Dubai can make people fall in love with it, and this is exactly what happened to Lebanese national Mohamad El Kurdi and his German wife, Fiona Erdmann, making their foray into business here a no-brainer. They launched their venture, FNM Properties, with a focus on the off-plan property market. The company’s services include direct developer sales, rental management, and reselling of properties.
“Dubai has been the perfect backdrop for our journey, both personally and professionally. It’s where we connected and decided to embark on this exciting venture together as husband and wife. The city’s dynamic environment and endless opportunities made it the ideal place for us to start our business and build our future,” said Mohamad.
He was born and raised in Saudi Arabia and has spent over 13 years in Dubai. The 33-year-old father-of-two is a football and gym enthusiast who stepped away from corporate life three years ago to start his marketing agency and real estate business.
Fiona, meanwhile, is a 35-year-old German celebrity and model, who has called Dubai her home since 2017. “The UAE has been instrumental in my success. It offers peace of mind and safety, which allows me to focus on my work without distractions. The diversity here has also been incredibly enriching, exposing me to different cultures, ideas, and ways of doing business,” said Mohamad.
As a family business, building personal and trusting relationships with clients remains paramount to the couple. Since launching FNM Properties, the couple has guided numerous clients, focusing on the off-plan property market.
“We’ve already established strong relationships with many developers. At FNM Properties, we pride ourselves on expertise, commitment, and exceptional customer service, helping our clients achieve their property goals and realise their dreams,” said Fiona.
“The UAE’s rapidly growing economy and business-friendly environment have provided endless opportunities for entrepreneurship and innovation. The combination of these factors has created the perfect environment for us to grow both personally and professionally,” she added.
Always on his mind
Mohamad arrived in the UAE in 2011, and from day one, the idea of setting up his own businesses was always on his mind. “My plan was to buy an apartment, secure an investor visa, and then start hustling to build businesses and startups. For me, this is just the beginning — there’s still a long way to go and many more goals to achieve,” he said.
Mohamad attributes his entrepreneurial aspirations to his father and mentors. “My father has been a major influence on my entrepreneurial aspirations. While he faced many challenges as he was always employed, watching him navigate those difficulties inspired me to take a different path. I wanted to push myself, take risks, and step outside of the traditional employment route by starting my own business. His experiences taught me the value of resilience, but I chose to embrace entrepreneurship to create my own opportunities and challenges.”
Mohamad’s mentors — senior leaders in firms he’d worked at — include Jamie Atherton, the current MD/CEO of Yazle Media; Damian Murphy, now Sales Director at Intren; Moustafa Mahmoud, former CEO at Cognitev and now founder of Camlist; and Dimitris Tsoukalas, former managing director of Project Agora and current co-founder at Serfers.
“Each mentor had a unique and mostly positive impact on my business skills. Some pushed me out of my comfort zone, while others taught me the dynamics of fast-paced and lean start-ups,” he added.
“I also gained valuable insights into Western business practices and experienced healthy work environments, which shaped my leadership style,” said Mohamad.
“Interestingly, I also had one negative experience with a difficult manager, but even that helped me grow. It pushed me to challenge myself and pursue my own business. I probably wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t gone through both the positive and negative experiences,” he concludes.