Dubai and Abu Dhabi have become important destinations for international property investors, attracting buyers, entrepreneurs and professionals from across the world. As interest in the UAE real estate market continues to cross borders, professionals with international experience and an understanding of different markets are helping clients navigate property decisions with greater confidence.
From advising American investors on UAE opportunities to building property businesses across Canada and the Emirates, these professionals bring different backgrounds, strategies and perspectives to the industry.
UAE Stories highlights five International real estate professionals whose work reflects the increasingly international nature of property investment and advisory services.
1. Ghada “GG” Benitez: Connecting American Investors With UAE Real Estate
Ghada “GG” Benitez has built her professional identity around international property investment, combining real estate credentials in California and Dubai with an academic background in economics.
A California-licensed REALTOR®, Dubai RERA-licensed broker and Certified International Property Specialist, Benitez advises American and international investors exploring real estate opportunities in the UAE. Her work brings together an understanding of investment principles, cross-border considerations and the needs of clients navigating different property markets.
She serves as Executive Director of Global Markets at Realty Executives Dillon in California and as an Associate Director with Prime Capital Realty in Dubai. She is also the CEO of GG Benitez International.
Beyond property transactions, Benitez hosts The Dubai Connect® Podcast, a platform focused on Dubai real estate and its wider investment landscape. Her work reflects the growing importance of connecting international audiences with informed perspectives on the UAE property market.
2. Steve: Bringing More Than Two Decades of Real Estate Experience to Dubai
With more than 20 years of experience in real estate, Steve has worked across Paris and Dubai, navigating complex transactions and strategic investment projects.
His approach centres on personalised advice, understanding individual client objectives and developing solutions suited to each investment’s requirements. Rather than treating every transaction as a standard process, he emphasises the importance of building strategies around clients’ ambitions, timelines and expectations.
Steve’s professional philosophy also highlights the value of long-term relationships, innovation and trust. Whether managing a strategic investment or a fast-moving transaction, his stated objective is to create value throughout the process while maintaining a human-centred approach.
His experience across two major international cities provides a foundation for understanding how different markets, client expectations and investment objectives can shape real estate decisions.
3. Simran: Building a Wealth Strategy Across Canada and the UAE
With a professional journey spanning India, Canada and the UAE, Simran represents a cross-border perspective on property and wealth strategy.
Through Treysta Real Estate and Treysta Abu Dhabi, Simran is building a presence in the UAE property market, with a brand positioning focused on wealth strategy without unnecessary complexity.
The emphasis on a considered, strategy-led approach offers a different perspective on property investment. For buyers and investors, real estate decisions can involve more than selecting a property: they may also require careful consideration of financial objectives, market exposure and long-term plans.
Simran’s work across the Treysta platforms reflects an interest in connecting property opportunities with broader wealth-building goals. The businesses provide the foundation for this international approach, with Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE forming an important part of the professional focus.
4. Raphael Roufail: Combining Property, Relocation and Visual Storytelling
Raphael Roufail brings together real estate, professional athlete relocation and filmmaking, creating a profile that extends beyond conventional property brokerage.
His real estate presence, under Raphael Estates, sits alongside connections with Sotheby’s International Realty, Lara Benefit and Streak Dial, as listed in his professional social media profile.
The combination of relocation and property services points to an area of real estate that requires an understanding of clients’ wider circumstances. For professional athletes and internationally mobile individuals, a property decision can form part of a much larger transition involving lifestyle, location and professional commitments.
His filmmaking background also adds a creative dimension to his professional identity. In a market where presentation and visual communication are important, the ability to tell a compelling story can help properties and destinations connect with international audiences.
Further details about his markets, brokerage role and specific relocation services would help establish the full scope of his work.
5. Mozhgan Alketabi: Building a Strong Presence in Canada’s Residential Market
Mozhgan Alketabi operates in Canada’s Greater Toronto Area residential property market, working with buyers and sellers through Royal LePage and the SW Group.
Her professional profile identifies her among the top 1% of REALTORS® nationally for 2024 and 2025, alongside membership in the SW Group Royal LePage Chairman’s Club.
These distinctions highlight a track record that can be relevant to clients navigating residential property decisions in a competitive market. Buying or selling a home involves more than the transaction itself; it also requires an understanding of client priorities, market conditions and the decisions that influence a property’s value and appeal.
While her current profile centres on the Canadian market rather than directly establishing a UAE real estate role, her inclusion offers an opportunity to examine the wider international network of property professionals and the different markets in which they operate.
A Global Perspective on Real Estate
International property investment increasingly brings together professionals with different backgrounds, market knowledge and approaches to client service. From Dubai-focused cross-border advisory to established residential sales in Canada, these five profiles illustrate the range of experience found across today’s real estate industry.
Their professional journeys also underline an important distinction: international experience can take many forms, from holding credentials in multiple jurisdictions to advising investors across borders or building expertise in a specific national market.
For UAE Stories, the broader story is how real estate professionals are adapting to clients whose ambitions, financial interests and property decisions increasingly extend beyond a single country.
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