- Sanjeev Gupta launches JAHAMA in Australia, GFG’s property development and management company
- JAHAMA will unlock value across the significant property portfolio of GFG Alliance businesses
- JAHAMA plans strategic partnership model to partner with other industrial businesses to co-create development opportunities
Sanjeev Gupta, Executive Chairman of GFG Alliance, today announced the Australian launch of JAHAMA, the property development and management arm of GFG with a mandate to transform legacy industrial sites into innovative, environmentally sustainable employment and residential hubs of the future.
Mr Gupta said he was excited to launch JAHAMA in Australia to deliver benefits for GFG Alliances’ locally operated businesses and global portfolio of properties: “JAHAMA in Australia will apply the world’s best practice to strategic asset management for GFG’s property portfolio. This will create significant value for our businesses.”
JAHAMA has responsibility for managing more than 170 freehold and leasehold assets in Australia on behalf of GFG Alliance businesses. The portfolio covers more than 200 hectares, including both heavy and light industrial sites, and two strategic port locations. The freehold portfolio of assets is valued at over A$300m.
“We have an extraordinary portfolio of industrial property assets across every Australian State, with a powerful vision of how they can be transformed into vibrant assets with higher value uses through development partnerships in the years ahead,” Mr Gupta said.
“We plan for these sites to continue hosting our Australian manufacturing businesses into the future, but alongside the manufacturing operations, there is so much more we can do to deliver jobs and homes of the future with a sustainable outcome,” Mr Gupta said.
“We will evolve these assets into showcases of how sustainability and industry can develop in tandem to benefit the entire community. We will use this as a launch pad for JAHAMA, a global first for the business, to partner with other like-minded industry portfolios.
The strategic vision for the company will be led by JAHAMA’s Global Head of Strategy, and Australian Managing Director, Sydney-based Simonne Bailey, a property and construction executive who joined from Lendlease with more than 20 years of property experience. Her distinguished capabilities in developing innovative placemaking solutions and passion for delivering sustainable outcomes for our cities will create an exciting platform for JAHAMA here in Australia.
“JAHAMA has a clear vision and strategy to evolve the portfolio of assets from capital intensive single purpose properties to high performing assets that provide a range of benefits to GFG businesses and their communities”, Ms Bailey said.
“JAHAMA has the expertise to leverage GFG Alliance’s supply chain, technology and sustainability capabilities to bring a new approach to unlocking future value from the portfolio. This has significant potential to play a transformational role in their respective communities.
Internationally, JAHAMA manages a portfolio of properties across the United Kingdom, Europe, North America and Asia however Australia presents a unique opportunity.
“We see Australia as having a sophisticated forward-thinking property industry where we can work with established industry leaders in developing our vision for these assets. We hope to replicate this model globally,” Mr Gupta said.
Fund manager and Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Project specialist Nigel Sharp of Tiverton Rothwell Partners said: “We are looking forward to partnering JAHAMA in their journey towards delivering leading and innovative sustainable solutions for communities. It is exciting to reimagine property assets to unlock the potential of these sites delivering further value across the supply chain.”
About JAHAMA
JAHAMA is an international real estate and property management business which owns and operates a portfolio of properties in the UK, and manages assets within Europe, North America, Australia and Asia on behalf of businesses within the GFG Alliance.
The portfolio comprises industrial, office, leisure and hospitality, and agricultural assets, as well as strategically located ports.
JAHAMA approach management of the portfolio holistically as a responsible long-term owner and custodian, and looking to drive efficiencies in the portfolio as part of their asset evolution strategy which delivers social and environmental solutions for all stakeholders.
JAHAMA is a member of the Property Council of Australia and the Leading Sponsor of the Property Council of Australia’s Property Congress. GFG Australia is a member of the Australian Institute of Building.
In the United Kingdom, JAHAMA owns and operates over 150 industrial, office and leisure assets, and a large agricultural estate in the Scottish Highlands, under JAHAMA UK led by Dilip Awtani.
GFG Alliance, operates an integrated global model encompassing businesses in mining, energy generation, metals, engineering, and industry-based financial services, and through the operation of these businesses owns a substantial global property portfolio.
