Out of the blue

Patrick Daniel

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Patrick Daniel is an engineer by profession having studied civil engineering with a focus on environmental studies, at Concordia University, Montreal, Canada.

He started his career working in the US, then moved back to Dubai in 2000 and worked for IT company Mindware, in Internet City before setting up Blue Camel Design with his partner, Bruno Nakad in 2004.

Nakad is an interior designer by profession and was doing a lot of freelance work at the time when Daniel suggested they set up a company together. Nakad and Daniel, currently managing director, are jointly responsible for all the business management and operations of the company, whereby Nakad focuses on the creative aspect of the firm.

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The two grew up together in their hometown of Dubai and have known each other for over 33 years. Blue Camel has a team of architects, interior designers, quantity surveyors and project managers who have been in the industry for over 12 years.

The company has since expanded into five other divisions by setting up sister companies: Pink Rain, a visual effects and animation studio; Bulb General Trading, which deals in light fittings, fixtures, switches, and sockets; CUBE, a joinery/wood workshop and a glass factory called Italy Glass Industries.

Daniel said the services all complement one another as the firm offers turnkey interior solutions. Most companies focus on interior design or fit out. Blue Camel offers both to the client, taking a project from interior concept design through to handover of site.

It employs a team of 35 at the design and project management office, 130-140 staff at CUBE in Al Quoz, and 50 staff at the Italy Glass factory in Sharjah.

The company aims to be LEED certified (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design), by having LEED certified staff members and applying design and fit out concepts to improve energy savings, use of green raw and finishing material, and overall improved indoor environmental quality.