Question: David, your name came to my attention while I was interviewing Larrick Ebanks, the man who spent 11 months in hospital after contracting COVID. Larrick told me that you offered him a free membership to your gym Fit Club to help with his recovery. Can you briefly introduce yourself?
David: Yes… So, I am 36 years old, a young entrepreneur, born here in Mallorca, to a Spanish father and a Colombian mother. I studied in London for six years, focussing on business for my first degree and marketing for my Masters. Fitness is my passion and, while Fit Club is a business, I am also focused on building a community, a safe space where people train, connect and help each other personally and professionally. Larrick was our member before he got ill. When I heard about his unbelievable battle to survive, losing all his income while in hospital, the least I could do was to offer him to train with us for free. Aside from Fit Club, my business interests range from sports technology (a football app) to real estate, especially distressed assets. And I am so excited about this Expo we are bringing to Mallorca in July!
Q: You sponsor local events and young talents such as the boxer Diego Krasimirov who we saw fight on Friday (and win!!). You encourage people who have never been to the gym, like me, to “just show up”. Why?
David: I strongly believe in the power of the community. Each of us has something to give and take. I love to say that “My network is my net worth.” If you give, without expecting anything in return, you receive ten times more. Most of my business success came out of the connections I made at my gym.
Q: Cristofer, you are the first knight I have ever met, and probably will ever meet, in real life. What is that about? Could you also introduce yourself briefly?
Cristofer: Sure… It's not something I usually mention, but since you brought it up, I have been awarded Caballero de la orden de Carlos V as Comendador de Numeros. Essentially, it is a Spanish equivalent of being knighted by a king or a queen in England. I was 32 at the time, the youngest person in Spain to have been awarded that honour. I am 36 now, the same age as David. My mother is Polish German and my father is Spanish. I studied aeronautical engineering in Spain and telecommunications engineering in the USA. Professionally, I have been involved in real estate and construction for over ten years now.
Q: How did you two meet?
David: That is a super interesting story that would require a whole another interview! [laughs] Joking aside, as we were both getting more successful in real estate, we met through mutual connections that span people and events from Germany to Dubai, including European millionaires and Arab Excellences.
Cristofer and I have very different personalities, but we realised very early on in our friendship that our work ethics, skills and visions were compatible. I am more about marketing and sales, while Cristofer is better with numbers and has distinctive business connections, and access to unique properties, thanks to his title and background. So, in 2023 we founded C&E Investments, an investment company that specialises in distressed assets (bank repossessions, properties occupied by squatters and so on). We teamed up with a reputable renovation company and fantastic property lawyers. This means that we are able to offer a full package to potential investors: from sourcing a property to renovating it and finally either renting it or selling it on.
Q: Tell me more about this Dubai meets Mallorca expo you are organising, please.
Cristofer: Dubai Meets Mallorca will be an invite-only event offering a unique networking & investment opportunity in Dubai. From July 3 to 6, visitors will be able to experience the exclusive launch of Gharbi II, residences at Jumeirah Village Circle in Dubai, featuring 234 units ranging from studios to 4-bedroom apartments. The event will take place at Hotel Castillo de Son Vida in Palma. We will have a project launch presentation including a scaled down model of the building, catering, drinks and live music. Tanami Properties and Rabdan Developments from Dubai will be present at the expo, giving people of Mallorca a one-off opportunity to meet their representatives and ask anything they would like to know about investing in Dubai.
Q: Who is the expo aimed at? Why would anyone from Mallorca need to invest in Dubai?
David: It is aimed at the investment companies, real estate agents and individuals looking to diversify their investment portfolios in this unique part of the world whose economy keeps growing exponentially. The Dubai market is hot; there is an incredible amount of potential there. The place is set to double in population in the next two years. The interest rates are investor friendly…
Cristofer: Dubai is a perpetual construction site. There is an ever increasing need for accommodation, as much for the construction workforce as for everyone else. So, the opportunities are endless. The expo will serve as a networking event to connect different investors from all over the world and help them to put a foot in Dubai.
Q: How does one get invited to this exclusive event?
Cristofer: By filling in an application form on our website: www.dubai-meets-mallorca.com which is live now and will be updated with further details of the expo as we get closer to the date.
Q: Will potential investors be able to seal the deal directly at the expo?
Cristofer: Absolutely. Visitors will be able to secure their dream home or investment property in Dubai with only a 15% down payment and a convenient 70%/30% post-handover payment plan. Our sales team will be delighted to walk you through the process.
Q: What else can visitors expect on the day?
Cristofer: We will start on Wednesday, July 3, with the opening event from 6pm onwards: a relaxed networking evening with music, food and drinks. It will be an opportunity to get to know the Dubai team and their projects and to create amazing networking possibilities. Depending on what your objective is, over the following three days you will be able to invest, network, or you can come to the expo on a “fact finding mission” about the potential of Dubai. David and I will be there to share our first-hand experience of investing in Dubai for the past few years and to answer any questions the visitors may have. Our legal and construction teams will also be on hand to answer any queries in those areas.
Q: Will there be talks about entrepreneurs from The Emirates investing in Mallorca as well as Mallorcans investing in Dubai?
David: That is on the cards as well, both at this expo and at potential future events. This is the first step in building a bridge between the investors in Mallorca and Dubai. There is an incredible potential for developing these ties further in the coming years.
Thank you both for your time. See you at Dubai Meets Mallorca Expo on July 3!
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