PRECISION AS A PHILOSOPHY WITH SOBHA FURNITURE

Exclusive interview with Anuj Jain, Chief Executive Officer, Sobha Furniture

As CEO of Sobha Furniture, how has your journey across finance, strategy, and operations shaped your vision for Sobha Furniture’s growth and market positioning?

My career journey has given me a 360-degree perspective on business execution, from understanding market dynamics to ensuring operational excellence. Working across various divisions within Sobha Group has taught me that true success stems from the seamless integration of strategic foresight, discipline, and an unwavering attention to detail. Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate how deeply this attention to detail is woven into Sobha’s DNA, an ethos I am now embedding into every facet of Sobha Furniture, ensuring we deliver premium, design-led products at scale while positioning the brand as a benchmark for quality, innovation, and reliability in the market.

Having been part of the Sobha ecosystem for several years, I also recognise how personal this venture is to our founder, PNC Menon. Furniture was where his journey began and my goal is to carry that legacy forward by building a new era in furniture manufacturing defined by efficiency and technology. Through this approach, we are laying the “foundation of a new standard”, and it is a standard that will redefine how the region perceives and experiences furniture made in the Emirates.

Sobha Furniture is part of the larger Sobha Group legacy. How do you integrate the Group’s ethos and heritage into the furniture division’s brand identity?

Sobha Group is globally recognised for its end-to-end approach and for delivering real estate known for exceptional quality and meticulous craftsmanship. With Sobha Furniture, we aim to carry forward these same values, bringing the same precision and attention to detail to our furniture offerings. We are building solutions that customers will be able to distinguish from the others through the level of quality and craftmanship that our brand is known for. We believe the product should speak for itself, through its design, finish, and the experience it delivers.

By implementing Sobha Group’s backwards integration model and adapting it across our operations, we maintain complete control of the entire process, from conceptualisation and design to sourcing, manufacturing, and delivery. Our aim is to build a manufacturing ecosystem that not just produces furniture, but creates it with intent, reflecting the expertise that comes from our deep understanding of the construction and interiors landscape.

Your announcement of a fully automated facility in Dubai Industrial City signals a big leap in manufacturing. How will this facility reshape Sobha Furniture’s manufacturing ecosystem and customer value proposition?

Sobha Furniture’s upcoming 53,000sqm facility in Dubai Industrial City (DIC) marks a defining milestone in our journey. Designed to be one of the most advanced and fully automated furniture manufacturing plants across the Middle East, India, and Africa, this investment reinforces our commitment to innovation and quality while supporting the UAE’s industrial growth.

The facility is divided into two highly specialised divisions:

• The Upholstery Line: Performs all operations under one roof, including mould and block foaming, metal finishing, fabric and leather cutting, and precision sewing, ensuring complete process control and consistent quality.
• The Cabinetry Line: Built to European standards and guided by Lean Manufacturing principles, it employs data-driven systems and an AI-enabled Batch 1 production model, enabling large-scale customisation with minimal error and rapid turnaround times.

Together, these innovations not only enhance precision, scalability, and efficiency but also set new benchmarks for how large-scale furniture is manufacturing in the region. This facility will redefine industry standards, demonstrating that world-class furniture manufacturing can thrive locally, powered by the nation’s high-end infrastructure, skilled workforce, and forward-looking industrial vision.

What were the biggest challenges in establishing a full-scale furniture manufacturing base in a market largely reliant on imports, and how did you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges we faced was shifting market perception in a region long-dependent on imported furniture. For years, “Made in Europe” was viewed as the premium standard for quality and design. Our aim is to prove that “Made in the Emirates” can meet, and even exceed, those standards.

To achieve this, we brought the best from around the world – international design expertise, advanced technology, and a highly skilled team, to build a facility and operating model that would rival any in the industry. By integrating state-of-the-art automation and precision engineering, we created a manufacturing ecosystem capable of delivering large-scale, tailored solutions with consistent quality.

This approach, supported by the UAE’s vision for industrial excellence, enabled us to establish a self-reliant, world-class production base. Today, Sobha Furniture stands as proof that with the right talent, technology, and infrastructure, perfection can be achieved.

As Sobha Furniture steps up its manufacturing and regional footprint, how will you maintain direct engagement with integrators, interior architects, and hospitality-specification partners to ensure product relevance and luxury positioning to become part of the design ecosystem rather than just a product supplier?

Our goal has always been to be a co-partner from the design stage. We don’t just manufacture furniture but provide solutions that help translate our customers’ ideas into cohesive, elevated interiors concepts of the highest quality. As we expand our manufacturing and regional footprint, we are equally focused on deepening our engagement with architects, designers, and specifiers to bring their vision to life – from mood boards, material selections and mock-ups to the final product.

Our flagship showroom, The Gallery at The S Tower, is designed as a space for collaboration, where partners can experience our materials, finishes, and collections in real-life settings, and co-create solutions tailored to their projects. Complementing this is our Milan Design Studio, which bridges creativity with regional sensibilities, ensuring our products reflects both artistry and functionality.