Business Today Middle East held its June Power Breakfast on 24 June at Sofitel The Palm Dubai, gathering senior figures from the UAE’s real estate and investment sectors for an open conversation on wealth creation, market confidence, and what comes next.
The panel featured Riz Ahmed, CEO of SmartCrowd; Azhar Sajan, Founder and Visionary Leader of Casa Milano; and Shaher Mousli, Chairman of Gulf Land Property Developers. The session was moderated by Business Today Middle East Editor Aya Zhang.
Panellists were asked to reflect on what their work has taught them about wealth in the UAE, where they would put their own money today, and what conversations the market is not yet having openly. They also addressed the reality behind the UAE’s reputation as a global wealth destination, and where they see the landscape in ten years.
On real estate, Mousli spoke to whether property remains the right default store of wealth under global market pressure, and where capital is genuinely being rewarded across residential, villa, and commercial segments. Ahmed drew on SmartCrowd’s transaction data to address the gap between how the UAE property market is reported and how it actually performs for the average investor. Sajan spoke to what the region’s most discerning buyers are prioritising in a home right now, and what is keeping ultra-high-net-worth clients in the UAE when London, Singapore, and New York remain viable alternatives.
The full conversation features in the July edition of Business Today Middle East.
