by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Dubai and Abu Dhabi are on the other side of the planet but are just a short drive from each other. However, two companies with a presence in Jacksonville are doing business in Middle East countries that are part of the United Arab Emirates and divide the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.
Stellar is based in Jacksonville and has been doing business in Dubai since 2003 when it was awarded a contract to construct chilled water plants that provide air conditioning for much of the country and especially the artificial island community of Palm Jumeirah. The law firm of Holland & Knight is based in Tampa, but has an office in the Bank of America tower. A few months ago, the firm – which already had offices all over the world – officially opened an office in Abu Dhabi.
Kennon Holmes, senior vice president of international for Stellar, said the company was doing work in Saudi Arabia before it got the Dubai contract. Its chilled water plants are in demand because they are able to produce cold air for air conditioning units, something that’s in demand in an area where the summer temperatures hit 115-120 degrees with high humidity.
Holmes said the Stellar technology allows the chilled water plants to turn Dubai’s hot, humid air into cool air before it ever reaches the A/C units in homes and offices.
“In the Middle East, their whole electric load is to run the A/C,” said Holmes, who has been to the area many times over the past six years. “In Saudi Arabia, we were able to boost their power output by 20 percent.”
It’s the technical ability that drew the Saudis to Stellar. Holmes said Stellar is one of three companies in the world prequalified to construct and install such technology, something the Saudis found attractive.
“We were approached by a Saudi company and selected by a small firm to physically build the plant,” he said, adding Stellar did the design work and provided the equipment. “They installed them and it’s been very successful.”
Holmes, who spent about half of every month this year and at least a week a month the past five years in Dubai, said the chilled water technology was attractive for the Palm Jumeirah project because it’s so easy to install on the front end of a development.
“It’s far more economical and easier because there is no infrastructure in the way,” he said, adding there are about 35-40 Stellar employees in the Dubai office, but only two Americans, both University of North Florida graduates.
So how does he find Dubai and the culture?
“It’s a very different place, but I enjoy it,” he said.
In late September, Holland & Knight was granted its trade license and officially opened its Abu Dhabi office where Don Moore – formerly of the firm’s Miami office – is the executive partner. Missy Turra, Holland & Knight’s managing partner in Jacksonville, said the decision to open an office in Abu Dhabi was based on the fact the firm already had a presence in the region. There was also the increasing work on behalf of the Masaood family (which owns the Al Masaood Group) and its businesses in Abu Dhabi. The firm does cross-border arbitration and practices in such areas as construction, energy, equipment and project finance, hospitality and infrastructure, among others.
“We have a number of clients in that area,” said Turra. “We have several businesses active in the United Arab Emirates and we work closely with existing clients in that area.”
Turra said as Holland & Knight began to take on clients based in the Middle East, it became necessary to start discussing the need for a local presence. Once it was announced internally, Turra said the response to work in Abu Dhabi was tremendous.
“We had a large number of associates apply,” she said. “It was rigorous and the associates went through training.”
Turra said there is one associate in Abu Dhabi right now and a second who will soon relocate from New York. She said it’s too early to determine if the office is a success or not.
“There are no obvious negatives,” she said. “People are excited and we are actively seeking clients.”
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