Ombria, a luxury sustainable development in the southern Algarve region of Portugal; owned by the Finnish family office Pontos Group; is delighted to announce the appointment of its new CEO, Patrick Freeman. Mr. Freeman is a seasoned luxury resort development specialist who most recently served as President of Cisneros Real Estate where he led the sustainable development of Tropicalia in the Dominican Republic.
Industry sources added that as an engineer by training, Mr. Freeman began his career in large-scale public infrastructure before transitioning to hotel and resort development nearly 20 years ago, which has taken him from the United States to the Caribbean and Latin America.
“We are very pleased to have an experienced and visionary leader at Ombria. Freeman’s expertise in developing and integrating large-scale projects to serve the surrounding target groups and the local community is significant. Now that we can finally put the area to use after 23 years of development work, these themes will be further highlighted in future stages of the project,” stated Timo Kokkila, CEO of Pontos Group.
Patrick Freeman comments: “To me, Ombria represents the culmination of years of professional work and dedication to the creation of incredible destinations that are grounded in responsible development, integration with the community, and environmental responsibility. I am deeply honored to have been selected by Pontos to carry this vision and commitment forward and wish to express my appreciation to everyone that has worked for more than a decade to make Ombria a reality. My experience in working around the world has taught me that the long-term success of any project is directly related to a positive impact and meaningful relationships with the communities surrounding it. This translates directly to our respect for the environments we work within and our ability to deliver genuine and authentic experiences to our guests and owners while creating job and career opportunities along the way.”
Industry sources further added that the vision for Ombria is to be a highly sought-after landmark for holidaymakers, marked by a celebration of the local environment, produce, trade, and craftsmanship. While Ombria is actively seeking partnership opportunities with regional business owners, the company endeavors to recruit its staff within Loulé, the local municipality. The positive contribution of the project to the national economy was most recently acknowledged by Portugal’s Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (IAPMEI).
Ombria is situated in a tranquil countryside setting, near one of the Algarve’s largest Nature Reserves and 7km north of the town of Loulé. The development features an 18-hole golf course opening this Spring; a 5-star hotel, managed by Viceroy Hotels & Resorts, opening later this year with 141 guestrooms, suites, and residences; 5 restaurants, swimming pools, a conference center, a spa, and kids’ club, and over 300 homes ranging from apartments to bespoke villas.
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