Nasser Al Shibli

Offering quality outcomes at a reasonable cost both locally and globally, ORIS is targeting both Omanis and foreigners in its exclusive mixed-use development project in Muscat.

What was the motivation behind starting this project, and what are its main characteristics?

ORIS is the real estate subsidiary of OMINVEST and has been gradually building its name within Oman’s real estate market. In 2018, after we launched the iconic building OMINVEST Business Centre, our name was further cemented as a development and investment company. We started off as a department to now a standalone company. Our main objective is to enrich society with our projects; therefore, we perform thorough research to find the right investments that fit into our objective. The project that we are developing currently will be in Muscat Hills Community and will consist of an 80 key boutique Tivoli Hotel, an 80-year-old brand that exudes European elegance and rich history. Tivoli is a part of Minor Group that has many brands such as Avani, Anantara, nH Collection Hotels, and more. Along with the hotel, there will be 100 branded serviced apartments managed by Tivoli, a variety of new and unique F&B and retail brands, as well as town villas and apartments. Our unique selling point is that along with the acquisition of the plot for development, we acquired the existing Muscat Hills Golf Course. The 18-hole championship golf course is spread over 600,000sqm of land with a unique landscape and is being managed by Troon, the largest golf management company in the world. The development will also include a state-of-the-art golf country club for all golf enthusiasts. This project will not only generate jobs in the local market and boost the economy through tourism, but also aims to promote golfing as a major sport in Oman and for local talents to perform at international levels. This project will bring life into the community and within Oman, which is why we decided to call it La Vie, a French word meaning The Life.

To what extent does the project include sustainable and green practices?

By embarking on ESG initiatives, businesses can become a catalyst for creating scalable economic, environmental, and social value; integrating sustainability also helps strengthen our investment philosophy and purpose. We are implementing certain practices that will ensure that we are in line with global sustainability practices. Furthermore, during the design of the project, we have considered all the factors to be more energy efficient and use materials that minimize the destruction of our environment. Another practice that we are considering is working with SMEs and local companies during the development stages of the project.

Who is your target clientele?

Our project is located in Muscat Hills, a prominent established mixed-use community strategically located within 10 minutes’ drive of Muscat International Airport. Featuring an 80-key hotel and 100 branded residences, this new mixed-use development will overlook the newly renovated La Vie Club, formally known as Muscat Hills Golf & Country Club, also including the first interactive Toptracer range in Oman. This is one of the very few projects that not only targets Omanis but also expats as well. Integrated tourism complex (ITC) projects open the Omani market to the rest of the world, which in turn boosts the economy. The project also targets individuals and families who are looking to live in luxurious apartments/villas within a community. It could be their primary or secondary/vacation home and be used for investment purposes as well.

How do you set the right price without compromising on quality?

Our team comes with a great deal of experience and has worked on several projects, including projects for third parties. We have developed a system to control and monitor costs to ensure that all developed properties are reasonably affordable. We have never compromised on quality and focus on maximizing cost-control during the design stage. We also structure legal documents to benefit all the parties involved; this allows us, as project managers, to control and monitor the expenses. It is challenging to offer quality outcomes at a reasonable cost both locally and globally, but it is achievable.