Dubai, United Arab Emirates — Alya, a newly launched residential development platform backed by Brookfield and Abu Dhabi's Lunate, has set up its regional headquarters in Dubai International Financial Centre, the base from which it intends to build premium homes across the Gulf.
DIFC announced the move on November 3, presenting Alya as an institutional platform for high-end housing projects in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. The company framed its vision around institutional discipline, craft and homes meant to last for generations.
Brookfield is described in the announcement as a leading global investment firm. Lunate is described as an independent global investment firm headquartered in Abu Dhabi, with more than $125 billion in assets under management, according to the release.
Alya is owned and governed by institutions, the company said, and pairs development practices drawn from international markets with close relationships in the region. It plans to be deliberately selective, putting the quality of each project ahead of the number of units it delivers and holding every scheme to the same standards from first concept to final handover.
The platform is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA), the independent body that oversees financial services carried out in or from DIFC. The DFSA's public register lists the entity as Alya Residential Development Capital Management Ltd, a DIFC company licensed on August 4, 2026, for Managing a Collective Investment Fund.
The license covers managing investment funds rather than construction itself. That structure suggests Alya could hold and finance its projects through funds open to professional investors.
According to DIFC, the location places the platform inside an internationally recognized financial and regulatory environment while it builds out its operations across the GCC.
Otto Dreyer, Chief Executive Officer of Alya, said: “With the backing of Brookfield and Lunate, we are building a development platform held to institutional standards of governance and transparency. We are pleased to launch Alya with the opening of our office in DIFC.”
Salmaan Jaffery, Chief Business Development Officer of DIFC Authority, stated: “DIFC continues to attract globally backed businesses that choose Dubai as the base for their long-term regional growth. Alya’s decision to establish its regional headquarters in the Centre reflects the depth of DIFC’s institutional ecosystem and its ability to connect businesses with the capital, expertise and partnerships needed to grow across the region. We look forward to supporting Alya as it builds its presence in DIFC and advances its ambitions across the GCC.”
The two backers have teamed up on Gulf housing before. In May 2025, Brookfield and Lunate launched a joint venture with expected equity of $1 billion to develop build-to-sell and opportunistic buy-to-sell residential assets in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other regional markets, staffed by its own dedicated team.
Ellawn, Brookfield's managing partner and regional head, said at the time that the venture took the firm into high-quality residential real estate on the back of a rising population looking for premium properties.
The Abu Dhabi firm has built a series of tie-ups with large global managers, with relationships spanning BlackRock, Blackstone, Brookfield and CVC Capital Partners.
Alya joins a financial center that reported 10,018 active registered companies at the end of June 2026, including 592 wealth and asset management firms.
