How Azhar Sajan is turning industry challenges into opportunities

At a time when businesses are navigating geopolitical uncertainty, supply chain disruptions and evolving consumer expectations, Mohammed Azhar Sajan, Founder of Casa Milano and Director of Danube Hospitality, continues to identify opportunities within challenges.

Rather than scaling back, the young entrepreneur is transforming Casa Milano’s 30,000-sq-ft flagship showroom on Sheikh Zayed Road into an exhibition destination, bringing architects, designers, developers, contractors and hospitality professionals together under one roof.

The initiative marks the fourth season of Talking Walls by Casa Milano, taking place from November 17-19. After participating in a major design exhibition for three consecutive years, Azhar is bringing the exhibition experience directly to Casa Milano.

Azhar’s entrepreneurial journey began during his college years, when he attended classes in the morning and worked in the family business in the evening.

Growing up in a family established in the building materials industry, Azhar could have followed in his father’s footsteps in the mass-market segment. Instead, he chose to establish his own identity in luxury interiors.

In 2019, he launched Casa Milano with an ambitious 30,000-sq-ft flagship showroom on Sheikh Zayed Road. Within months, COVID-19 disrupted businesses worldwide, presenting his first major entrepreneurial challenge.

Recognising the growing demand for home renovations, particularly bathrooms as personal wellness spaces, Azhar strengthened Casa Milano’s digital presence through social media, influencer collaborations and online engagement.

“When customers couldn’t come to us, we had to find ways to reach them,” he says. “That was when we started looking at digital platforms differently.”

Despite the disruption, Casa Milano expanded into Abu Dhabi with a 40,000-sq-ft showroom, strengthened its Dubai presence with two showrooms in Salahuddin and entered Qatar with a 30,000-sq-ft showroom, alongside dedicated Ideal Standard showrooms.

In 2023, Azhar challenged conventional exhibition practices by introducing Talking Walls at Downtown Design during Dubai Design Week.

Instead of simply showcasing products, Casa Milano invested in a 300-sq-m exhibition space, inviting emerging designers to create innovative bathroom concepts using its collections.

The initiative challenged the perception of bathrooms as purely functional spaces, transforming them into expressions of luxury, creativity and personal experiences. Independent industry experts judged the installations, with winners receiving international design experiences in Spain and Italy.

For Azhar, the objective extended beyond immediate sales. He believed that meaningful industry relationships would create sustainable business opportunities. “I have always believed that relationships should come before transactions,” says Azhar.

The investment initially raised concerns within his family.

“Having spent more than three decades in business, I initially questioned the scale of investment Azhar wanted to make for an exhibition,” says Anis Sajan, Vice Chairman of Danube Group, and Azhar’s father. “However, he believed strongly in his vision. I eventually supported his decision, and looking back, I am proud of what he has achieved.”

Talking Walls continued through 2024 and 2025, strengthening Casa Milano’s recognition within the design community.

The same philosophy inspired Design Duels, a multisport corporate competition attracting nearly 2,000 participants from the construction, development and design industries, connecting professionals through sport and friendly competition.

Recognising customers’ growing preference for comprehensive interior solutions, Azhar expanded Casa Milano beyond sanitaryware, showers, tiles and slabs into kitchens, wardrobes, flooring and ironmongery.

The portfolio now brings together international brands including Arredo3, Italgraniti, La Fabbrica and House of Rohl, alongside in-house brands such as CLEA, VERO, MODEVO LIVING and CASSARIO.

Further strengthening its luxury portfolio, Casa Milano has become the first and exclusive distributor of the Philipp Plein tiles collection across the world and is bringing the internationally recognised designer’s distinctive aesthetic to the region. The collection will be showcased during Talking Walls Season 4, adding another dimension to the exhibition’s luxury design experience.

This diversification transformed Casa Milano from a luxury bathroom specialist into a comprehensive home improvement destination, enabling homeowners, designers, consultants and developers to source multiple product categories under one roof.

As geopolitical tensions disrupted international shipping routes and supply chains, Casa Milano faced another challenge: ensuring product availability and uninterrupted customer service.

With project timelines under pressure and procurement becoming increasingly unpredictable, Azhar recognised an opportunity to strengthen customer confidence through stock availability and established international supplier relationships.

Casa Milano’s inventory and broad product portfolio helped it respond to changing requirements, offer alternatives where necessary and attract new customers seeking reliable supply solutions. For developers and contractors

managing strict project deadlines, access to readily available materials is an increasingly important purchasing consideration. “During uncertain times, customers are not just looking for the right product or price,” explains Azhar. “They want confidence that their supplier can deliver. Our priority was to ensure we could continue serving existing customers while welcoming new ones who needed reliable solutions.”

After three seasons of Talking Walls, Azhar began questioning the limitations of conventional trade exhibitions, where brands invest heavily in temporary installations that are dismantled after a few days.

Instead, he decided to transform Casa Milano’s permanent showroom into an immersive exhibition destination.

The initiative required renovating and reconfiguring the showroom’s upper level and office areas to accommodate dedicated installations by participating design firms.

The fourth season marks a significant evolution, moving beyond bathroom concepts to fully realised five-star hospitality suite installations.

Combining his roles at Casa Milano and Danube Hospitality, Azhar aims to demonstrate comprehensive hospitality solutions integrating design, materials, products and functionality.

Four established design firms, DWP, K4 Group, Pinnacle Interiors and OBMI, will create hospitality concepts inspired by Dubai, New York, Paris and Tokyo.

The installations will incorporate about 12 product categories from Casa Milano and Danube Hospitality, demonstrating how multiple solutions can be integrated into complete interior environments. The three-day festival will also feature panel discussions, alongside networking, wellness, hospitality, games and F&B activations.

From launching Casa Milano shortly before a global pandemic to expanding regionally, diversifying its portfolio and navigating geopolitical disruptions, Azhar has consistently challenged conventional business practices.

As Talking Walls enters its fourth season, transforming his flagship showroom into an exhibition destination represents another example of his belief that challenges should inspire businesses to rethink what is possible.

In association with Casa Milano