Wasl, the asset management group owned by Dubai Real Estate Corporation (DREC), will seek expert advice from Dr Edward Blakely, an internationally acclaimed strategist in urban planning and re-development.

The expert will assist wasl in developing its strategy on ‘corporate sustainability’, in focus areas such as urban redevelopment and regeneration.

In response to Sheikh Mohammed, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai’s directive mandating developers to comply with green building standards, wasl is keen to ensure that it plays a major role in supporting Dubai’s vision of becoming a ‘Global City’.

"I am pleased to welcome Dr Blakely’s involvement with wasl. I am confident that his extensive international experience and wealth of knowledge in economic development and urban planning will add considerable value to wasl," said Hesham Al Qassim, CEO of Dubai Real Estate Corporation.

“Wasl has a very specific role to play in Dubai and longer term in the wider region as a government aligned corporation. We are working towards a ‘triple bottom line’ approach to corporate sustainability, covering the economic, social and environmental dimensions and acknowledge the unique and challenging opportunities and associated responsibility that these represent,” he added.

Currently, Edward Blakely is professor of Urban Planning and chair at the University of Sydney. He has eight books and more than 100 scholarly articles to his credit.

wasl is the gold sponsor for the FAAM Conference at Cityscape Dubai 2008.-TradeArabia News Service