
Knight Frank MENA appoints Buthainah Albaity to lead Private Capital & Family Enterprises solutions group
Albaity joins the global real estate consultancy from KPMG, bringing with her 18 years of experience across investment banking and consulting. Her expertise spans the full deal cycle, with a focus on the private sector, advising private placements and real estate IPOs.
Her early career at Riyadh-based Swicorp included working on transactions and real estate advisory, including the Private placement and IPO of the Knowledge Economic City Project, supporting the Kingdom's efforts towards economic diversity.
In 2012, Albaity joined KPMG, where she was responsible for co-founding the Private Enterprise practice for the Saudi Levant Cluster and led the Private Sector Real Estate Strategy offering in the Kingdom. During this time, key projects included acting as the exclusive financial advisor on a SAR 300+ million sale and leaseback of freehold sites for a retail chain; developing the corporate strategy and optimisation for a family-owned real estate portfolio worth SAR 9 billion; and spearheading the 15-year business planning for a major real estate development in Madinah.
Commenting on her recent appointment, Albaity said: 'I am delighted to join Knight Frank MENA during this exciting phase of growth and to be entrusted with the leadership of our new Private Capital & Family Enterprises division, where our team will bring together the collective, cross-sector expertise of Knight Frank for clients across the MENA region.'
The Private Capital & Family Enterprises team will serve as the primary point-of-contact for clients such as private investors, family offices and founder-led businesses seeking access to Knight Frank's full suite of advisory and transactional services. The team will coordinate multi-disciplinary teams to deliver end-to-end consultancy, from opportunity sourcing and acquisition, through deal structuring and asset management, to exit and divestment planning.
General Manager, KSA, Susan Amawi, added: 'Welcoming Buthainah to Knight Frank is a pivotal moment in our overall expansion strategy as we continue to grow our footprint and service offering in the Kingdom and wider MENA region. Our new Private Capital & Family Enterprises practice offers a bespoke service for every client, led by a single, dedicated point of contact who unites the diverse expertise from our in-house transactional, consultancy and research teams.'
James Lewis, Managing Director, MEA commented: 'The decision to introduce our Private Capital & Family Enterprises solutions group was a natural next step for us as we continue to diversify our service offering and tailor our approach for clients in the MENA region. We are thrilled to have Buthainah onboard to lead the team.'
About Knight Frank
Knight Frank LLP is the leading independent global property consultancy. Headquartered in London, the Knight Frank network has 740+ offices across 50+ territories and more than 27,000 people. We advise clients ranging from individual owners and buyers to major developers, investors, and corporate tenants. For further information about the firm, please visit www.knightfrank.com.
In the MENA region, we have strategically positioned offices in key countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and Egypt. For the past 16 years, we have been offering integrated residential and commercial real estate services, including transactional support, consultancy and management.
Understanding the unique intricacies of local markets is at the core of what we do, we blend this understanding with our global resources to provide you with tailored solutions that meet your specific needs. At Knight Frank, excellence, innovation and a genuine focus on our clients drive everything we do. We are not just consultants; we are trusted partners in property ready to support you on your real estate journey, no matter the scale of your endeavour.
For all media enquiries, please contact:
Chloe Boston, Senior PR and Communications Manager
Chloe.Boston@me.knightfrank.com
Roni Tawfik, PR and Communications Specialist
Randa.Tawfik@me.knightfrank.com
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Zawya
5 minutes ago
- Zawya
ACWA enters key deals to export green hydrogen, renewables to Europe
ACWA Power has signed agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with several international partners, aimed at creating a green hydrogen and renewable energy export value chain between Saudi Arabia and Europe. The agreements were signed in the presence of Saudi Arabia's Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The signing of these agreements and MoUs comes as part of Saudi Arabia's role in enhancing global logistics connectivity and its leadership in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) project, driven by its strategic geographical location that connects East and West, said a statement. The agreements and MoUs were signed during the Renewable Energy and Green Hydrogen Export Workshop, led by ACWA Power under the supervision of the Ministry of Energy. The event brought together high-level government representatives from Saudi Arabia, Greece, France, and Germany, alongside executives from global specialized companies and leading national institutions. The workshop showcased the kingdom's progress in diversifying its energy mix and promoting regional and international integration in clean energy—reinforcing its position as a reliable global supplier of energy and a key leader in the economic corridor connecting East and West. A multi-party MoU was signed by ACWA Power with leading European companies, including Edison (Italy), TotalEnergies Renewables SAS (France), Zhero Europe (Italy), and EnBW (Germany). This MoU establishes a collaborative framework to assess the market demand and feasibility of developing large-scale renewable energy projects dedicated for export in Saudi Arabia and the creation of a corridor to deliver generated electricity to Europe, ACWA Power said. ACWA Power also signed individual MoUs aimed to strengthen the relationship with key players involved in the development of electricity corridors including the independent technical consultant CESI (Italy) and leading HVDC technology and cable providers, including Prysmian (Italy), GE Vernova, Siemens Energy (Germany), and Hitachi (France). These agreements aim to develop advanced energy transmission corridors that enhance supply reliability and the efficiency of cross-border energy infrastructure. Moreover, a Joint Development Agreement was concluded with German partner EnBW (Energie Baden-Württemberg AG) for collaboration on the first phase of the Yanbu Green Hydrogen Hub, which is planned to be ready for commercial operations by 2030. Yanbu Green Hydrogen Hub is foreseen as a fully integrated facility with its own captive electricity generation from renewable sources, desalination plants to feed its hydrogen electrolysis and ammonia conversion facilities, with a dedicated export terminal. The project leverages Saudi Arabia's unique potential to develop renewable energy at competitive rates, and to serve global industrial demand with clean energy solutions. Copyright 2024 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. ( RIYADH

The National
5 minutes ago
- The National
More than 51,000 homes sold in Dubai in 'record' second quarter
More than 51,000 homes were sold in Dubai in the second quarter of this year, marking a quarterly record amid strong demand from buyers, a report has shown. The figures are up 22.8 per cent year-on-year, property consultancy Knight Frank said in its report on Wednesday. In the first half of the year, total home sales reached more than 94,000, putting the market firmly "on track to exceed" 169,000 transactions recorded in 2024, it added. The total value of residential sales in the January to June period also surged to Dh268 billion ($73 billion), a 41 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. The market is poised to surpass the Dh367 billion in home sales reached last year, the consultancy said. Residential prices grew by an average of 13.7 per cent annually in second quarter, with villa prices rising by 16 per cent year-on-year. 'The sustained growth in prices - now approaching five consecutive years since the current cycle began in November 2020 - is a clear sign of a more stable and predictable market environment,' Faisal Durrani, partner and head of research, Mena, at Knight Frank, said. 'Knight Frank's forecasts for 2025 remain unchanged, with 8 per cent growth expected in the mainstream market and 5 per cent in the prime segment.' Dubai's property market has been booming in recent years, having benefited from government initiatives such as residency permits for retired and remote workers, expansion of the 10-year golden visa programme and overall growth in the UAE's economy on diversification efforts. This month, a new scheme was also launched to help Emiratis and UAE residents who do not own any freehold residential property in the emirate get on the property ladder. In the first half of 2025, the volume and value of all real estate transactions in Dubai rose sharply amid the entry of more than 59,000 new investors into the booming market, the Dubai Media Office said on Sunday, quoting Dubai Land Department (DLD) data. The number of transactions reached 125,538, up nearly 26 per cent from 99,947 during the first six months of last year, it said. The value of these transactions rose about 25 per cent to about Dh431 billion, 'highlighting the strong growth momentum in the market', the report said. Luxury driving growth The luxury segment recorded strong growth in the second quarter, with prime residential values across 10 key communities rising by 16 per cent over the past 12 months, according to Knight Frank. The average prime transacted price now stands at Dh3,850 per square foot. Villas continued to outperform the broader market in the second quarter, with values climbing to Dh2,172 per square foot, marking a 4 per cent quarterly increase. Prime residential areas such as Palm Jumeirah, Emirates Hills, Jumeirah Bay Island, and Dubai Hills Estate remained the most sought-after locations, particularly among international high-net-worth individuals, it said. Sales of homes priced above $10 million reached Dh9.5 billion in second quarter of 2025, 'the highest quarterly figure on record", according to the consultancy. 'The market is increasingly being shaped by genuine buyers rather than speculators, with resale activity within 12 months of purchase now at just 4–5 per cent, compared to 25 per cent in 2008,' Will McKintosh, regional partner and head of residential - Mena, at Knight Frank, said. 'This shift toward end-user activity is a positive indicator of the market's growing maturity and long-term sustainability.' Knight Frank's report also highlighted the emergence of "accidental millionaires" - homeowners whose properties have appreciated beyond $1 million due to market trends. As of the second quarter, there are 110,000 such homes in Dubai, with 37,000 owned by individuals who originally purchased below the million-dollar threshold.


Zawya
35 minutes ago
- Zawya
Saudi: ANB's profits hit $693mln in H1-25; dividends unveiled
Riyadh – Arab National Bank (ANB) recorded 7.05% higher net profits at SAR 2.64 billion in the first half (H1) of 2025, compared to SAR 2.46 billion in H1-24. Earnings per share (EPS) hit SAR 1.32 in H1-25, higher than SAR 1.23 in H1-24, according to the financial results. The lender registered 14.88% year-on-year (YoY) higher clients' deposits at SAR 201.73 billion in the first six months (6M) of 2025, compared to SAR 175.59 billion. Assets increased by 14.22% to SAR 268.98 billion as of 30 June 2025 from SAR 235.49 billion in H1-24, while the investments jumped by 11.14% to SAR 54.31 billion from SAR 48.86 billion. Results for Q2 In the second quarter (Q2) of 2025, the net profits reached SAR 1.33 billion, higher by 8.52% YoY than SAR 1.23 billion. Quarterly, the Q2-25 net profits climbed by 2.45% from the SAR 1.30 billion registered in January-March 2025. Cash Dividends The board members decided to disburse cash dividends after Zakat amounting to SAR 1.29 billion, representing 6.50% of its share capital, for H1-25. ANB will pay SAR 0.65 per share for 1.99 billion eligible shares, according to a bourse disclosure. Eligibility and payment dates for the dividends will be 27 July and 6 August 2025, respectively. All Rights Reserved - Mubasher Info © 2005 - 2022 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (