64 | ANTHONY ARMSTRONG-EMERY
THE LAST WORD
www.opp.org.uk | FEBRUARY 2012
WORDS | Geoff Hadwick A perfect place to be
Anthony Armstrong-Emery and his Brazilian social housing company, EcoHouse Group, is powering ahead on a wave of optimism and pulsating social change in one of the world’s fast-growing economies. He really feels that he is in the right place at the right time. With offi ces in London, Natal, Toronto and Singapore, plus an expanding workforce of more than 300 full-time employees, Armstrong-Emery is building and investing hard in Brazil’s Minha Casa Minha Vida social housing scheme. The future looks bright and his project has a lot of serious backers. How did he get here, and what comes next? Top people talk to OPP.
the opposite. He is unfailingly polite and always very open. The problem is that he is just about as busy as busy can be. Forever shuttling between his offi ces in west London and his operations in Brazil, Canada and Singapore, Armstrong-Emery is clearly working fl at-out to develop his company, the EcoHouse Group, into one of the key providers of affordable social housing in the Natal region of Brazil. And he is doing it with total commitment. He is just as ambitious as the Brazilian government’s Minha Casa Minha Vida (My House, My Life) programme is itself. They are both on a mission to help the country get rid of its favela slums and provide decent homes for
P
inning Anthony Armstrong- Emery down is hard work. Not that he is a slippery fi sh - quite
the majority of the people - as quickly as possible. In truth, Armstrong-Emery sees the project, and his involvement in it, as a sort of vocation. “Well, you know, in a way for me it’s a dream come true” he tells OPP between a series of meetings in Brazil. “Not only is it the kind of profi table but ethical investment project I’ve
always believed in, but it also has the effect of helping to develop a more stable, property-owning society.” But don’t get hold of the wrong end of the stick. EcoHouse is in the market to make money too, and the fi gures are truly compelling. The company
“Brazil has a population of 190 million and a current housing defi cit of 8 million homes”
is targeting a country with a massive need for new homes. “Brazil is a fast- growing, emerging economy with a population of 190 million and a current housing defi cit of 8 million homes,” says Armstrong-Emery. He quotes government statistics
predicting a 12.5 million housing shortfall by 2023 and reports that EcoHouse is “currently
developing more than R$250 million-worth of social housing in the Natal region.”
“And, furthermore, more than 5,500 units are also under negotiation with the local authorities in other regions of Brazil.” But, as president of the group,
is he keeping a careful eye on the profi t margins? Is this one of those gold-rush markets where cut-throat competitors bring everyone down? Yes, and no, he says. “Obviously, any kind of private sector business or industry, including ours, has competition built into it. And yes, this can sometimes be very robust. However, I’ve never been afraid of that and neither has my company. We’re confi dent of our reputation and we’re proud to provide a good ‘product’ and fair treatment for everyone who deals with us.” He knows a good opportunity when he sees one, he says. “I can summarise the situation in just a few words,” he smiles. “It’s a safe, secure investment with good returns; it’s a socially benefi cial product and it offers long-term security for many thousands
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