BUILDING PILLARS OF HAPPINESS
As they say, it takes decades to build a brand. Such is the case with Prestige Group; structuring on strong leadership pillars Irfan Razack has made Prestige a household name in Bengaluru
“A born leader, Irfan is blessed with the acumen to see opportunities where none apparently exist”
In 1990, when Irfan Razack sold his second real estate project in his home market of Bengaluru for Rs 1 crore, he began planning his retirement. Elated with the money he had made, Razack thought he could spend his days indulging in his favourite hobby—horse riding. But twenty- ive years later, the now 62-year-old chairman and managing director of Prestige Group is still hooked on to real estate. “My friend had warned me that making buildings is like a drug. He said, ‘You will become addicted to it’,” says Razack, who heads Prestige Estates Projects Ltd, the group’s flagship company.
LEARNING FROM THE FAMILY
Irfan Razack, the eldest son of Razack Sattar, is at the helm of the Prestige Group. A born leader, Irfan is blessed with the acumen to see opportunities where none apparently exist, the courage to take the untrodden path and the determination to see his vision through to fruition. His leadership acumen received national recognition, when he was declared Professional of the Year at the Real Estate Excellence Awards 2008. He has been Honorary Secretary of the Al Ameen Educational Society for 17 years, the President of Bangalore Commercial Association (BCA), and the Chairman of the Real Estate Committee of CREDAI, Karnataka for 4 years.
PROFOUND VISIONARY
While Irfan propels the falcon to soar higher, farther and wider, what sets him clearly apart is his ability to simultaneously bring his formidable abilities to bear on philanthropic and social causes. A man of many facets, Irfan’s leadership skills have been at the fore right from his youth. As a student leader at St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore he was the driving force behind many a laurel won by it. In recognition of his achievements the St. Joseph’s Old Boys Association has honoured him with the Lifetime Achievement Award. In an exclusive interview with MyBangalore. com, Irfan Razack, Chairman and Managing Director of Prestige Group talks about Bangalore’s progression, the real estate industry and his company’s growth plans.
A self-professed “clear thinker”who prides himself on being meticulous, he believes that life is about conquering the next big milestone. “Money loses its charm after a while. It is the creativity that keeps you going,” says the billionaire, who, with a net worth of $1.23 billion, ranks at No 77 on the 2014 Forbes India Rich List.
BUILDING PRESTIGE
Under the esteemed headship of Irfan Razack, Prestige Estates Projects, India’s second-largest listed real estate company, is on the brink of greater things. Now more than ever, it needs its leader.
Razack states that retirement is just not an option for him. He has led the Prestige Group to be committed to a cleaner and greener Bangalore and all our projects have 25% or more land area set aside for landscaping. The group is actively involved with the Public Works Department (PWD) in the beautification of Bangalore.
Inspired by the unmatched success of The Forum mall, the Prestige Group has plans of redefining the concept of shopping in malls by taking the Forum brand forward to several cities in South India. Seven more Forum malls are in the pipeline across Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mysore, Mangalore and Kochi. Also, the popularity of Forum Value Mall, the only outlet mall in South India, has encouraged the company to develop more malls along the same lines.
