Over the past two decades, Dubai has transformed from an emerging market into one of the world’s most closely watched real estate destinations. Within that story, OMNIYAT has carved out a distinct niche by specialising in the ultra-luxury segment, a space where architecture, hospitality and investment performance converge.

Founded in 2005 by Mahdi Amjad, OMNIYAT set out not to be another volume developer, but to reshape the top end of the market. The strategy was clear: focus on design-led, highly curated projects that could stand alongside the world’s most recognisable addresses. That vision is now visible across Dubai’s skyline in landmarks such as The Opus by OMNIYAT, One at Palm Jumeirah and The Lana, Dorchester Collection, Dubai on Marasi Bay.

These projects have done more than create new icons, they have helped attract and anchor global capital in the UAE. Ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) and institutional investors alike are increasingly looking for assets in the region that combine scarcity with long-term value creation. OMNIYAT’s portfolio is built around that proposition. According to market data, the company captured more than one-third of transactions in Dubai’s $10m-plus residential segment in 2024, underscoring its leadership at the very top of the market.

Iconic assets as capital magnets

The Opus by OMNIYAT, designed in its entirety by the late Dame Zaha Hadid, was an early signal of this strategy. Delivered as a mixed-use commercial, residential and hospitality development, it demonstrated that Dubai could deliver architecturally ambitious, globally recognisable assets that attract both occupiers and investors.

One at Palm Jumeirah further strengthened this positioning. With its waterfront location, private beach access and interiors by leading international design houses, it set new benchmarks for ultra-luxury living on Palm Jumeirah and contributed to record-setting transactions in that micro-market.

Most recently, The Lana, Dorchester Collection’s first hotel in the Middle East, has extended OMNIYAT’s impact into hospitality. Overlooking Marasi Bay in the Burj Khalifa District, The Lana and Lana Residences blend hotel-grade service with long-term ownership, appealing to global buyers who expect the same level of curation in their primary residences as they do in flagship hotels.

Taken together, these developments have reinforced Dubai’s appeal as a safe, stable and aspirational destination for global capital, at a time when investors are actively diversifying away from more volatile markets.

Validation in global capital markets

OMNIYAT’s evolution from boutique developer to institutional platform has been mirrored in its financing strategy. In 2024-2025, the group raised approximately $900m through two sukuk issuances, sharia-compliant investment certificates widely used across the region that provide asset-backed returns instead of conventional interest: a $500m green sukuk followed by a $400m issuance later in the year. The second transaction was more than twice oversubscribed, with improved pricing compared to the debut deal.

For OMNIYAT, this marks more than a milestone in fundraising. It represents a vote of confidence from international debt capital markets in the company’s strategy, governance and pipeline and, by extension, in Dubai’s luxury real estate story. The successful issuance of the green sukuk, in particular, signals that sustainability-linked instruments are gaining traction in the region’s property sector. Proceeds are earmarked for high-performance, environmentally efficient projects, aligning investor appetite with the UAE’s broader climate and ESG commitments.

For the wider market, these deals reinforce the message that Dubai’s real estate sector is now able to access long-term, diversified sources of capital on competitive terms, provided the underlying platforms are disciplined, transparent and clearly differentiated.

Building an ultra-luxury ecosystem

OMNIYAT’s current pipeline illustrates how that capital is being deployed. In the commercial segment, projects such as Lumena and ENARA reflect rising demand for ultra-luxury workplaces that offer the same level of experience and amenity as high-end residential and hospitality schemes.

Designed as intelligent, aspirational work environments, both Lumena and ENARA have already achieved pre-certification for LEED V4 Platinum, WELL Platinum, WiredScore and SmartScore certifications, making them the only current projects in the UAE to do so. The goal is clear: create future-ready buildings that support high-density occupancy without compromising on wellbeing, sustainability or digital performance.

Marasi Bay, meanwhile, is being reimagined as a mixed-use ultra-luxury ecosystem that combines high-end residential, commercial, hospitality, leisure and wellness assets in a single waterfront destination. Anchored by The Lana and Lana Residences, Dorchester Collection, Dubai, VELA and VELA Viento, the district is positioned to become a new focal point for UHNWIs seeking integrated, experience-driven urban living in the heart of Dubai.

This approach of treating real estate as a connected platform rather than a series of standalone projects is central to OMNIYAT’s playbook on how to attract and retain global capital in the long term.

Marasi Bay is being developed into an ultra-luxury waterfront district, anchored by The Lana, Lana Residences, VELA and VELA Viento

Outlook: global capital and the next phase of growth

Looking ahead, the fundamentals that have underpinned Dubai’s recent performance - pro-growth economic policy, world-class infrastructure and a deepening pool of affluent residents – remain firmly in place. UHNWIs and institutional investors continue to view the city as a hub for capital preservation and lifestyle enhancement.

To support the business’s expansion, OMNIYAT Group was launched in 2024 as a multi-branded platform spanning real estate, hospitality, commercial and technology. The Group’s strategy is to apply the same principles that defined OMNIYAT’s ultra-luxury success, namely design excellence, meticulous execution and a bespoke approach across a wider range of segments and geographies.

By broadening its portfolio in this way, OMNIYAT Group is building resilience into its business model while giving global investors a wider spectrum of exposure across the UAE’s real estate cycle, from bespoke ultra-prime assets to larger-scale, experience-driven communities.

In that context, OMNIYAT’s trajectory offers a useful case study in how specialised platforms can attract global capital into the UAE’s luxury real estate sector. By focusing on ultra-differentiated products, building a credible track record, and aligning growth with sustainability and governance expectations, the company has been able to access international investors at scale.

As the market enters its next phase, the competition for capital will intensify. Those developers that combine design-led differentiation with robust capital markets access and disciplined execution are likely to be the ones that set the pace. For now, OMNIYAT’s story suggests that there is still significant headroom for growth at the top end of Dubai’s real estate market – and that global investors are willing to back platforms that can consistently deliver “best-in-class, in every class.

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