George Azar

George Azar is Chairman and CEO of Sotheby’s International Realty in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, the UK, and Saudi Arabia. A true visionary, he has been steering regional prime real estate markets into uncharted territory for over a decade and has scaled a global presence with startling speed, becoming one of the most authoritative figures in the property sphere and private wealth sector. He has continuously broken new ground in the industry, identifying opportunities before they emerge, redefining standards of service and setting pricing benchmarks with record-breaking transactions.

George has been at the helm of Dubai Sotheby’s International Realty as Chairman & CEO since 2013. After a decade of defining the local super-prime market, he expanded into the UK and established the Saudi Arabia business, followed shortly by the launch of the brand’s Abu Dhabi presence. Building a bridge that would link three significant wealth corridors in a vision that few others would have or attempt to realise.

As the other businesses continue to scale up, Dubai remains the flagship and continues to set new transactional benchmarks across key super-prime communities including Palm Jumeirah, Jumeirah Bay Island and the ultra-exclusive Naia Island.

In a sector driven by performance, George’s leadership is a measure of nurturing the right talent and relationships and accelerating the path of continued growth while remaining true to the values that have underpinned Sotheby’s brand for more than 280 years.

George’s background is punctuated by a solid career in international private banking and corporate finance, which laid the foundation for a mindset shaped by analysis and risk-taking. He began at Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith in the Middle East, was later appointed Director of Union Bancaire Privée’s, Dubai Office and promoted to Managing Director in 2004. In 2006, he established UBP Qatar LLC, leading the firm as Chief Executive Officer and focusing on the region’s most affluent clients. Moving from banking to billion-dollar real estate portfolios was not just a career shift but a calculated evolution where his finance background became the differentiator. George had developed an uncanny ability to read market movements and understand asset appreciation against global capital flows and microeconomic cycles.

From establishing Dubai Sotheby’s International Realty as a Middle East powerhouse to driving the exponential growth of the  UK and Saudi businesses, George Azar continues to do what he does best: scaling up bold expansions, amassing industry-defining records and setting the pace for other markets that are still catching up.