Permira, Blackstone inject $525m into Property Finder as UAE realty booms

Global private equity giants Permira and Blackstone Growth have jointly invested $525 million into Property Finder, the UAE's largest online real estate platform, in a move that underscores growing international confidence in the Gulf’s rapidly digitising property sector.

- Somshankar Bandyopadhyay

The investment, which represents a meaningful minority stake, also includes continued backing from General Atlantic, a longtime investor in Property Finder since 2018. The deal marks Permira’s first foray into the Middle East, following the opening of its Dubai office earlier this year, and is one of the largest private equity inflows into a digital company in the region.

Founded in 2007, Property Finder has grown into a cornerstone of the UAE’s real estate ecosystem, competing with platforms like Bayut and Dubizzle. The company plans to use the fresh capital to expand into Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar, and to enhance its Al-powered tools that streamline property search and transactions.

“This partnership represents a defining moment in our journey,” said Michael Lahyani, CEO and Founder of Property Finder. “With Permira and Blackstone joining General Atlantic, we are accelerating our mission to reshape real estate across the region through technology and innovation.”