......It will be laid out like a gallery, only in this case the “works of art” are the projects of the Iguana developers.
That was how Kate Olgeirsson described the new shop/office her Global Pacific company is due to open any day now in Pattaya Tai.
It’s a prospect that Kate and her team are very enthusiastic about and, when I spoke to them, they were eager to get up and running, writes John Davids.
As REm went to press the finishing touches were being put to the five-storey building which is opposite Friendship supermarket and close to the popular Tukcom building and Buakhow market.
I was aware Kate had been looking for a new shop/office with high potential footfall so it came as no surprise when she rang to tell us of her plans.
Because the office wasn’t ready, I met her and the team at the offices of Pattaya General out near Mabprachan where she is still involved in business with her brother, Einar.
There Kate sprang something of a surprise. I was expecting her to tell me that the new premises would be home to her Global Pacific hotel and casino sales business – and to some extent, it is. However, by far the main thrust of business for the new office is to exclusively market the condominium projects of one developer – Iguana.
“The whole team and I were headhunted by Miki Haim, the managing director at Iguana,” said Kate. “Global Pacific have an excellent sales team and Miki and I have been in touch over a long period so there is mutual trust there. Of course, we were delighted to be asked to boost the Iguana sales effort and it was nice that Miki wanted all of us.
“Where Iguana’s main office is based (in the Chateau Dale complex) there is no real walk-by traffic so we have got together in Pattaya Tai where the number of people passing by is far greater.”
Kate went on to explain that Iguana are also taking an office she had originally found in Soi 4, Pratamnak, to be close to some of their projects. Iguana have several projects underway at present from Park Lane Jomtien Resort where prices start at Bt1m for a one-bedroom condo, through to Sunset Boulevard (pictured) where a penthouse is Bt19.9m. Hyde Park II Residence and Pattaya Heights complete the current portfolio.
“Iguana hold several other plots where developments are yet to be announced. So, there is work for us for a long time to come,” said Kate.
Was it an odd time to be opening, given that others were shutting up shop?
“People still come to Thailand and we believe in the resilience of this city,” said Kate’s business partner Christopher Leonard, who, along with Brian, David and Einar, makes up the Global Pacific team.
“It’s not a bad time to get a good deal and Iguana are looking long term,” he added. “They seek high profile this year so they are stepping up their marketing efforts.”
A day or so after this meeting I went to the Iguana office in Chateau Dale to ask Miki Haim his view on the deal with Kate and her team.
Although the area where the office is located only really lends itself to car visitors I still saw several people coming to the office to view the show suite for the Park Lane Bt1m condo project during my time there.
Miki Haim said: “Kate is a hard-working woman, a workaholic some might say. As a fellow workaholic, I understand this.
“I like building relationships with people. With Kate I think she is honest and I hope she feels the same about me. I like to make quick decisions and I like ‘packages’ so I was pleased to take Kate’s entire team.”
He added: “I see the role of the team in Pattaya as one of support for the whole sales process. Other brokers should feel they can visit there for help. They are not in competition.
“We felt the need to show ourselves more in the marketplace. This office is part
of that process.” Ω