Arabian Business 100 Most Inspiring Leaders 2024 - Ziad El Chaar #49
#49 Ziad El Chaar, CEO, DarGlobal, Real estate
Ziad El Chaar is reshaping the real estate industry in more ways than one. In his role as CEO of DarGlobal, he is leading the company on its mission to satisfy global demand for second homes. Meanwhile, as chairman at PropGenius, he’s helping to transform the sector through innovative AI-powered solutions. He’s also vice chairman at Quara Holding, which has established some of the most prominent names in today’s real estate and finance worlds, including Dar Al Arkan, Khair Capital, and Quara Finance.
DarGlobal is unique in that it focuses on creating luxury second and vacation homes that are both great to live in, but also offer a solid investment for internationally mobile, affluent customers. World-class architects have designed the homes, which are modeled by renowned design and fashion icons and built with the highest quality materials. They are also located in some of the world’s most desirable destinations, from downtown Dubai to the Costa del Sol in southern Spain.
El Chaar has been clear in his goal for this role: to position DarGlobal among the top 50 global developers within the next decade. With more than 20 years of experience in real estate development and investment, plus a decade in corporate governance, board affairs and regulatory compliance, as well as a Master’s Degree in business administration from the American University in Beirut, El Chaar is well positioned to achieve this goal within, if not before, this timeline.
While El Chaar joined DarGlobal in 2019, the company was established in 2017 as the international development subsidiary of the Dar Al Arkan Real Estate Development Company, which is listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange in 2007. Today, DarGlobal has a successful listing on the London Stock Exchange and more than $6bn in projects under development since inception.
The company has delivered more than 15,000 residential units, 500,000 square meters of commercial space and boasts $8.6bn in assets. It has also partnered with leading luxury brands, such as Missoni, Versace, W Hotels and Elie Saab. In June 2023, the company launched Tierra Viva in Marbella, its first project in continental Europe, in partnership with Lamborghini.
Property portfolio
DarGlobal is also focusing on hospitality assets, with the aim of acquiring or building hotels to sell after three to five years of operation, once the property’s revenue streams stabilize. Last year, it announced it is developing a bespoke project in the Maldives with global fashion powerhouse Dolce&Gabbana. In June 2024, it unveiled $500mn Trump International Oman, a five-star, 140-key hotel complex set to open in December 2028 at its AIDA project, one of the world’s largest premium mixed-use real estate developments.
Before DarGlobal, El Chaar held prestigious roles such as CEO at Emaar (International, Ventures, and Blockchain), CEO at Dar Al Arkan, and managing director at DAMAC Properties. In every role, El Chaar has always endeavored to work hard, deliver excellence, drive innovation and provide solid results.