IRHM, Your Global Window into Real Estate and Hospitality

August 18, 2026

Investment

The Dubai Land Department is launching Phase II of its Real Estate Tokenisation Project, allowing secondary market trading from 20 February 2026. This move transitions the project from a pilot stage to a regulated operational framework involving 7.8 million tokens. The initiative aims to enhance market liquidity and transparency while supporting the Dubai Real Estate Sector Strategy 2033. By enabling fractional ownership, Dubai is positioning itself as a global leader in property technology.

Harris County has approved the 83-acre Toro District in Bridgeland. This public-private partnership with the Houston Texans and Howard Hughes Communities includes a 22-acre team headquarters and training facility. The project features $150 million in infrastructure funding and aims to generate $34 billion in economic impact. Moving from NRG Stadium, the Texans seek a world-class environment for operations while providing new jobs and community resources for the growing northwest Houston corridor.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation has announced that Executive Chairman Thomas J. Pritzker is retiring with immediate effect. Mr Pritzker will also leave the Board of Directors this May. Mark S. Hoplamazian, Hyatt’s President and CEO, has been appointed to succeed him as Chairman. The transition follows Pritzker’s forty-year career with the company, during which he oversaw significant global growth. Mr Hoplamazian will now lead the Board while continuing his duties as Chief Executive.
Marriott Bonvoy has partnered with Bank Mandiri to launch its first co-branded credit card in Indonesia. This move marks the travel program’s debut in the Southeast Asian credit market and Bank Mandiri’s first collaboration with a global hospitality group. The card allows Indonesian travellers to accumulate points through daily spending, which can be redeemed across Marriott’s portfolio of 10,000 destinations.
Dubai-based AI lab Smart Bricks has secured $5 million in pre-seed funding led by Andreessen Horowitz. The startup is developing agentic AI infrastructure to automate the global real estate investment process. By processing millions of data points, the platform identifies high-value opportunities and handles underwriting in minutes rather than months. The company aims to provide retail and institutional investors with the same sophisticated tools used by major private equity firms.
JLL has named Mouhammad Takieddin as the new Regional Head and CEO for the Middle East and Africa. Based in Riyadh, Takieddin brings 25 years of experience from Procter & Gamble to lead JLL’s expansion into high-growth sectors including data centres and AI-driven facilities management. This strategic move strengthens the firm's leadership alongside existing regional heads while deepening its established ties with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

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