MEA August 2017

10 MEA MARKETS / August 2017 When discussing what techniques they employ to stay ahead of emerging developments, Prateek points out that design is a social construct whose relevance and acceptability is very much influenced by the current state of cross-brands in a niche. “If, for example, our median consumer is willing to invest in a Tesla because it soothes his conscience yet satisfies the car enthusiast – he is also likely to also accept a home or office that steps lighter on the Earth as long as it is aesthetically appealing and functionally effective. We see a similar ‘back-to-basics’ trend in most things: people are increasingly shunning the disposable culture and adopting a more caring long-term view to spaces. “As people who are both observers of trends and part of the journey, the only technique we employ is to keep our ears to the ground, our eyes on all that’s happening around us so that we hear our clients, speak their language and deliver designs that appeal at every level.” With this in mind, Neerja informs us of The First Ferry’s approach to hiring new staff, and how they attract the very best talent within the industry. “It is a well-known inside fact, though one received with a fair bit of incredulity, that Prateek hires all people himself – and never looks at a CV.” Preetak claims, “Whenever I have hired somebody who looked good on a CV, they have not done well at The First Ferry. I can coach people into doing the job the way we want – but it is impossible to teach anybody the right attitude. You either have it – or you don’t” Neerja further explains that this style of selecting people works well for them. “More than anything else, we function as one seamless team to get the job done. For creative people, the opportunity to create is the biggest driver. In normal design firms, many people work on small parts of a project and junior staff only gets the chance to fill details into a project that a senior architect has conceptualised and another designer has detailed. At The First Ferry, we like to give total accountability to one person. As such, an entire 20,000 sq. ft. office has been designed – under able guidance – by a junior architect who would normally never do this level of work in their early years. This reputation for doing meaningful work sets us apart as an employer and attracts those who are willing to work long hours but go home feeling extremely satisfied with their day.” Looking ahead, Prateek envisions what he believes the future will hold, and the developments that may occur as well as highlighting what plans lie ahead for The First Ferry. “There are a number of very exciting projects on the anvil that we cannot discuss yet, and most of these are currently in the UAE or Middle East. So far, we have already done a fair amount of work for projects in Kenya and Uganda and will definitely plan to have operations in Africa by 2018. Later in 2017, we will start taking projects in India, from where we have been getting many inquiries but not serviced any so far. “While on one hand the world is moving towards high-tech design solutions employing robotics and 3D printing, we believe our dreams for The First Ferry Foundation will take us in a direction that will truly endure. “When the centre table in your living room has been made using a 600-year old art form called Taracea that is only known to a few artists in Granada, it is a truly enriching experience in many ways. Firstly, you feel good that some hard-working, talented artist is still able to practice his art form because you bought his goods. You have a unique art piece in your home that will always be admired and passed down to the next generation. And The First Ferry will, in bringing these rare pieces to our clients, would have given back to our community in some measure, making the entire process deeply enriching for all of us. “Just as less is more, the future may be about taking a soft step back – and lending a helping hand so the slowest among us are able to keep pace.”