Building Bigger, Smarter, Bolder: Imran Farooq on Samana's Innovation-First Mindset An exclusive conversation with Samana Developers' founder Imran Farooq on pioneering private pool apartments, building a construction empire, and leading with vision in Dubai's competitive real estate market.

Entrepreneur Middle East sits down with Samana Developers founder and CEO Imran Farooq to explore how he's reshaping Dubai's real estate game with bold leadership, innovative design, and a construction-first mindset.

Imran Farooq didn't need to get into real estate. By the time he launched Samana Developers, his broader SAMANA Group had already grown into a multi-billion-dollar business spanning immigration, IT, and corporate services. But a persistent dissatisfaction with how the property sector treated buyers—and a knack for spotting market gaps—pulled him in.

Today, Farooq's name is synonymous with architectural ambition, on-time delivery, and one of Dubai's most headline-grabbing innovations: the launch of the first private pool apartments in the emirate.

"'On Time, Every Time' isn't just a slogan—it's a philosophy," Farooq tells us. "It means we deliver when we say we will, every time." That principle has guided Samana's exponential growth, including 12 project launches in 2024 alone and a development portfolio exceeding AED 16 billion. Samana has become the seventh-largest developer in Dubai—and is now setting its sights globally with branded luxury ventures like Samana Ocean Views by ELIE SAAB in the Maldives.

What sets Farooq apart isn't just scale—it's strategic foresight. Anticipating construction bottlenecks, Samana recently invested $41 million to launch its own contracting arm and form exclusive joint ventures with two major contractors. "We saw the resource crunch coming. We locked in capacity and supply early so we wouldn't be held hostage by the market."

At the heart of Samana's brand is its lifestyle-first approach to real estate. It was among the first in Dubai to introduce private pools as a standard feature in apartment units—an idea Farooq says was born out of watching consumer expectations shift.

"People don't just want homes anymore; they want experiences," he explains. "We pioneered private pools because we understood that buyers crave exclusivity, even in vertical living." That focus on resort-style amenities has helped Samana developments stand out in a saturated market, with units regularly selling out within days.

But innovation isn't limited to the final product. "We invest in architectural individuality. No two projects look alike," Farooq adds. "It takes longer and costs more, but it's what defines us."

Samana is now pivoting toward becoming a master developer—creating entire communities with townhouses, villas, retail, serviced apartments, and student housing. Farooq says this shift is about long-term resilience. "Dubai is maturing. Investors are looking for complete ecosystems, not just units. That's the future we're building toward."

Sustainability, too, is approached from a business-first perspective. "For us, sustainability means financial health and project longevity. It's about ensuring cash flow, timely contractor payments, and investor trust. That's how you build for the long haul."

After 27 years at the helm of SAMANA Group, what keeps Farooq going? "Success is the best motivator," he says with a grin. "But so is evolution. We revisit our goals every few years and set the bar higher."

His advice to young entrepreneurs? Think big, act smart. "Hard work is essential. But so is differentiation. You can't copy your way to greatness. Find a global problem, solve it with tech, and scale fast. That's how you create real impact."

And if you ask him what every leader must master? "Empowerment. If you can't delegate, you can't scale. Trust your team, and let go of the small stuff."

With an IPO under consideration and Samana's footprint now extending beyond the UAE, Farooq's trajectory reflects a rare mix of operational precision and creative disruption—a combination that's not just shaping buildings, but the future of real estate in the region.