Rapid Changes in commercial real estate values and risk require increased sector specialisation

The increasing economic openness and diversification strategies, and the rise of many ambitious infrastructure and development projects across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are accelerating the demand for value and risk advisory services in the region, according to JLL, a leading professional services firm specialised in real estate, investment management, and development consultancy services.

As the non-oil economy in the region continues to grow with increased government investments across a multitude of sectors, both investors and lenders will benefit from technology-enabled and data-driven insights on critical risk factors to maintain strong overall asset quality and quantify future impact on value. High-quality value and risk advisory services are also critical to support the region’s continued economic resilience and accelerated growth.

Tim Millard, Executive Director, Head of Value & Risk Advisory MENA at JLL, who was recently appointed to his role, said: “JLL has introduced an innovative sector-specific valuations structure to enhance client value. We have departed from the traditional valuations structure, adopting a pioneering approach that leverages sector-specific teams led by experienced valuers. This strategic shift aims to deliver even greater value to our clients by providing tailored and comprehensive expertise across various industry segments. By harnessing the power of niche expertise, JLL is committed to delivering exceptional service, insights, and outcomes for our clients across all real estate sectors.”

The real estate risk landscape is constantly evolving, amid inflationary pressures, higher interest rates, and geopolitical risks. With USD 1.7 trillion asset values across EMEA, developers, investors, and lenders require real-time, sector-led advice to monitor risk and value shifts and identify or capitalise on new investment opportunities. Leveraging client data with market insights will help quantify the impact of cash flow, market movements, climate change, and sustainability, and enable stakeholders to make informed decisions and manage portfolio value and risks effectively.

Family offices, banks, investors, investment banks, developers, landowners, conglomerates, corporations, and government entities are among the beneficiaries who will gain from high-quality value and risk advisory services across a wide spectrum of asset classes. From ensuring regulatory compliance and financial reporting requirements to optimising asset management and portfolio and support on transactions, litigation, and legal issues, value and risk experts with sector expertise in the MENA region can empower real estate stakeholders significantly, including by helping maximise returns on investment.

Members of JLL’s Value & Risk Advisory MENA team were recently recognised for their exceptional capabilities by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in their 2024 audit results. This recognition validates the team’s excellent performance and expertise in delivering high-quality services.

Profession Support & Assurance Technical Specialist, RICS, said: “JLL as a whole has always taken a highly professional attitude to the review process and is very responsive to direction from RICS. JLL has a very regimented way of operating and all the valuers use the same systems, the same templates and go through the same quality assurance procedure. The consistency between the valuers was striking and is exactly what we want to see when reviewing large firms. I think people can underestimate how difficult that level of consistency is to achieve within a firm, particularly with a large team, so I really commend you on that.”

JLL’s network of 2,400+ value and risk advisory experts across 35 countries combine local insight with global perspective to offer real-time risk and valuation advice to help spot new opportunities, unlock hidden value and reduce risk in real estate. JLL’s tailored advisory solutions address the unique needs of the MENA market, enabling clients to optimise their investments and contribute to the region's sustainable development.