Over 18 years under his leadership, Farnek has evolved into one of UAE’s most innovative and sustainability-driven FM firms
When Markus Oberlin first joined Farnek in 2006, the company was on the verge of a transformation. Group CEO, Oberlin has not only overseen Farnek’s exponential growth but has also redefined how technology and efficiency intersect in the FM sector.
Here are some insights:
How do you balance operational efficiency with long-term strategic growth?
I believe that these two aspects of our business go hand in hand. Improving operational efficiency is critical to the success of any business and lays the foundation for longer term strategic growth.
“Whatever business strategy is employed, it must be based on cost-effective and efficient operations”
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the FM industry today?
Well, besides remaining competitive in the FM sector, by adding value to our market proposition and improving customer satisfaction, I believe the biggest challenges facing the FM industry today, include – adopting and embracing the latest technology and managing the accelerating trend towards AI.
Recruiting, developing, and retaining tech savvy human capital and reducing our carbon emissions and supporting our customers and the government to achieve the same.
Where do you see the FM industry in the next decade, and how is your company positioning itself for that future?
The industry will become increasingly automated, more sustainable and as a result will have more specialised verticals. To address these challenges, Farnek has already set up HITEK, which is a dedicated smart FM solutions provider, which develops its own products in-house.
These products can be integrated into our own offering, marketed as standalone solutions to new and existing customers and in some cases provided as white label products. Farnek’s dedicated sustainability consultancy is already working on our own net zero roadmap and sharing our expertise with many of our customers.
If you could change one thing about the FM industry today, what would it be?
In an ideal world I would like proposals to be evaluated more on the value of an FM company’s overall proposition, rather than being so heavily weighted on price alone.
How is your company attracting and retaining top talent in an increasingly competitive market?
Attracting and retaining the right talent, has always been integral to our success and with increased automation that will be even more crucial in the future.
Although important, it is not just about salary and benefits, which need to be competitive, but we offer a very clear career path into senior roles, with regular reviews and training at our state-of-the-art training facility in Farnek Village. We also have a ‘Farnek First’ policy whereby existing staff are always offered the opportunity to advance within the company before we recruit externally.