SHAHID UMERANI
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Shahid has been at the helm of JAJ Consultants LLC since 2002. The company established in 1977 by James Alfred Jackson, has since then experienced an era of unprecedented growth and expansion and client base. The asset valuations and strategy consulting services provided by JAJ are extremely well recognized by the banking and financial sectors, audit firms, large corporates, government and semi-government organizations. Today, the company is recognized as a prominent player and placed in high category for the kind of services offered.

Starting in 2006, Shahid added the services of strategy and management consulting for feasibility studies, best use studies and financial analysis across all real estate and industrial sectors. He is actively pursuing the firm’s regional and global expansions. He has advised numerous corporate clients such as Sime Darby Malaysia, Azerenerji Azerbaijan, Savola for assets in Morocco and Kazakhstan, Islamic Development Bank for investments in Libya, Jordan, Syria and Egypt, Union Properties including Marriott and Ritz Carlton, Sheraton Four Points at Sheikh Zayed Road Dubai and Mankhool Dubai and Jazan Economic City - the second largest economic city in Saudi Arabia.

Shahid is actively involved in the management of the company and in consulting assignments, providing direction, guidance and strategy. He has directly led the strategic alliance of JAJ Consultants with NAI Global.

SHAHID KAZI
GENERAL MANAGER

Shahid Kazi brings with him a wealth of professional experience spanning over 17 years in a variety of corporate sectors including banking and finance, consulting, engineering and project management. Having worked for over 10 years in the Corporate & Investment Banking Division of Citigroup and over 4 years in engineering and industrial project management at SIEMENS, he provides insightful leadership to JAJ’s consulting practice. He joined JAJ as a Partner in 2009 and has since then spearheaded the company’s international expansion, especially in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In addition to his role as General Manager, he is directly involved in a variety of consulting assignments across diverse sectors.

During his stint at Citigroup, he worked in various key positions within the Corporate and Investment Banking Division in Pakistan, Bahrain and United Arab Emirates where he dealt with a wide variety of corporate sectors including public sector, multinationals, local corporations and financial institutions. In his last position, he was Director and Regional Head for the Financial Institutions Group and was responsible for covering this business for Citigroup in most of the Gulf countries. During this time Shahid has not only developed a wide network of relationships within the various business sectors in the Middle East but has also developed a deep understanding of almost all types of financial products and of the requirements of financial institutions in different types of transactions. These strengths provide major benefits to a wide variety of consulting assignments.

In addition, Shahid has in-depth experience in analysis of business, strategy and financials of countries, industries, corporations and financial institutions as well as banking sector’s risk management procedures and best practices. He has also been extensively involved in various international capital market transactions on behalf of Citigroup. Shahid has also worked in SIEMENS, Pakistan as Project Manager & Executive Engineer in the Industrial Project Management Division and this experience also adds significant value to various relevant consulting projects.

Shahid is a Britannia Chevening Scholar and holds an MBA in Finance with Distinction from Imperial College, London and Bachelors in Electrical Engineering with Honors from University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore. He has received a large number of accolades and awards for a variety of exceptional academic and professional achievements

RICHARD COTTON
SENIOR ADVISOR

Richard Cotton has over 40 years of valuation experience across the EMENA region. As a Senior Advisor, Richard provides JAJ with direction and expertise on professional capabilities, human resources, strategic business growth and international expansion of the company. Richard also represents JAJ in Europe and in the Arab British Chamber of Commerce.

Before JAJ, Richard was a Senior Partner at Cluttons LLP, London (2003 - 2009). His career with Cluttons LLP has spanned over 38 years between Middle East, Asia, North America and Europe. Richard is a Middle East specialist having set up and managed Cluttons in the Middle East and North Africa for 15 years and advising on multi-million pound properties in Abu Dhabi, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Libya. He specialises in the private residential investment market in London, acting for and advising private, charitable and institutional investors.

Richard sits on the Management Board of RICS and was previously a Chairman of RICS UAE branch. Richard holds a B.Sc in Estate Management from College of Estate Management London University.

VISMER MULENGA
HEAD OF VALUATION DIVISION

Vismer has over 22 years post graduate qualification experience in property and other business asset valuations, property management/property development consultancy, real estate and rating valuations in the UK and Africa. Vismer is a Chartered Valuation Surveyor registered as a Professional Member with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS), UK. He is registered as a Corporate Member with The Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation (IRRV), UK along with The Institute of Realtors of South Africa (MIRSA), South Africa.

Vismer has conducted major valuation assignments in the UAE and across the GCC. His areas of specialization at JAJ include valuation and assessment of plants, machinery and various types of commercial, industrial and residential properties. Vismer is also responsible for conducting investment appraisals and quantitative analysis for investment properties for all our major clients.

Vismer undertook various assignments including capital and rental valuations of a variety of commercial, industrial and residential properties for various private companies and organizations in the UK and in Africa. Some of his other assignments in the past include valuations of hotels, airports, port harbours, various sized commercial/industrial properties, and various single and multi-tenanted residential properties/complexes.

XAVIER SEDAGHAT
HEAD OF STRATEGY DIVISION

Xavier is the Head of Strategy Division at JAJ Consultants LLC. Prior to joining JAJ, Xavier was working as a senior Merger & Acquisition advisor in the transaction services of PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), UAE and as a private business advisor for High Net Worth individuals.

During his time at PwC, he has developed a strong knowledge on business operations and strategy in the Middle East and Asia, providing clients with highly reliable and strategic advice.

With more than 6 years experience in the Middle-East, Xavier has gathered extensive business and analytical skills by efficiently leading prominent large-scale projects in the MENA region.

He has successfully led several mega projects to completion in different sectors including industrial, real estate, healthcare, media, financial services and education.

Recently Xavier executed a strategic advisory project with the largest Malaysian real estate developer on a mega real estate and entertainment hub in Malaysia, providing financial and strategic insight on a multi-billion dollar master plan. Xavier is actively involved in the management of JAJ Consultants, looking at new opportunities to develop the company’s global network and exploring new markets in Europe, USA and Asia.

Xavier has a BS in Business Management from the Business School of Nice, France and a Bachelor of Economics in International Business Management Studies from Inholland University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

WAQAS SHEIKH
HEAD OF REAL ESTATE VALUATIONS

Waqas is a real estate valuation consultant with JAJ Consultants LLC. Prior to JAJ, he was working in the valuation division of Hamptons International and specializes in valuations for freehold & non-freehold properties throughout United Arab Emirates. Waqas holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and is currently perusing his MSc in Surveying from University of Reading.

Waqas has worked on various projects in UAE such as valuation of industrial factories and structures, farm houses, hotels and high rise towers. Apart from UAE Waqas has worked on some projects in Kuwait. Waqas has worked with the following banks for mortgage loan valuations since Mar’2008 Amlak Finance PJSC, Al Hilal Bank, HSBC, Lloyds TSB and Mashreq Bank.

Some of his corporate clients includes Al Ghandi Group, Al Kamda Group, Atlas Telecom, Madain Properties and Zabeel Investments.

KHIZAR HAYAT
HEAD OF INDUSTRIAL VALUATIONS

Khizar Hayat is a Mechanical Engineer with a Masters degree in Manufacturing Management from Wolfson School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Loughborough, United Kingdom. Khizar heads the Industrial Valuation Division of J.A.J. Consultants and his area of specialization is valuation of plant & machinery and building / civil works of industrial plants and factories. He has conducted and supervised a large number of industrial valuation assignments in different countries in the Middle East which included a wide variety of industries, factories, equipment and machinery.

Previously, he has worked as a consultant engineer in a consultancy firm of ISO 9001 & 14001 in Pakistan. He has been providing consultancy services regarding Quality Management Systems (QMS) to various industrial units in the manufacturing sector. Khizar is currently undergoing his RICS certification course.

SAUD AL QUAIFIL
SENIOR CONSULTANT

Saud is a Senior Strategy Consultant at JAJ Consultants with a focus on real estate development and analysis. Saud has over 8 years of professional experience in a variety of roles and sectors, especially real estate and construction.

Prior to JAJ, Saud worked at Ernst & Young Consulting, Saudi Arabia in their Transaction Advisory Services Division where he was primarily involved in real estate feasibility studies, highest and best-use analysis, business plans, valuation and appraisals. He has also worked as Business Development Manager at Saudi Tathmeen where he managed large real estate valuation and appraisal projects and proficiently developed and executed financial strategies supporting enterprise-wide operations. Saud’s engineering background is an additional strength in various industrial valuation and consulting assignments.

Saud holds an M.S. in Real Estate and Construction Management as well as M.S. in Engineering with concentration in Management from University of Denver, U.S.A. He also has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Kind Saud University, Saudi Arabia.

As a contribution to community, Saud is a Volunteer Consultant at Al Jelah Charity where he advises the organization on remodeling of impoverished homes of underprivileged residents and makes recommendations for effective improvements.

Adil Chaudhry
Business Development Manager

Adil has 8 years of professional experience in real estate advisory and valuations. He has worked for a number of high profile private companies and public organizations as a surveyor and later as a valuation consultant. Adil has maintained an enviable record as an international valuer and worked on several assignments across the United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Jordan, Syria and Oman.

He has covered considerable ground in overseeing residential, commercial and industrial valuations and undertaking hospitality valuations regionally and internationally. His portfolio includes valuation for property acquisition or disposal, rental reviews, litigation, audit/financial reporting and property consulting.

Adil is a Member of International Real Estate Institute as a Senior Certified Valuator (SCV) and Registered Property Manager from International Real Estate Institute, Minnesota, USA.

At present Adil is ongoing his Post Graduate Diploma (PGDip) in Surveying & Valuations from College of Estate Management, Reading, UK to qualify for Assessment Professional Competence (APC) and become a Member of Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS).