“Abdallah Chatila — from diamonds to real estate”. Jeweller, great art lover and philanthropist through his Sesam Foundation, Abdallah Chatila has established himself in record time as a key player in the Swiss real estate market.
Portrait
SUR LA TERRE: You started your career in jewellery within the family business and today you are one of the most important players in real estate in Geneva. These two sectors of activity are very different. How did you go from one to the other?
Abdallah Chatila: That’s my temperament. I’m curious and I’m interested in everything. I would not like to confine myself to one thing. I want to add value to what I do and when this is no longer the case I turn to something else. I started a brand of watches in the early 2000s, I also invested in insurance. In fact, you must know how to seize opportunities when they arise. I began my activities in real estate by accident. I was playing tennis with a friend at the Bois-Carré club in Geneva and when I saw only villas around the area, I got the idea of a building project.