Jay Robson French MSc MRICS

Chief Executive Officer, MSW EMEA

Years of Real Estate Experience: 24

Years with Matthews Southwest: 18

Jay Robson French has over 20 years of experience within the Real Estate Development, Investment, Project Management, and Construction Sectors from the UK, North America, Singapore and Middle East markets. His rare, A-Z knowledge of project delivery has been honed over the last 20 years as an owner, investor, developer, project manager & consultant, working across a variety of asset classes throughout his international career.

Jay has held senior positions with Wyndham Capital Partners, Aecom Capital and Matthews Southwest in North America and Europe, and in Q1 2014, established the EMEA branch of Matthews Southwest Developments in Dubai. As Chief Executive Officer of the EMEA branch, Jay has been responsible for AED 4 billion of project engagements in the UAE, including the high-impact projects of Museum of the Future, commissioned by the UAE Prime Minister’s Office in partnership with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum; the newly-completed Meeras property La Mer, the mixed use and hospitality beachfront development spread across 9.5 million square feet of existing and reclaimed prime Dubai waterfront, and Bee’ah’s new, Grade-AAA LEED Platinum HQ in Sharjah, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects.

A Member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (UK), Investment Committee for a DIFC regulated Real Estate Fund (UAE), Dubai Future Foundation Fellowship (UAE) and Canadian Government & International Trade Ministry Infrastructure Roundtable (UAE), Jay holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Political Science from Simon Fraser University, Canada, and a Master’s Degree in Property Development and Finance from London South Bank University, UK.

A former professional athlete, Jay was also previously a member of the Canadian Olympic & World Cup Men’s Soccer Team Program.