Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Announces Emaar Properties as Recipient of the Dubai-it Award for Institutions in the Field of Real Estate

A closer look at the recognition, the achievements behind it and the questions buyers should ask before choosing a Dubai property.

Dubai property conversations often begin with a launch price, a payment plan or a striking rendering. Yet a home takes shape through something less visible: the developer's ability to turn plans into a functioning community. Emaar's latest recognition brings that part of the conversation into focus.

On 2 November 2026, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum announced Emaar Properties as the recipient of the Dubai-it Award for Institutions in the Field of Real Estate. Gulf News reported the announcement, which was also published by Dubai's Protocol Department and Emirates News Agency, WAM.

What did Emaar win?

The award recognises Emaar's approach across development, delivery, management and service quality. The announcement highlights speed, high standards and attention to detail, alongside the creation of major destinations. This is company-level recognition; it is not an award for one apartment building or a particular launch.

What is the Dubai-it approach?

The Dubai-it initiative, introduced by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, promotes turning ambitious ideas into tangible results. Its annual award recognises individuals, projects, institutions and companies that demonstrate exceptional execution with quality and speed.

Emaar: a Dubai story built over decades

Incorporated in 1997 and headquartered in Dubai, Emaar Properties has grown alongside the city's development. Mohamed Alabbar is its founder, and the company is listed on the Dubai Financial Market. Its business extends across property development, retail, hospitality, leisure and entertainment. Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and Dubai Fountain are among its landmark destinations.

That breadth helps explain the significance of the award. Emaar's work is visible at several scales: the individual home, the residential community and the destination that welcomes visitors from around the world. The recognition brings those activities together under one theme: turning ambitious plans into places people can use and experience.

How Emaar earned this recognition

The award announcement points to a combination of delivery, quality, operational management and continuous development. It does not describe a single winning design or a one-off achievement. The evidence presented is a sustained ability to undertake major developments while also managing established destinations.

Our assessment is that the achievement rests on three connected strengths. First is the capacity to manage a substantial development pipeline. Second is attention to the experience of residents and visitors after construction. Third is continued investment in existing places, so that the developer's responsibility extends beyond launching new projects.

Dedication expressed through systems and people

In its full-year 2025 results announcement, Emaar describes a focus on design, customer satisfaction, timely delivery and community experiences. It also reports investment in leadership development, professional certifications and Emirati empowerment programmes. The company says it uses technology to improve operational efficiency and reduce development time, alongside cost control and quality priorities. These are Emaar's own descriptions of its approach.

For a development business, dedication becomes meaningful when it shapes repeatable working practices. A plan needs coordinated teams, decisions made at the right time and follow-through as a project moves towards delivery. The award's emphasis on both speed and quality matters because a strong outcome requires those priorities to work together.

Renewing landmarks while keeping destinations active

The five-month Dubai Fountain renovation provides a tangible example. According to the official announcement, Dubai Mall and Downtown Dubai continued offering visitor experiences during the works. The project illustrates ongoing investment in a destination already familiar to residents and tourists.

Our reading is that this example demonstrates a broader commitment to renewal. Maintaining a destination's appeal requires attention after opening day: assets need upkeep, services need coordination and experiences need refreshing. For property owners, that long-term perspective is a useful part of the discussion about community quality.

Commercial scale alongside an operating track record

Separately from the award figures, Emaar reported AED 80.4 billion in property sales and AED 49.6 billion in revenue for the full year 2025. Those are group-level financial measures for a specified year, rather than a measure of the return earned by an individual property buyer.

Commercial scale provides context for the organisation behind the projects. The most useful takeaway, however, is to connect its wider reputation with the details of the home being considered. A respected development brand and a well-chosen property should be assessed together.

Why the story matters

For a buyer, execution connects the promise in a brochure with the experience of living in a property. Construction, access, amenities and ongoing management all deserve attention. Our reading of this announcement is that it puts the delivery process at the centre of the story, giving buyers a useful starting point for more detailed questions.

THE ACHIEVEMENTS BEHIND THE ANNOUNCEMENT

From Ambition to Delivery

The official announcement cites 62 project launches and more than 12,000 residential deliveries within a single year. It also highlights the Dubai Fountain's five-month renovation and maintenance programme, and 111 million Dubai Mall visitors in a single year.

The achievements behind Emaar's Dubai-it recognition

Emaar's recognition is supported by examples spanning new developments, residential handovers and the continued renewal of established destinations. Together, these achievements illustrate the scale of its work across Dubai's property and visitor economy.

Reporting periods: the award announcement does not specify the exact year behind the launches, deliveries or Dubai Mall footfall. The AED 80.4 billion property-sales figure is explicitly for full-year 2025. These measures should not be combined as a single 2026 performance total.

What the award figures demonstrate

Source: official award announcement. These measures describe different activities and are not added together.

A clearer view of Emaar's business growth

Group property sales rose from AED 40.3 billion in 2023 to AED 80.4 billion in 2025. Emaar reported 16% growth in 2025 over 2024. Sales represent commercial activity and should not be read as completed handovers.

Group revenue increased from AED 35.5 billion in 2024 to AED 49.6 billion in 2025, with Emaar reporting 40% growth. Revenue and property sales are separate accounting and business measures.

Financial performance at a glance

Sources: Emaar's full-year 2024 and 2025 releases. The 2024 sales figure uses the AED 69.5bn comparator in the 2025 release; the 2024 release rounded sales to approximately AED 70bn. Growth percentages are company-reported and rounded. These group figures do not measure individual property investment returns.

A destination is more than its buildings

The announcement references communities including Dubai Hills Estate, Emaar Beachfront, Emaar South, Downtown Dubai, Arabian Ranches, Dubai Marina and The Valley. Its emphasis extends beyond construction to destinations, services and the visitor experience.

For buyers, that suggests a practical way to assess a community: look beyond the unit itself. Consider how daily journeys work, which facilities are available at handover, and how common areas will be operated. Attractive architecture is one part of a much longer ownership experience.

What the award tells us - and its limits

In our assessment, the award adds to Emaar's reputation for execution. It does not provide a valuation of an individual home. The cited figures also describe different activities: a project launch is not a completed project, and residential handovers are a separate measure. Reading them separately keeps the story accurate.

The announcement does not establish that property prices or rents will rise because of the award. Any view on investment performance needs evidence from the particular property and its market, rather than an assumption based on recognition alone.

BUYER TAKEAWAYS & FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What Should Buyers Ask Next?

Use the recognition as a reason to investigate the developer and the project in more detail. A useful property comparison should answer four questions:

Is the price competitive? Compare similar homes by location, size, condition and completion status. A recognised developer's name does not replace a property-level price comparison.

What will ownership cost? Review the purchase costs, financing terms where applicable, expected service charges and the cost of maintaining or letting the home.

What is the delivery position? Check the project's current status, contractual handover terms and which amenities are included. Distinguish planned facilities from those already operating.

Does it fit your purpose? An end user and a landlord may value the same home differently. Set your priorities for living, holding period, rental demand and eventual resale.

Frequently asked questions

When was Emaar established?
Emaar Properties was incorporated in 1997 and is headquartered in Dubai.

How does Emaar describe its dedication to improvement?
Its 2025 results announcement identifies customer experience, talent development, technology, operational efficiency and sustainability as priorities. These are company-reported practices.

Who announced Emaar's award, and when?
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed announced it on 2 November 2026.

Was the award for a specific Emaar project?
No specific development is named as the winner. The recipient is Emaar Properties, recognised for its wider approach to development, delivery and operations.

Are the 62 launches and 12,000-plus deliveries 2026 figures?
The official announcement describes a single-year period without naming the reporting year. They should not be presented as confirmed 2026 totals.

Does this guarantee returns or on-time handover?
The announcement contains no such guarantee. Assess expected returns and delivery terms separately for the property you are considering.

M R ONE Properties: No. 1 at Emaar's H1 Broker Awards 2026

M R One Properties was officially named the No. 1 Ranked Brokerage Agency (Number 1 Broker Award) in the UAE at Emaar's H1 2026 Broker Awards. The recognition relates specifically to Emaar's broker rankings for the first half of 2026 and reflects the agency's sales performance across Emaar's portfolio during that period.

For buyers exploring Emaar properties in Dubai, this recognition adds context to M R ONE Properties' experience with the developer's portfolio. The Dubai real estate agency works with clients considering luxury apartments, villas and off-plan properties in Dubai, helping them compare options against their budget, preferred community and ownership goals.

Explore Emaar properties in Dubai with M R ONE Properties

Whether you are researching Dubai Hills Estate properties, Downtown Dubai apartments, Dubai Creek Harbour homes or Emaar Beachfront residences, begin with the details of the particular development. M R ONE Properties can help you discuss available Emaar apartments and villas, payment plans, community features and the commitments attached to an off-plan property purchase.

Visit M R ONE Properties to explore Dubai property opportunities, or read about the agency's No. 1 ranking at Emaar's H1 Broker Awards 2026.

View Emaar communities and projects

Explore community details and listed properties with M R ONE Properties.

Contact M R ONE Properties

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