Christie's Real Estate Expands UAE Operations with Abu Dhabi Office Launch

Christie’s International Real Estate Abu Dhabi opened for business under the ownership of Jackie Johns and Dinesh Chhatwani, the same pair who operate the brand’s 2025 Affiliate of the Year in Dubai. The new agency extends their existing footprint across Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah into a market where luxury property transactions have accelerated sharply.

The move reflects a calculated read on Abu Dhabi’s fundamentals. Johns and Chhatwani arrive with established credentials and, by their own account, a clear view of where the emirate is headed.

“We’ve had a front-row seat to the extraordinary evolution of luxury real estate in the UAE, and we believe Abu Dhabi is entering a defining period,” Johns said. “What is happening here isn’t merely an extension of Dubai’s growth or a short-term market cycle. Abu Dhabi has its own powerful fundamentals. The market is exceptionally strong today, but the long-term opportunity is what makes it so compelling.”

Abu Dhabi’s real estate sector has benefited from substantial demographic and economic shifts. The emirate has emerged as a major hub for financial institutions and multinational corporations, driving growth in the high-net-worth population. That concentration of capital and corporate activity has supported the record pace of property transactions observed in recent periods.

Meanwhile, the market’s expansion extends well beyond residential and commercial deals. Abu Dhabi has committed to significant cultural and entertainment investments designed to broaden its economic base. Louvre Abu Dhabi and Zayed National Museum are already complete. Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, a Disney theme park, and a Sphere entertainment venue are in various stages of development or planning. Ferrari World is operational. Taken together, these projects reflect a deliberate strategy to position the emirate as a destination for tourism, culture, and leisure spending, a shift that tends to attract exactly the kind of internationally mobile, high-net-worth buyers Christie’s targets.

Helena Moyas de Forton, Managing Director for EMEA and APAC at Christie’s International Real Estate, framed the launch in direct terms. “Jackie and Dinesh have created one of the most sophisticated offerings for luxury real estate sales and advisory services in the Gulf,” she said. “Bringing that experience to a market with Abu Dhabi’s trajectory creates an extraordinary opportunity for their clients and the Christie’s International Real Estate network.”

The new operation is positioned to serve high-net-worth individuals and institutional investors active in Abu Dhabi’s property market. Johns and Chhatwani’s track record in Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah suggests they have built the operational infrastructure and market relationships the Abu Dhabi environment demands.

Whether Abu Dhabi’s record transaction pace holds as major cultural and entertainment projects move from announcement to completion will be the real test of the timing. Prospective clients and partners can find further information at christiesrealestate.com.