Not about selling property. About shaping how we live.
The MERED Talks podcast is a discussion club for open, honest conversations on how real estate development and people behind shape our daily lives, our wellbeing, and even our future.
The UAE real estate market is not what it was a few years ago. But what has actually changed? In this episode of MERED Talks, our host Harley Jenner is joined by Michael Belton, CEO of MERED, and Wagdy Aboelezz, Senior Sales Director at Unique Properties, to explore changing buyer behaviour, evolving market dynamics, and the fundamentals that continue to attract global demand. From Dubai and Abu Dhabi to branded residences and international buyers, this conversation looks at where the mar...
18 Sept 2026
What Buyers Must Know When Choosing a Property
How do you choose the right home when everything looks good on paper? In this episode of MERED Talks, our host Harley Jenner is joined by Paul Stevens, Executive Director of Delivery at MERED, to break down the real questions every property buyer should ask when navigating a saturated real estate market in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Instead of glossy marketing promises, this conversation uncovers the practical details that define comfort, well-being, and quality. 🎧 Hit play to discover: • What to l...
31 Aug 2026
Trust as Currency: Why the UAE Attracts Billions Annually
Where is global capital really going in 2026? In this episode of MERED Talks, our host Harley Jenner sits down with Michael Belton, CEO of MERED, and Leonardo Machado, Partner at the Global Real Estate Institute (GRI) GCC & APAC, to reveal where international investors are actually putting their money, how the UAE crisis proved its resilience, and what is important for billion-dollar deals. Through GRI's network of 20,000+ senior decision-makers worldwide, Leonardo offers unfiltered insig...
13 Aug 2026
What 30 Years in Real Estate Taught Me: A CEO Story
What does it take to build a 30-year real estate career across three continents? In this special episode of MERED Talks, our host Harley Jenner sits down with Michael Belton, CEO of MERED, for a very personal conversation. Unlike previous episodes, this is the first time we explore Michael's journey, from being born in Alaska to spending over 20 years in Russia, building billion-dollar projects in Saudi Arabia, and eventually finding his way in the UAE. Discover why he believes re...
28 Jul 2026
Building a Business in the UAE: What You Need to Know
What do global entrepreneurs fundamentally misunderstand about building success in the UAE? In this episode of MERED Talks, our host, Harley Jenner, is joined by Michael Belton, CEO of MERED, and Dr. Mohammad Alketbi, respected Emirati business leader, to explore the values and culture that have shaped one of the world's fastest-growing economies. This conversation reveals why many foreign companies struggle in the UAE despite having the resources and expertise, and why true leadership begins...
6 Jul 2026
What Makes Someone Buy Property Without Planning To?
What turns a buyer into a brand ambassador? In this episode of MERED Talks, our host Harley Jenner is joined by Michael Belton, CEO of MERED, and Lorenzo Semaratne, a global energy executive, classic Ferrari enthusiast, and owner of apartments in both ICONIC and Riviera Residences. This conversation reveals what separates genuine quality from surface glitz, how developers build community through people rather than marketing, and why the UAE has become home to successful global citizens se...
22 Jun 2026
Architecture for People: Herzog & de Meuron
Why do some buildings feel like they belong to their place, while others never do? In this episode of MERED Talks, our host Harley Jenner is joined by Natalia Ermolenko, Chief Product Officer at MERED, and Olga Bolshanina, Partner at Herzog & de Meuron, one of the world's most celebrated architectural practices. This conversation reveals Herzog & de Meuron's "inside out" design philosophy: why they never start with aesthetics, but with climate, culture, and how people want to live...
22 May 2026
Pininfarina: This Building Was Designed Like a Ferrari
What makes Italian design instantly recognisable and instantly trusted? In this episode of MERED Talks, our host Harley Jenner is joined by Michael Belton, MERED's CEO, alongside Giovanni de Niederhäusern and Chiara Gibertini from Pininfarina to explore a 95-year design heritage evolving from Ferrari to residential towers. This conversation goes beyond aesthetics, revealing Pininfarina’s engineering-driven approach, how quality in Italy is embedded in both culture and regulation, and the diff...
27 Apr 2026
Why International Investors Trust Dubai?
Why are so many international buyers choosing Dubai real estate? In this episode of MERED Talks, our host Harley Jenner is joined by Mikhail Podkopaev, Sales Director at MERED, and Dorota Mudz, Associate Director at FAM Properties, to explore what’s really driving global demand for property in Dubai. From European investors seeking long-term value to end users drawn by lifestyle, safety, and opportunity, this conversation breaks down the motivations, concerns, and decision-making process behi...
3 Apr 2026
The Six Pillars: How Great Properties Are Created
What does it really take to turn an idea into a place people love to live in? In this episode of MERED Talks, Harley Jenner speaks with Natalia Ermolenko, Chief Product Officer at MERED, about real estate's most misunderstood role: the Product Manager. Natalia reveals how this role emerged to bridge the gap between sales dreams, design ambitions, and construction realities. This conversation explores how the Product Manager connects vision with reality, ensuring that what is pro...
23 Mar 2026
How Smart Materials Save Money and Improve Health
How do developers decide what actually goes inside a building? In this episode of MERED Talks, our host Harley Jenner is joined by Yazan Al Khalidi, Chief Commercial Officer at MERED, and Anwar Nusseibeh, Chairman of The Nano Company, to explore the hidden layer of real estate development most buyers never see: materials, technology, and the partners behind them. From nanomaterials to smart construction thinking, this conversation reveals how the choices made long before a building is com...
20 Feb 2026
Robots in Real Estate: Why Do We Need Them?
Are robots just a luxury feature — or the future standard of every building? In this episode of MERED Talks, our host, Harley Jenner is joined by Michael Belton, CEO of MERED, and Fraser Lawson, architect-turned-robotics pioneer, to explore how robotics is quietly reshaping real estate. Together, they explore what's happening now with the robotics industry around the world and in the UAE, where the industry is heading, and how architects and engineers should be adapting to these new te...
9 Feb 2026
From Dream to Deed: A Property Buyer's Journey in the UAE
What happens after you say “yes” to a property in the UAE? In this episode of MERED Talks, our host Harley Jenner sits down with Jawad Aqiq, Senior Team Lead Sales & Operations at MERED, to demystify the end-to-end journey of buying a property in the UAE — from the initial excitement to the final handover and beyond. Jawad shares a frontline perspective on turning buyer anxiety into confidence, walking us through each critical step: reservation, legal documentation, payment ...
26 Jan 2026
The System Behind the UAE’s Real Estate Success
How does the UAE protect property investors? In this episode of MERED Talks, our host Harley Jenner is joined by Marwa Omran, Government Relations Director at MERED, to unpack the system behind the UAE’s real estate success — and why it’s considered one of the safest and most transparent property markets in the world. 🎧 Hit play to discover: • How the UAE government shapes and regulates real estate development • What developers must go through before launching a project • How in...
8 Jan 2026
From Racing to Real Estate: Passion Drives Performance
Why do the best results in racing and real estate never happen by accident? In this episode of MERED Talks, our host Harley Jenner is joined by two guests from seemingly different worlds — Ivan Ekelchik, a professional GT3 racing driver sponsored by MERED, and Bogdan Maximov, MERED’s Project Director — to uncover what elite motorsport and high-end real estate development have in common. From racetracks to construction sites, performance is never left to chance. This conversation...
22 Dec 2025
Building a Landmark: What Buyers Never See
What does it really take to build a high-rise tower? In this episode of MERED Talks, our host Harley Jenner is joined by Michael Belton, CEO of MERED, and Toygar Sarioglu, Area Director at SERA Construction Dubai, to reveal a side of real estate most buyers never see: the people, technologies, and global safety standards that shape the homes we live in. From worker welfare to international construction practices, this conversation uncovers how world-class developments are only p...
17 Nov 2025
Mastering Real Estate: How Great Projects Are Made
How do you build a landmark, not just a building? In the second episode of the MERED Talks podcast, our host Harley Jenner is joined by Bogdan Maximov, Project Director at MERED, for a masterclass on what drives success in high-stakes real estate development. In a market saturated with options, what truly makes one property thrive while others merely survive? Moving beyond clichés, Bogdan provides a clear-eyed analysis of the key factors, from financial fundamentals and geographic nuances to ...
28 Oct 2025
UAE's #1 High-End Fit-Out Company: When Is Luxury True Luxury?
Welcome to the MERED Talks podcast — a discussion club bringing together professionals who make communities come alive. We go beyond property to explore how great people and bold ideas shape the way we live, work, and connect. In today’s very first episode, our host Harley Jenner is joined by Michael Belton, CEO of MERED Real Estate Development, and our partners from Bond Interiors — Saad Moaswes, Founder and Managing Director, and Dr. Chadi Chamoun, Director of Development and Innovat...
Contact MERED Talks Podcast
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of MERED Talks Podcast?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
