Many of the country’s top real estate organisations and professionals have again been recognised by leading UAE property portal Bayut.
The company gathered more than 350 industry leaders, top performers, and key stakeholders for its prestigious Bayut Awards 2024, honouring outstanding achievements in the real estate ecosystem.
Bayut hosted the exclusive event at Atlantis The Royal where it recognised exceptional agencies, developers, and professionals considered to have demonstrated excellence and innovation, and created a lasting impact on the dynamic property landscape in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
The property portal said winners were selected based on comprehensive performance data from 2024. And a distinguished jury, which included Sahar Khan (VP of marketing), Nicolas Majeau (chief strategy officer), Amash Malik (director of performance marketing), and Muneeb Farrukh (director of product), deliberated on the most deserving candidates.
This year’s winners have set new benchmarks, reinforcing trust and transparency in the market
Haider Khan,
CEO of Bayut and Dubizzle Group
A hallmark of the awards was the People’s Choice categories.
These empowered real estate enthusiasts across the UAE to vote for their favourite agencies directly on the Bayut website. Thousands participated and, as an incentive, one lucky voter was given the opportunity to win Dh25,000.
Haider Khan, CEO of Bayut and Dubizzle Group, says Bayut takes pride in recognising the individuals and businesses “that push the boundaries of excellence in real estate”.
He continues: “The Bayut Awards are a tribute to the relentless dedication, innovation, and integrity that drive this industry forward.
“This year’s winners have set new benchmarks, reinforcing trust and transparency in the market. Their remarkable contributions shape the future of UAE real estate, and we look forward to celebrating even greater achievements together in the years to come.”
Established in 2008, Bayut says that it “continues to elevate industry standards”, and the Bayut Awards remain a “symbol of success” that reinforce the company’s commitment to innovation and excellence.
Bayut says more than 4,000 real estate agencies choose the portal as their advertising partner, with at least 400 million page views per year and more than 87.2 million visits, making it the number one trusted platform for people searching their property choices.
Having concluded another landmark awards season, Bayut says it remains dedicated to “empowering real estate professionals with cutting-edge tools, insights, and well-deserved recognition”.
So who were the Bayut Awards 2024 winners?
Dubai winners
- Newcomer of the Year 2024: Equity Real Estates
- Fastest Growing Agency of the Year 2024: Huspy
- TruCheck Champion of the Year 2024 - Premium: House & Hedges Real Estate
- TruCheck Champion of the Year 2024 - Enterprise: Allsopp & Allsopp
- Top Closer of the Year 2024: haus & haus Real Estate
- Agency of the Year 2024 - Commercial: CRC
- Agency of the Year 2024 - Holiday Homes: Luxe Signature Holiday Homes
- TruEstimator of the Year 2024: Igor Dordevic, Rosenheim Real Estate
- Bayut Big Broker 2024: Darren Murphy, Allsopp & Allsopp
- Agent of the Year 2024 - Premium: Christy Mchale, Strada Real Estate Brokerage
- Agency of the Year 2024 - Premium: Strada Real Estate Brokerage
- Agency of the Year 2024 - Premium - People’s Choice: Dacha Real Estate
- Agent of the Year 2024 - Enterprise: Parmida Azizi, Ax Capital Real Estate
- Agency of the Year 2024 - Enterprise : fäm Properties
- Agency of the Year 2024 - Enterprise- People’s Choice: White & Co Real Estate
- Agency of the Year 2024 - Off-plan: Sky View Real Estate Brokers
Abu Dhabi winners:
- TruCheck Champion of the Year 2024: Metropolitan Capital Real Estate
- Newcomer of the Year 2024: Katal Property Investment
- Agent of the Year 2024- Premium: Rita Neovesky, LLJ Asset Management
- Agency of the Year 2024 - Premium: Nas Luxury Real Estate
- Agency of the Year 2024 - Premium - People’ Choice: Nas Luxury Real Estate
- Agent of the Year 2024 - Enterprise: Oubaida Maarouf, Oia Properties
- Agency of the Year 2024 - Enterprise: Metropolitan Capital Real Estate
- Agency of the Year 2024 - Enterprise - People’s Choice: Al Mira Real Estate Brokerage
- Agency of the Year 2024 - Off-plan: Al Mira Real Estate Brokerage
Developer Awards
- Developer of the Year 2024 - Sustainability: Imtiaz Developments
- Developer of the Year 2024 - Rising Star: One Development
- Project of the Year 2024: DAMAC Islands
- Hospitality Launch of the Year 2024: Ritz Carlton, Keturah Resort by MAG
- Developer of the Year 2024: Binghatti Developers
Technology driven platform Bayut keeps innovation at its core with updated, detailed transactional and advertised insights, extensive area and building guides, and revolutionary new products and features, allowing end-users to make the most well-researched decisions when searching for properties in the UAE.
The company - part of Dubizzle Group - has experienced accelerated growth since 2008 by focusing on increasing the number of real estate partners it works with as well as obtaining substantial traffic growth to claim the status of “market leaders” in the UAE’s competitive real estate portal landscape. It has an extensive portfolio across all seven emirates.
Mr Khan joined Bayut joined as CEO in 2014 and has overseen multiple funding rounds from top venture capital firms such as Naspers, KCK, and Exor.
In April 2020, the group merged with Netherlands-based OLX group in certain key markets, and was valued at $1billion, giving it coveted unicorn status.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes.
Where to stay
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
Suggested picnic spots
Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
PFA Team of the Year: David de Gea, Kyle Walker, Jan Vertonghen, Nicolas Otamendi, Marcos Alonso, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, Sergio Aguero
Visit Abu Dhabi culinary team's top Emirati restaurants in Abu Dhabi
Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
For the karak and Yoodo's house platter with includes eggs, balaleet, khamir and chebab bread.
Golden Dallah
For the cappuccino, luqaimat and aseeda.
Al Mrzab Restaurant
For the shrimp murabian and Kuwaiti options including Kuwaiti machboos with kebab and spicy sauce.
Al Derwaza
For the fish hubul, regag bread, biryani and special seafood soup.
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Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday February 8, v Kenya; Friday February 9, v Canada; Sunday February 11, v Nepal; Monday February 12, v Oman; Wednesday February 14, v Namibia; Thursday February 15, final
'How To Build A Boat'
Jonathan Gornall, Simon & Schuster
Vaccine Progress in the Middle East
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
