We recently had the opportunity to interview Jan Kubler, CEO of Worldfield, a boutique real estate brokerage. Jan Kubler, an experienced executive in investments, asset management, real estate, and hospitality, has over 17 years of international experience with prominent companies in the UAE, Malaysia, Switzerland, and Germany.
Worldfield leverages extensive UAE market expertise to establish a quality-driven company focused on delivering expert support for real estate ventures. In this insightful session, Jan Kubler speaks about his career trajectory, and visions for meeting the market gaps within his organization, and offers valuable suggestions for aspiring beginners in this field.
Jan Kubler’s Professional Journey
We started the interview by asking, “Tell us about your professional career path.”
Jan Kubler shared, “I come from a humble yet diverse background that allowed me to learn many things hands-on. I started in hospitality 17 years ago, as my whole family works in this industry. I worked for large global companies, including Marriott, Starwood, and Hyatt, and climbed the corporate ladder, particularly in operations. Then, I moved into Private Equity and worked with the family office, which has become my business partner.
Before arriving in Dubai eight years ago, I worked in Switzerland, Malaysia, and then Korea, where I studied to become a certified Master Wine Sommelier. When Covid hit, I again took the opportunity to study and received my Asset Management certification from Cornell.
In the last seven years, I have worked in the legal and finance space, as well as in business setup, across all kinds of industries in terms of private equity and investments, and have now moved into a Partner and CEO position within the real estate industry.”
Overcoming Major Hurdles
Every business journey is inevitably filled with challenges and tough phases. To learn how Jan Kubler overcame the same, we asked, “What are the most significant barriers you’ve overcome and how have these challenges influenced your leadership philosophy?”
Jan Kubler shared, “For me, the number one challenge is finding good people and building strong teams. With the onset of AI and digitization coming into play, it can be a struggle to find true professionals. However, no matter what barriers you have – your philosophy must be to manage them well. My leadership philosophy is to be a role model; being an accessible role model, and not putting myself on a pedestal, aids in overcoming challenges.
In my younger days in the corporate world, I had a very hard management style, as you must have a certain grit in the hospitality space. But the number one aspect is you need to always be fair. And I think that is also what underpins my philosophy. I’m always fair, but I have very strict rules, and usually, that serves me very well.
Despite managing my team in Southeast Asia in a strict manner, I maintained good relationships with my colleagues, many of whom are now leading executives or business owners, and still appreciate the lessons I taught them. My leadership style has evolved to prioritize emotional intelligence and mental endurance, taking on a mentor role and avoiding micromanagement.”
Promoting Innovative Approaches: Constant Improvement
We were curious to learn more about the approaches adopted by Jan Kubler in his organization to promote innovation. So, we asked, “How do you foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within your organization?”
Jan Kubler replied, “There are many ways we do this. Most importantly, we take opinions on board and give people a voice. We also focus on continuous improvement of the team and constant training – this is what drives innovation.
I think a lot of times, new companies fail because they either don’t have the endurance or the capital to last. It is important to be patient, play the long game, and build your team, company culture, and a solid infrastructure over time. Two things you should never do is try to be something that you are not and focus on getting rich quickly – it doesn’t work, especially not in real estate. When you understand that nothing is ever perfect, you can always improve as you go, taking into consideration team members’ opinions, and you will always be moving forward.”
Staying Ahead Of The Curve
We further asked, “In the context of global competition, how has your company adapted its strategies to maintain a competitive edge?”
“I think the number one aspect is leverage, especially in a brokerage, which is all about economy of scale. However, economies of scale can lead to a situation when you’re just trying to increase sales for any reason and not focusing on quality.
To maintain a competitive edge, we strategically focus on the quality of our services, but we are also flexible in our operations. We test what we are doing, and when something is not working – we change it quickly. As a CEO, I usually make decisions very fast.
We know who our competition is. We don’t compete with large agencies – we have our niche and are dominating it. That is where branding and profiling of the company is very important. From a global aspect, it is crucial to work on quality, to be able to adapt quickly, but to follow your strategy consistently.” He replied.
Incorporating Customer Insights
Feedback is a strong pillar for building a strong brand presence, particularly in the real estate industry. We asked, “What role has customer feedback played in shaping the direction of your products or services?”
Jan Kubler responded, “The real estate industry is a service business, so you must be productive with the feedback you receive. When your customer gives feedback, it is essential to listen and then adapt.
This business is all about people. Many agencies overlook the importance of people in business, focusing on predicting the future rather than incorporating customer feedback to shape products and services. Worldfield aims to create the future by incorporating customer feedback.
One of the things influencing customer feedback in the real estate industry is how you manage the quality of properties you are selling. It’s difficult, but to be sure, you have to work with the best developers. Delivering quality offerings and being selective about who you work for and who you work with – that’s a very important aspect.”
Fulfilling Social Responsibilities
Eager to learn more about how Jan Kubler fulfills social responsibility and sustainability through his organization, we inquired, “How do you approach corporate responsibility and sustainability in your operations?”
Jan Kubler shared, “At Worldfield, the sponsorship of sports plays an important part in our Corporate Social Responsibility program. We currently sponsor Luke Matthews, an Ironman World Championship qualifier who has achieved multiple podiums around the world at 70.3 and full-distance Ironman racing and has successfully competed in several full and half marathons.
I am a strong believer in the power of sports to bring positive change to your whole life. I know firsthand how through daily training and overcoming challenges you thought you couldn’t build strength and character, which spills over into everything you do. My dream is to sponsor a sailing company where no electricity or fossil fuel is used and where it’s just you and your team competing. With regards to ethical business practices and COP28 being held recently, we expect to see ESG implementations across the board in the corporate world in upcoming years.”
“The number one aspect of this digital age is to adopt a zero-paper policy. It is a very simple change that can make a big difference. What else we can do as a smaller private company is to educate everybody in the team to be more sustainable. We all have a responsibility from a personal aspect as well. I think it starts with you and the choices you make, the small things you do every single day, and whether you do them repetitively.
In private equity, the power lies in collaborating with companies that make sustainability their goal and invest in it. In real estate, we can work with sustainable developers that create green communities, for example. At Worldfield, we are here to play our part in the sustainability movement.” He added.
Plans We Asked Jan Kubler
We were interested in getting a glimpse of the services and exciting events coming up at Worldfield. So, we asked, “Tell us more about your services and products, and if you have any upcoming plans regarding them?”
Jan Kubler added, “In terms of product placement, we try to work with the best quality developers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. That’s our major focus now. When it comes to brokering, we offer a full service and want to add value to buyers from Europe and the US who are interested in moving to or investing in property in Dubai. In the realms of the global political crisis, we want to build a bridge for them essentially and provide an excellent and reliable service.
From an investment perspective, in the next 24 months, we are aiming to build our industrial portfolio, where we work as a micro-developer for large warehouse complexes. We will start with the first fund of around $100 million and then further increase that through joint ventures, partnerships, and co-investments to potentially a larger portfolio of up to $500 million. In the long term, we also have plans to expand into the Media space.”
Keeping Things Simple
Lastly, seeking guidance for beginners, we asked, “As a visionary leader, what advice would you give to beginners in the same industry?”
“I think, in any industry, you just need to go for it. I learned that in a very hard way. Sometimes, when you hold back and wait until everything is perfect – you overcomplicate things.
Entrepreneurs often hesitate to take risks due to their focus on the potential downsides. This can lead to a lack of action in starting a new business, pursuing a side hustle, or aiming for a promotion. However, by not taking these chances, they are essentially holding onto a steady salary but missing out on the unlimited potential for success and wealth that comes with exploring new opportunities.
I know it is not easy; you need to find good partners and a good team, and you need money essentially to build companies. Nonetheless, it all starts with an idea. Have a long-term vision, have stamina, and be consistent. Potentially, something great will come out of it. Don’t ever put a number on your possibilities or your potential. This quote by Dan Peña summarizes it perfectly – Man’s greatest burden is his unfulfilled potential.” Jan Kubler concluded.
Follow Jan Kubler on LinkedIn.
Find Worldfield on LinkedIn and visit their website http://www.worldfield.com
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