Branded Residences Forum (BRF), a key event at Future Hospitality Summit, returns to FHS World this October with a new identity as FHS Living. On 1 October, FHS Living will expand the forum beyond branded residences to cover a broader range of living asset classes.
Branded Residences will remain at the core, but will now sit alongside Student Accommodation, Senior Living, Serviced Living, Co-living, Shared Ownership, Club Concepts and Mixed-use as part of one platform.
Ahead of the event, Jason Payne, CEO & Founder of BRESI is putting questions to the sponsors, partners and leading personalities from across the branded residences sector, exploring the key factors driving market growth, emerging opportunities, the challenges facing the industry and what comes next.
Introducing: Founder & CEO, DigiValet
Rahul Salgia, Founder & CEO of DigiValet, discusses the growing role of technology in branded residences, from operational design and service delivery to resident engagement and efficiency.
He explains why technology needs to be considered during the design process and how better operational planning can help developers and brands deliver on the experience promised to residents.
JP: You are a regular attendee and sponsor of Branded Residences Forum and the upcoming FHS Living, who do you think benefits most from attending these events and what can they gain from being part of the event?
RS: BRF has been doing a good job in bringing together various stakeholders of the Branded Residential industry from Brand Operators to Developers, from Architects to Consultants and Technology Providers to Branding agencies. Each of these is a beneficiary of others’ business offerings so I would say this event benefits anyone and everyone who has offerings for this industry.
JP: What do you personally value most about the conversations and connections that happen at these industry events?
RS: There is always something to take away from some of the speakers who share their experiences, analysis from the business. The chat & introductions during networking sessions opens up new connections, new conversations which can eventually lead to business.
JP: As the branded residences sector continues to grow, how do you see technology changing the way these developments are designed, delivered and experienced by residents over the next five years?
RS: The success of a Brand will be determined by the value creation for residents, investors and developers in the long run. This can happen only by maintaining the service delivery promise, keeping the asset in top condition and most importantly operating the property in the most cost-efficient manner. This is easier said than done.
Technology plays an important role in service delivery, resident engagement and keeping the manpower costs low. Technology also helps address the problem of high manpower churn this industry is facing.
The operational insights from each property not only help the operators and developers make important design decisions for their upcoming properties but also help optimize the spaces in the existing buildings to remain lean and efficient at all times. Each of these outcomes finally helps in increasing the value of the asset as well as the operator’s brand.
JP: From your perspective, what do you think is the biggest gap between the experience promised when a branded residence is initially marketed and sold and the experience delivered once residents move in?
RS: I would say many projects are still being sold over the promise of hotel-grade services, amenities promising a dreamy lifestyle. The real-life experience often does not meet the promise and the shortage perhaps is not in the commitment of the operator but the overlooked operational design specifications.
Hotels have highly documented specifications from an operational perspective. Branded Residences are designed like any other residential property with very little consideration to operational needs.
As simple as adequate space for parcel storage is missing in many of the properties leading to operational chaos and resident dissatisfaction over delayed/lost parcels.
Valet service impacts the residents every day in an urban property, not many projects estimate the average wait time and if anything should be amended in the design to keep it to an acceptable time especially during peak loads around morning office & school drop-off time.
JP: How do you think the role of technology in branded residences will evolve as resident expectations around service, convenience and personalisation continue to change?
RS: Can one imagine an airline being successful without a great technology platform? Can a hotel be efficient without a well-integrated technology? Branded Residences are no different. Technology is vital to a successful operation. Anyone who thinks otherwise is risking their brand’s extinction.
Elevating resident experience is an important promise that technology has to fulfil, there are no two ways about it. Personalisation in a residential operation is even more important than it is at a hotel or a restaurant.
Like any other business vertical, a technology that was designed in the last decade is as useless as reading a week-old newspaper and hence the evolution of technology is as important as the freshness of flowers at the front desk.
JP: When should property developers start thinking about the digital resident experience and what do they most often underestimate?
RS: As I stated earlier, operational specifications need to be followed through the design process and many of these specifications are influenced by the technology platform. Elevators, Access Control, Parking (and Valet) are some of the most important systems that impact day-to-day life of the residents, their visitors, their service providers (maids, dog walkers, tuition teachers).
Selecting a well-known elevator or access control brand alone is like buying books to a child and expecting him to excel in studies. The resident experience is an outcome of operational specifications turned into technology specifications and finally into the selection of suitable systems, their sizing, their placement, and the consideration of upgrades every 10–15 years.
JP: How can technology help developers and brands translate their brand promise into the everyday experience of residents?
RS: I would want to put this the other way: disregard the role of technology in elevating resident experience and efficiency of operations and you will have a guaranteed recipe for disaster.
JP: Can you tell us more about your involvement at FHS Living this year and what you are most looking forward to?
RS: BRF (FHS Living) brings together the most accomplished professionals and businessmen and there is a great opportunity to learn from their experiences. We love to learn from these men and women while sharing our side of the story.
About Rahul Salgia
Rahul started his entrepreneurial journey in 1994 right out of computer engineering program from SGSITS Indore, Devi Ahilya University. Under his mentorship the company soon became the goto place for challenging business problems that needed innovative use of technology.
Rahul created DigiValet™ in 2009 something that would change the in room experience in hotels forever. In a span of 10 years DigiValet became the preferred partner for many of the iconic hotel brands. Having found its place in hospitality, Rahul steered the company to creating Industry’s first Property Operating System for Branded Residences, Managed Workspaces and Integrated Destinations.
A keen adventurer at heart, Rahul has interests in white water rafting & scuba diving. His wife, Rachana Salgia is a partner in the business, bringing in the strength of management vision and inclusion in the organisation.
With its principal office in India, DigiValet has presence in all key markets. USA, UK, Singapore, China, UAE, & Australia. Learn more about DigiValet
About FHS World & FHS Living
FHS World is happening at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai, 29 September to 1 October 2026, under the theme “Reinvest in our Future”. FHS Living (formerly the Branded Residences Forum) is held within the summit, on the afternoon of 1 October.
Event Overview
- Dates: September 29 – October 1, 2026
- Location: Madinat Jumeirah Conference & Events Centre, Dubai, UAE
- Theme: Reinvest in Our Future
- Key Focus: Hospitality investment, branded residences, living sectors, sustainability, innovation, and experiential travel.
Register your interest and secure your pass for FHS World 2026 and FHS Living HERE
BRESI is the world’s first dedicated global gateway for the branded residences industry, connecting buyers, property developers and brands across every major market. The platform provides a developer-focused global marketplace, comprehensive news media and a strategic partner network of the leading advisory companies in the sector, creating a complete branded residences ecosystem.
