherent resilience to succeed anywhere in the global market. Focus on quality & don’t break the law is his mantra of global brand leadership.
Dubai has always been a popular destination for Indians, not just for vacationing and shopping, but for the overall aspirational lifestyle it offers. Due to Dubai’s diverse population and cosmopolitan lifestyle, the city offers its residents and businesses a unique environment enriched with hundreds of cultures and a quality of life and work unrivalled in the Middle East.
Backward integration definitely helps and my reason for backward integration is that I have total control over quality. I come from that industry where I had been into contracting for the last 40 years. Real estate for me is only for the last 20 years. I have since beginning worked on very high-end contracts, including design. So, I have the knowledge coming from the grassroot level of contracts. Eventually I thought I should do real estate also while doing contracts outside.
This was also the first quarter where the new accounting standard of IND AS 115 was followed by the company, which uses the project completion method instead of the existing percentage completion method. While some fluctuations in reporting the income are expected, there is no impact on the company’s cash flow or income tax liability, as the company continues to follow percentage completion method under Income Computation and Disclosure Standards (ICDS) for income tax purpose. In other words, it is a compliance requirement which will not have any impact on the overall business of the company. We are confident that on completion of some of the ongoing projects in this financial year, the overall income growth momentum will be maintained
In terms of price point luxury properties in Dubai are more attractive than any such option in Mumbai and Bangalore. Moreover, the kind of rental returns that are there in the gulf city is no match to any Indian city. Add to it tax-free returns and attractive capital appreciation and your cost & benefit analysis is heavily loaded in favour of benefits. Last, but not the list, is the quality of life in Dubai
The wedding, which is conducted twice a year, saw 20 couples tie the knot during the ceremony.As part of SOBHA’s CSR drive, the girls are selected from 7149 Below the Poverty Line (BPL) families in Vadakkenchery, Kizhakkenchery and Kannambra panchayats in Palakkad district.
The Sobha Creek Vistas residences are set in the most scenic views of the city’s main attractions like the Dubai Creek, the Ras Al Khor bird sanctuary, Downtown Dubai and the iconic Dubai canal.
PNC Menon joins at Rashid Centre other prominent officials and business leaders in Dubai, including Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and CEO and chairman of the Emirates Group.