For the last few decades, Sahel has cemented its place as a go-to summer destination for many. Clear waters. Crisp weather. Buzzing nightlife.

Last year, the Ras El-Hekma deal swung the spotlight on the potential of Sahel as a regional investment hub. But what exactly are we building up there?

In this special episode of Making It, we speak to Marakez Executive Vice Chairman Dasha Badrawi.

Dasha stumbled onto the real estate industry in the mid-2000s, and he has been at its forefront ever since. Having been brought up in the UK, his ties to Egypt remained unwavering, and so did his penchant for creation. For the last decade, he has been at the helm of Marakez. Ushering in iconic projects like Mall of Arabia and District 5, Dasha has pushed forward a philosophy that centers innovation, team effort and homegrown partnerships.

In conversation with Patrick, Dasha opens up about his early years as a lawyer and entrepreneur, the challenges posed by Egypt’s unique real estate financing model, the way buyers should assess developers, and how favoring recurring revenue through retail and commercial properties was key to Marakez’s success. They speak at length about the changes taking place along Egypt's North Coast, the ethos and architecture of Marakez’s Ramla, and what his team has in store this summer.

This episode was produced as a part of our four-part special Destination Sahel.

In case you missed it, check out these two episodes from our archive:

How Gourmet Egypt survived the float of the EGP

How Karim Awad has grown EFG Hermes from a regional giant into a global player

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Special: Doing it differently | Marakez Exec Vice Chairman Dasha Badrawi