In the disclosure, Emaar said Pawan Chindalia, currently Head of Finance at Emaar Development PJSC, has been appointed as the new Group Head of Finance for Emaar Properties PJSC.The appointment takes immediate effect, with Chindalia also continuing in his existing role at Emaar Development “until further notice”, the company said in its filing. The filing did not indicate how long Chindalia would continue to hold both finance roles simultaneously.One of Dubai’s largest listed developers, Emaar Properties, is behind some of the UAE’s best-known projects, including Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall, and a large portfolio of residential, hospitality and retail developments.Emaar did not provide further details in the filing on the reason for Heikal’s departure or whether additional changes are expected within the finance leadership structure.Who is Pawan Chindalia? According to his LinkedIn profile, Chindalia has been with the Emaar group for nearly 15 years, building experience across several of the developer’s core businesses, including Emaar Development, Emaar Malls, Emaar Entertainment, Burj Khalifa and Community Management.He has also previously held roles at Damac Properties.Chindalia brings more than 20 years of finance leadership experience, with expertise spanning financial transformation, strategic growth, change management and performance turnaround, according to his professional profile. He has also been involved in building finance teams and structures across multiple business units, with a focus on governance, operational efficiency and long-term growth.Shakeups at Emaar Emaar has recently undergone several significant shakeups. Last week, Dubai Holding and the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD) announced the completion of a transaction under which Dubai Holding has acquired a 22.27 per cent equity stake in Emaar Properties from ICD.Following completion of the transaction, Dubai Holding’s total shareholding in Emaar Properties has increased to 29.73 per cent, positioning it as the company’s largest shareholder.Emaar Properties recently also announced plans to exit the joint venture structure linked to The Eighth Gate, its mixed-use development in Yafour, Damascus. The developer said it will operate the project independently without a local partner.The Eighth Gate was launched in 2005 as a $500 million master-planned community spanning 300,000 square metres in Yafour, around 22 kilometres from central Damascus. The project includes residential, retail, hospitality and commercial components.The real estate giant's famously outspoken founder and Managing Director, Mohamed Alabbar, made headlines at the Make it in the Emirates Summit in Abu Dhabi after he said he likes to hire Indians because of their work ethic. He used the remark to make a wider point about hard work, discipline and the kind of business culture that helps companies survive repeated crises.