Building with purpose: Five imperatives for shaping the cities of the future in the GCC

Learned a lot lending an editorial hand here:

PwC Strategy&, March 2026

by Marwan Bejjani, Elias Karam, Jean Aboueid, and Saad Iskandarani



Saudi Arabia’s giga developments, the repurposing of Qatar’s World Cup infrastructure, and other ambitious projects show that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have embarked on unprecedented visions of urban development. They are investing US$1 trillion to bring these visions to fruition. The returns they reap, however, will be determined not just by the magnitude of investment or dramatic new skylines, but by the long-term resilience and prosperity of the region’s cities. To meet the urban challenge, the GCC’s construction sector and government decision-makers need to consider five interrelated tensions. Each tension puts a different kind of pressure on cities. Read the rest here.

How to unlock your residential sales strategy to win in tomorrow’s market

Learned a lot lending an editorial hand here:

PwC Strategy&, June 2025

by Karim Abdallah, Joe Rached, Zahi Awad, and Maria Geagea




The surge in integrated mega projects in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is heating up competition among residential real estate developers. Value propositions offering homebuyers distinctive designs and long lists of amenities have become commonplace. Developers need to find new ways to differentiate themselves from competitors, attract buyers, and optimize financial results. In this environment, a winning sales strategy is crucial for both survival and success.

The strong market for high-end residential real estate in the GCC countries is driven in large part by domestic demand for “branded” properties (built in alliance with a famous brand) and rising expatriate homeownership. During 2024, for example, the Saudi residential real estate market recorded a 38 percent increase in transaction volume and a 35 percent rise in transaction value.

The inventory needed to meet this demand is coming soon. Our review of new project announcements in locales such as Diriyah and the Red Sea, and by such developers as Dar Al Arkan and Roshn, shows that a substantial increase in residential units is in the works.

The challenge now facing developers is that many of them are targeting the same pool of middle- to high-income homebuyers. As more and more homes come onto the market, the features and amenities they offer will become increasingly commoditized—providing less opportunity for differentiation. Consequently, competition among developers will intensify.

Developers that want to win in this increasingly competitive residential real estate marketplace need to formulate and execute a sales strategy that strikes the optimal balance of pricing, financing, marketing, and differentiation to drive demand, move buyers through the sales funnel, and deliver sustained growth in an evolving market. This strategy should make full use of innovative tools and approaches, such as digital tokenization, which enhances the liquidity of real estate investments and brings more buyers to market.

A sales strategy for residential real estate developers needs to define the developer’s sales objectives and targets, the value proposition needed to achieve those objectives, the sales operating model, and the enablers that support the execution of the strategy (read the rest here).