The chief executive of luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce Motors has told The National that increased investment in its Goodwood plant in the UK comes on the back of "very strong" demand for complex bespoke commissions in the Middle East.
Chris Brownridge said Rolls-Royce's Dubai private office, where prospective buyers meet designers and client experience managers to bring a bespoke commission to life, has been "very successful" for the company. "We are seeing some really spectacular commissions coming from the private office in Dubai," he told The National, "and it's really thrilling to see those coming to life in the production facility at Goodwood."
The company, which is owned by BMW, opened its first international private office in Dubai in 2022, followed by one in Shanghai the following year. They were joined last year by new private offices in Seoul and New York.
The company said it was not always convenient for Rolls-Royce's clients to travel to its Goodwood factory in southern England, where it will now invest more than £300 million , as the luxury carmaker looks to expand its bespoke business following a successful year of sales last year.
We're a house of luxury and scarcity
Chris Brownridge
Bespoke content value increased 10 per cent on average per motor car year-on-year in 2024, a record for Rolls-Royce. Creating highly personalised products and experiences for individual clients has been an area the company has been concentrating on for some time, which have included fine details such as solid 18-carat gold sculptures, intricate embroideries involving nearly a million stitches, artworks crafted from mother of pearl and holographic paint finishes.
“Rolls-Royce bespoke can mean something as simple as a hand-painted coach line with a family monogram through to a motor car with embedded pieces of mother of pearl from the family collection or a headliner featuring a fibre-optic starlight constellation of the date and location of where you were born, through to a coach-built car. So, it's a very broad spectrum of possibilities,” Mr Brownridge said.
Rolls-Royce Motors' bespoke business does particularly well in the Middle East, although it gets commissioned by an extremely diverse set of ultra-high net worth individuals. Last year, the company expanded its private office network to Seoul and New York to cater for this growing part of the business. Bespoke commissions through the private office network generally carry a 25 per cent premium.
"The luxury experience is not just having a Rolls-Royce motor car," Mr Brownridge told The National. "It's the whole engagement with us as a business, as a family, and also the joy of the commissioning process. Quite often, a client may come to Goodwood and have their motor car presented to them, and they'll immediately be thrilled with their motor car. But they'll immediately want to start the process again for another Rolls-Royce. That is the luxury experience that we're so proud of.”
Driving sales figures
In terms of total numbers, Rolls-Royce delivered 5,712 in 2024, slightly lower than the previous year, but still its third-highest annual performance. North America was Rolls-Royce Motors' biggest region in terms of deliveries, while several others, including the Middle East and Africa, saw record sales. The well-established markets of the UAE, Germany and Japan were among a number of countries that achieved record sales in 2024.
In terms of sales in China, Mr Brownridge said there had been some "headwinds, but the market has been "pretty much in line with our expectations".
"If we look back in history, we've seen ups and downs in this region," he told The National. "But we're very committed to China. We've invested there with the private office and also we've invested with a dedicated logistics and parts facility so that we can provide a stronger service to our clients in China. So, it's a region that we expect to see more growth in as well.”
As far as the US is concerned and the threat of tariffs once Donald Trump moves into the White House once again, Mr Brownridge said Rolls-Royce Motors will take a "wait-and-see" approach. "In the luxury sector, clients tend to be more price-elastic. But we'll respond when we know what is likely to be on the road ahead of us. But we're still very optimistic about the USA region. We've got a very strong client base and very strong demand," he said.
Spectre sales spark
Last year was the first full year of deliveries for the new electric model, the Spectre, which was the most requested Rolls-Royce model in Europe and the second most demanded globally. Mr Brownridge said the feedback from clients who had bought one showed "the satisfaction they have with Spectre is higher than any other Rolls-Royce model".
"It's the first Rolls-Royce to combine a traditional Rolls-Royce with a sophisticated and highly engineered electric power train," he told The National. "The extraordinary refinement and silence of driving, the ease of driving, and also the magic carpet ride experience and waftability is taken to new highs. In fact, it's been the second most in-demand Rolls-Royce motor car this year, which is extraordinary for a two-door coupe."
As a company, hard sales numbers mean less to Rolls-Royce than they would to one of the large global car makers, not only because they deliver comparatively few during the year, but because buying a Rolls-Royce is more a continuing luxury experience than a straight forward financial transaction.
"We're a house of luxury and scarcity, and matching our output with client demand is critical to our success, Mr Brownridge told The National. "I think looking into the year ahead, it's going to be a windy year, in that there will be winds in our sails in some parts of the world and some headwinds as well. But we're cautiously optimistic and our expectations are that we'll have another solid year, and we will also continue the growth of bespoke aspects of our business, which is our core area of focus.”
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20four-cyl%20turbo%20%2B%20mild%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E204hp%20at%205%2C800rpm%20%2B23hp%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C800rpm%20%2B205Nm%20hybrid%20boost%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E9-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7.3L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2FDecember%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh205%2C000%20(estimate)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Army of the Dead
Director: Zack Snyder
Stars: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera
Three stars
Western Region Asia Cup T20 Qualifier
Sun Feb 23 – Thu Feb 27, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the Asia qualifier in Malaysia in August
Group A
Bahrain, Maldives, Oman, Qatar
Group B
UAE, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia
UAE group fixtures
Sunday Feb 23, 9.30am, v Iran
Monday Feb 25, 1pm, v Kuwait
Tuesday Feb 26, 9.30am, v Saudi
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza, Rohan Mustafa, Alishan Sharafu, Ansh Tandon, Vriitya Aravind, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Karthik Meiyappan, Basil Hameed, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Ayaz, Zahoor Khan, Chirag Suri, Sultan Ahmed
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Watford v Leicester City (3.30pm)
Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)
West Ham v Wolves (8.30pm)
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (10.45pm)
Sunday
Newcastle United v Sheffield United (5pm)
Aston Villa v Chelsea (7.15pm)
Everton v Liverpool (10pm)
Monday
Manchester City v Burnley (11pm)
Ahmed Raza
UAE cricket captain
Age: 31
Born: Sharjah
Role: Left-arm spinner
One-day internationals: 31 matches, 35 wickets, average 31.4, economy rate 3.95
T20 internationals: 41 matches, 29 wickets, average 30.3, economy rate 6.28
Unresolved crisis
Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine’s Kremlin-friendly president was ousted, Moscow annexed Crimea and then backed a separatist insurgency in the east.
Fighting between the Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces has killed more than 14,000 people. In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal, known as the Minsk agreements, that ended large-scale hostilities but failed to bring a political settlement of the conflict.
The Kremlin has repeatedly accused Kiev of sabotaging the deal, and Ukrainian officials in recent weeks said that implementing it in full would hurt Ukraine.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
THE TWIN BIO
Their favourite city: Dubai
Their favourite food: Khaleeji
Their favourite past-time : walking on the beach
Their favorite quote: ‘we rise by lifting others’ by Robert Ingersoll
8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21
- Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
- Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
- Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
- Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
- Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
- Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
- Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
- Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
The five stages of early child’s play
From Dubai-based clinical psychologist Daniella Salazar:
1. Solitary Play: This is where Infants and toddlers start to play on their own without seeming to notice the people around them. This is the beginning of play.
2. Onlooker play: This occurs where the toddler enjoys watching other people play. There doesn’t necessarily need to be any effort to begin play. They are learning how to imitate behaviours from others. This type of play may also appear in children who are more shy and introverted.
3. Parallel Play: This generally starts when children begin playing side-by-side without any interaction. Even though they aren’t physically interacting they are paying attention to each other. This is the beginning of the desire to be with other children.
4. Associative Play: At around age four or five, children become more interested in each other than in toys and begin to interact more. In this stage children start asking questions and talking about the different activities they are engaging in. They realise they have similar goals in play such as building a tower or playing with cars.
5. Social Play: In this stage children are starting to socialise more. They begin to share ideas and follow certain rules in a game. They slowly learn the definition of teamwork. They get to engage in basic social skills and interests begin to lead social interactions.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
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Martin Sabbagh profile
Job: CEO JCDecaux Middle East
In the role: Since January 2015
Lives: In the UAE
Background: M&A, investment banking
Studied: Corporate finance
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
