From $500 to CEO: Zeina Khoury's High Mark Real Estate Story

The Bet That Built a Business

In 2009, the Dubai property market was in freefall. The global financial crisis had gutted valuations, choked off transactions, and pushed many brokerages to the edge. That was the moment Zeina Khoury chose to buy one.

Khoury acquired High Mark Real Estate Brokers at what most would call the worst possible time — and with almost nothing in the bank. The number she puts on it: $500. What followed is one of the more remarkable turnaround stories in the UAE's real estate industry.

Building a Luxury Specialist from the Ground Up

High Mark Real Estate Brokers is today positioned as a specialist in luxury property sales and management across the UAE. That clarity of focus — premium properties, serious buyers, high-touch service — didn't happen by accident. It was a deliberate strategic choice, carved out during years when the market forced every operator to decide exactly who they were building for.

As CEO and Chief Growth Officer, Khoury has steered the company from a crisis-era acquisition into one of the most recognised names in the local luxury segment. The dual title matters: the CEO keeps the business running, and the Chief Growth Officer keeps it moving forward.

Why Episode One

We launched Dubai Stars to put the spotlight on the founders and operators quietly shaping the business landscape here — the people whose stories rarely make the mainstream press but whose decisions ripple across entire industries.

Khoury was the natural choice for Episode 1. Her journey captures something true about Dubai's entrepreneurial character: the willingness to move toward risk when others are moving away from it, and the discipline to build something lasting once you do.

What This Episode Covers

• The decision to acquire a struggling brokerage during a market collapse

• How she repositioned High Mark around luxury and premium property management

• The leadership principles that drove the company's turnaround

• What it actually takes to compete — and win — in the UAE's most competitive real estate segment

Hear the Full Story

The numbers and the title only tell part of it. The thinking behind the bet, the early years of the turnaround, and what Khoury has learned about building a business in Dubai — that's all in the episode. Hit play below, and if her story resonates with yours, we'd love to have you on the show too. [Apply to be a Dubai Stars guest](#) and let's tell it.