Michael Lahyani

Founder and CEO, Propertyfinder

Having identified a gap in the property advertising market in Dubai way back in 2005, Michael Lahyani moved from Switzerland to Dubai to start Al Bab World, a property print magazine which paved the way for online portal Property Finder to launch in 2007. The site, which connects developers, property brokers, house hunters and renters, has expanded rapidly across the region and currently operates in seven markets, including Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt, and Morocco.

It also has a significant stake in the second-largest property portal in Turkey. Lahyani was also the first UAE entrepreneur to be taken on by nonprofit accelerator Endeavor.