Buy-Side AdvisoryGCC Logistics Portfolio Acquisition
Context
A GCC family office with no prior logistics exposure sought to establish a core logistics portfolio across the UAE Northern Emirates.
Challenge
The client had no prior logistics real estate experience and required end-to-end advisory covering market entry thesis, asset identification, pricing benchmarking, and acquisition structuring.
Our Analysis
We identified that Grade-A logistics vacancy in Sharjah and Ajman had compressed to below 3.5%, well below equilibrium, driven by e-commerce growth and port development. New supply pipeline was 18–24 months away from completion, creating a window for core entry.
Outcome
Advised on the acquisition of 7 logistics assets totalling 480,000 sqft at an entry yield of 7.4%. Portfolio rental growth of 16% achieved in the 18 months following acquisition.
Saudi Hospitality Development
Context
A family office with UHNW liquidity event proceeds sought to invest AED 800M into Saudi Arabian real estate aligned with Vision 2030.
Challenge
The Saudi hospitality market was undergoing a fundamental structural transformation due to Vision 2030. Standard international hospitality analysis frameworks were inadequate for the emerging Saudi tourism investment environment.
Our Analysis
We developed a proprietary Vision 2030 hospitality allocation framework, assessing leisure, business, religious, and sports tourism demand drivers independently. This revealed a structural gap in branded mid-scale hospitality outside Riyadh and Jeddah.
Outcome
Structured placement of AED 750M across two hospitality developments in Al-Ula and Abha. Both projects aligned to government tourism anchor programmes with government-supported demand guarantees.
DIFC Office Building Acquisition Review
Context
An institutional investment manager was evaluating a Grade-A office building in DIFC, Dubai's financial district. The vendor's asking price implied a yield of 5.8%.
Challenge
The in-place income included one lease to a tenant with financial covenant concerns, and the asking price assumed a significant mark-to-market rental uplift that our market analysis suggested was optimistic.
Our Analysis
Our independent review identified: (i) the anchor tenant had issued a profit warning 6 months prior, representing a covenant risk not reflected in the pricing; (ii) rental uplift assumption was 22% above current comparable evidence; (iii) exit liquidity at target price was limited to a small pool of institutional buyers.
Outcome
We recommended the client negotiate a 12% price reduction or withdraw. The client negotiated a 9% reduction and received an income top-up provision. The anchor tenant did not renew at lease expiry 18 months later, validating the covenant risk assessment.
Legacy Residential Portfolio Review
Context
A GCC institutional investor held a diversified portfolio of 14 residential assets across Dubai and Abu Dhabi, accumulated between 2008 and 2016 at varying entry prices.
Challenge
The portfolio had not been systematically reviewed in 6 years. Assets ranged from significantly underperforming against market benchmarks to materially above market returns. No coherent hold/sell framework existed.
Our Analysis
We conducted asset-level performance attribution, repositioning assessment for underperforming assets, and exit timing analysis aligned to market cycle positioning. Six assets were identified as disposal candidates with strong exit liquidity.
Outcome
Portfolio streamlined from 14 to 8 assets. Disposal of 6 assets at an aggregate above-market premium of 11% due to timing and marketing strategy. Proceeds redeployed into logistics.