BANGALORE: For a company that has changed the Bangalore skyline with their commercial, residential and leisure developments, the Prestige Group is rather low key. Winner of the CNBC Asia Pacific Property Awards 2008 and the prestigious FIABCI Award from the International Real Estate Federation, they could be called the real estate czars of South India. In addition to plush developments like the Angsana Spa and Resort, the luxury mall UB City and the upcoming Golfshire, an invitation-only high-end golf course and estate in Bangalore, the group has major developments coming up across Hyderabad, Chennai and Cochin, with expansion plans in Mangalore, Coimbatore and Mysore as well. Interestingly enough, this 550-crore group’s origins lie not in brick and mortar but textile, as founder Razack Sattar started a retail enterprise specialising in bespoke tailoring in 1956, before his sons ventured into property development in 1985. ‘‘Our parents were very liberal,’’ says Anjum Jung, CEO, Morph Design Company, the interior design firm of the group and younger sister to the two men at its helm. This outlook is reflected in the fact that three women from the family form an intrinsic part of the core management team at Prestige — Anjum and her nieces, Uzma Zaid, daughter of chairman and managing director Irfan Razack, and Sana Rezwan, daughter of Rezwan Razack, the joint managing director.
Design diva ‘‘I always wanted to work with my brothers,’’ says the charmingly reserved Anjum Jung, known as an interior designer not just for her work with the group’s show flats but also for the Angsana Spa and independent projects. After an interior design course in Bangalore, she joined the company and sharpened her skills on several projects. ‘‘It was a gradual evolution,’’ says Jung, who handles residence and hospitality interiors for the company and has worked with some of the best architects across the world. She did not attend design school but completed an executive course in Hotel administration at the Cornell University in US. Fifteen years down the line, Jung’s Morph Design is a name to reckon with. ‘‘I don’t have a signature style as you call it,’’ shrugs Jung, who doesn’t like to ‘‘get typical’’ as each home or project is different but prefers a look that is comfortable, classy and warm. ‘‘I like to create a mood and always ask myself, ‘would I have that in my home? Having seen the interior design industry evolve in the past few years, she believes her client today is well informed, aesthetic yet practical. She remains positive about the group despite the market downslide. ‘‘There is a lull in the market now but with property you can never go wrong,’’ she adds.
Brand builder Like her aunt, Uzma Zaid is positive about t h e f u t u r e . ‘‘There is always the need for housing and property is still the best place to invest,’’ adds Zaid, who is Director, corporate communications, and looks after communication, advertising, brand building and media planning. Being the CMD’s daughter didn’t mean she had an easy ride to the top. Zaid has a degree in business administration from London and has worked with each department in the company. Even though she was away studying for five years, there was never a doubt in her mind that this is where she belonged. ‘‘We started with five employees. Today there are 3,000,’’ she says. Her first job was to get the company’s branding right and run a stint of ads with the focus on the group’s logo, the falcon. ‘‘That’s how I was brought up,’’ Zaid smiles, her eyes lighting up as Allana her daughter rushes into her cabin from school. As the daughter of the group’s head honcho, Zaid will be expanding her horizons soon. ‘‘My strength is in management and I will concentrate on that,’’ she says, signing off.
Luxury girl 26 year-old Sana Rezwan’s cabin bears the m a rk o f s o m e o n e who l ives and breathes fashion. It is not surprising therefore to learn that Rezwan, Prestige Group’s Luxury Retail Consultant, majored in fashion marketing and has interned for Stella McCartney, besides working as a marketing associate for Giorgio Armani before moving back to India in 2007. Today, the world of fashion, luxury and business comes together wonderfully for Rezwan as she involves herself with her company, 23 Carat, and retail at UB City, South India’s first luxury mall. ‘‘Few people know that UB City was supposed to be just offices. The mall aspect was added later, as my uncle (Irfan Razack) and Vijay Mallya felt the South needed a luxury mall,’’ Rezwan adds. Though some stores are yet to open at UB City, Rezwan believes in being positive. ‘‘Eventually, it’s about the right people being in the right place,’’ she says. Currently, UB City houses iconic names in high fashion like Louis Vuitton, Gaultier, Moschino, Salvatore Ferragamo, Stella McCartney, Lanvin and Tod’s. ‘‘It’s aimed at people who are well travelled, have refined taste and know what luxury goods mean. It is also for those who are beginning to appreciate and understand luxury,’’ Rezwan says. Her company, 23 Carat, aims to partner with premuim luxury brands who want to enter the Indian market. In the pipeline is Givenchy, slated for a Bangalore launch mid-2009. Unlike token female representation in several family firms, these three women believe in adding significant value to the company. Jung has already proven herself with her work, while cousins Zaid and Rezwan are on their way there. ‘‘We were never made to feel less superior and always encouraged,’’ Rezwan adds.
Anjum Jung’s design basics
l Experiment with materials but research thoroughly before using them.
l Focus on creating a comfortable space rather than a museum. This is easily achieved with three basics: the correct lighting, good flooring and the right use of colours.
l Try to create a mood in the room and make it inviting and warm. It should act as a stress reliever.
l I collect a lot of contemporary Indian art and believe in using it in decor.