Adel Sajan comes from a family with a business history. He is the son of Rizwan Sajan, the founder and CEO of Danube Group. Adel began learning about the business at a young age. He started gaining business knowledge by working in the family store in Deira at 13. Later, he earned a Bachelor of Science with a specialisation in marketing from the American University of Sharjah. His education helped him gain experience in various aspects of business, such as warehousing, sales, marketing, and management, which prepared him to run a business smoothly. In 2009, he became an official member of the family business, taking on the Director’s role. He focused on the retail division of the business, specifically Buildmart, which was struggling to make a profit. In six years, Adel successfully transformed Buildmart into Danube Home, a rapidly expanding retailer in the home improvement sector within the region. This growth has led the company to expand to 40 stores and 27 franchises across 15 countries. Due to his success in reviving the company, Adel was promoted to Managing Director of the Danube Group in March 2021.
BEAUTIFUL HOMES GUARANTEED
UAE-based Danube Home, a segment of the Danube Group, focuses on home decor and high-quality furniture. Adel has introduced new technologies and creative concepts, expanding Danube Home’s showrooms to various countries like Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain and offering a complete package of furniture, decor, and interior design solutions at a single location. The company’s vast selection of over 50,000 items is acquired from various countries, such as the USA, Germany, Turkey, Spain, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, China, and Italy.
TECHNOLOGY AT THE FOREFRONT
As a young entrepreneur, Adel believes that embracing innovation is crucial to staying ahead in business, particularly when the technology is advancing rapidly. He has introduced several new concepts in the company, including e-learning and e-commerce, aiming to position Danube Homes at the industry’s forefront. Adel sees great potential in digital and e-commerce platforms for the home furnishing sector, and is building a solid ecosystem for an e-commerce business. It is likely to feature virtual store walkthroughs, zoom appointments for VIP clients, and user-friendly software for virtual interior designing, allowing customers to design their homes online within minutes using augmented reality and virtual reality technology. Already making progress, Adel has started utilising 360-degree cameras for e-commerce photography, providing customers with realistic 3D-rendered images of products.
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
Danube Group has achieved several accolades under the leadership of Adel. One notable recognition was being named one of Forbes’ top real estate companies in the Middle East in 2018. Adel also received the “Young Achievers Award in Business Category” at the 2014 Ahlan Masala Awards, hosted by ITP Publishing.
OPTIMISTICALLY FUTURE-ORIENTED
Adel envisions Danube Group as a prominent global brand with over 200 stores worldwide by 2025, aiming to establish as a market leader. His goal is to transform the Danube Group into a diverse international corporation, attracting customers and suppliers globally.
