The acquisition is set to enhance Arada’s control over its Australian projects. Credit: Arada Developments.

United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based property development company Arada has acquired the New South Wales (NSW) arm of Roberts Co, an Australian commercial construction company.

The acquisition is set to enhance Arada’s control over its Australian projects and support Roberts Co’s growth into new international markets.

Arada’s immediate investment of $20m into Roberts Co (NSW) Pty will provide a significant recapitalisation, ensuring job security for 120 direct employees and stabilising the employment of another 600 workers within the Sydney construction supply chain.

The acquisition is a key part of Arada’s strategy to establish a global presence, with plans to invest up to $100m in Roberts Co’s expansion into new sectors and geographies.

Arada aims to achieve annual revenues of $1bn by 2028.

This acquisition is also expected to enable uninterrupted progress on four key construction projects in Sydney, including two schools, a residential development, and a children’s hospital.

These projects are vital to NSW’s infrastructure and will benefit from the continued leadership of Roberts Co’s executive chair, George Kostas, who brings experience from his tenure as CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Properties.

Since its inception in 2017, Roberts Co has completed several major construction projects across various sectors in NSW.

Arada’s first international office, established in Sydney in 2024, has already announced plans for $2.5bn worth of development in the region.

Arada’s upcoming projects in Sydney’s inner-west, south-west, and Hills Shire suburbs will deliver 2,500 homes, addressing the city’s housing needs.

With sales and construction expected to commence by the end of 2025, Arada stated that it is on track with its Australian project milestones.

Arada Group CEO Ahmed Alkhoshaibi said: “This acquisition reflects our strong belief in Roberts Co’s people, projects, and performance, and will help us to deliver our future projects in Australia with greater control and cost efficiencies, as well as reduced risk.

“We will now invest significantly into the company in order to bring it to new markets and sectors, including the UAE, and look forward to delivering on our shared vision for high-quality, community-focused development.”

Last year in June, Arada confirmed that it had awarded contracts worth Dh1.48bn ($0.40m) for the final phases of the Masaar project in the UAE.

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