Ras Al Khaimah’s Marjan and RAK Hospitality Holding have merged to create a single company operating under the Marjan name.
This comes as the emirate aims to fast-track its transformation into a global lifestyle and investment hub in line with RAK Vision 2030, executives told Arabian Business at the launch.
The merger brings together the emirate’s real estate, hospitality and lifestyle divisions under one platform, positioning Marjan as one of the UAE’s largest developers and a central driver of Ras Al Khaimah’s growth targets. These include welcoming 3.5 million annual visitors, expanding to nearly 20,000 hotel keys and delivering new master-planned communities across the emirate.
Strategic merger boosts Ras Al Khaimah growth plans
Announcing the deal, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Chairman of Marjan, said the merger “builds upon solid foundations for a new chapter of advancement and success, enabling us to deliver iconic destinations that are deeply rooted in Ras Al Khaimah’s unique identity, creating high-value jobs for Emiratis, developing national capabilities and reinforcing our position as a beacon of opportunity and innovation.”
The integration strengthens Marjan’s capacity to deliver major projects including Al Marjan Island, RAK Central, Marjan Beach and other upcoming master plans that are yet to be announced. Executives said the merger will support large-scale job creation and attract new waves of foreign investment.
Abdulla Al Abdooli, Group CEO of Marjan, told Arabian Business the unified structure will “champion Ras Al Khaimah’s development and master planning into a smart, authentic, connected city of the future, and a vibrant destination where people, businesses and communities thrive.”
He said more than 50,000 jobs are expected to be created across the new master plans over the next seven years, with the Marjan Beach project alone accounting for the majority of that growth.
According to Alison Grinnell, Group COO and CEO of Marjan Hospitality, the combined entity will “take the best of two companies that have been living and breathing Ras Al Khaimah for the last decade.”
She added that the merger will help continue to dramatically expand its hotel pipeline, building on the global attention brought by Wynn Al Marjan Island and expanding across luxury, boutique and branded residence segments.
Donald Bremner, CEO of Marjan Lifestyle, told Arabian Business the consolidation “ensures the social and cultural fabric is built into the emirate’s master plans,” adding that the move allows Ras Al Khaimah to create an ecosystem that integrates entertainment, heritage and nature-based tourism.
Tarek Bsharat, Group Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer, told Arabian Business the merger is a “strategic alignment of vision and execution.” He said Marjan’s projects could account for up to 30 per cent of Ras Al Khaimah’s GDP by 2030, adding that “by bringing all our expertise under one roof, we can deliver faster, more efficiently and in a way that ensures livability remains at the heart of every development.”
Marjan said the combined entity will be central to delivering the emirate’s next phase of development, consolidating investment, tourism and community-building efforts under one organisation.
