Aldar completes sale of Mamsha Gardens residential building to Gaw Capital partners for AED586mln
The deal - which marks GAW Capital Partners' first investment in the UAE - highlights Abu Dhabi's appeal as a leading destination amongst international investors
The 71-unit residential building at Mamsha Gardens is located within Saadiyat Cultural District
Abu Dhabi, UAE: Aldar Properties ('Aldar') has agreed the sale of a residential building at Mamsha Gardens for a total consideration of AED 586 million to Hong Kong-based real estate private equity firm, GAW Capital Partners. The transaction is the firm's first investment in the UAE and reflects the appeal of the Abu Dhabi property market, Saadiyat Cultural District, and Aldar's residential portfolio amongst international investors.
Located within Saadiyat Cultural District, the building – one of seven at Mamsha Gardens - comprises 71 apartments and townhouses with a total sellable area of over 16,000 sqm.
Growing interest from Asia-based investors highlights the strong demand for Abu Dhabi real estate amongst international buyers, supported by Aldar's sustained engagement with this investor base to showcase high-quality developments, attractive investment opportunities, and refined customer experience. Chinese and Hong Kong based buyers accounted for AED 1.5 billion of Aldar's total UAE development sales in 2024, representing more than a 30-fold increase compared to 2022. The strong momentum continued into the first quarter of 2025, with AED 1.3 billion in sales already recorded. This sharp acceleration reflects rising demand from both overseas and resident Chinese and Hong Kong buyers, and underscores Abu Dhabi's increasing appeal to a strategically important and emerging segment of international investors.
Commenting on this transaction, Rashed Al Omaira, Acting Director General of Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC), said: 'Abu Dhabi continues to strengthen its position as a preferred destination for international real estate investment, driven by a robust regulatory framework, economic stability, and a growing pipeline of high-quality assets. The entry of new global investors reflects the maturing landscape of the emirate's real estate sector and highlights the confidence in Abu Dhabi as a long-term, value-driven market.'
Talal Al Dhiyebi, Group Chief Executive Officer at Aldar, commented: 'This transaction underscores the strength of Aldar's development platform and the growing appeal of Abu Dhabi's increasingly mature real estate market to global investors - in the first quarter of 2025, 87% of Aldar's UAE sales came from international buyers.
'The entry of Gaw Capital Partners, a leading Asia-based investor – making its first investment in the UAE – reflects Abu Dhabi's economic growth expectations and its status as a go-to investment destination, where value continues to be driven by robust economic fundamentals, attractive demographics and high-quality assets.'
Christina Gaw, Managing Principal, Global Head of Capital Markets and Co-Chair of Alternative Investments at Gaw Capital Partners, said: 'We are thrilled to announce Gaw Capital Partners' first deal in Abu Dhabi with the acquisition of a residential building at Mamsha Gardens. This landmark investment reflects our positive view of the dynamic Middle East market, its potential for growth and innovation, and our trust in Aldar as a leading UAE developer. We are committed to leveraging our expertise to drive value creation and sustainable development in the region.'
The transaction demonstrates Aldar's continued ability to partner with an increasingly diverse range of international players and attract international capital flows across its platform. This follows a series of major capital inflows into Abu Dhabi's real estate sector, including Aldar's landmark US$1.4 billion strategic partnership with Apollo Global Management in 2022.
Supported by a growing population, pro-business environment and an attract expatriate lifestyle, these investments have reinforced the emirate's position as a key gateway for global institutional capital. Moreover, it reflects the sustained and growing confidence in the UAE's real estate sector and Aldar's ability to deliver scale, quality, and long-term and sustainable value across its platform.
Due to the demand for Mamsha Gardens, Aldar is now releasing the 7th building for sale. Given its location in Abu Dhabi's most in demand destination, the building presents an attractive opportunity for investors targeting the short-term rental segment, with Aldar providing an optional management service for owners. The development is located within walking distance of Mamsha Al Saadiyat and Saadiyat Grove offering proximity to key cultural landmarks such as Louvre Abu Dhabi, as well as access to premium retail, hospitality, and leisure amenities.
Sales of the units will launch on 14 May for all nationalities. Interested buyers can visit Aldar's Sales Centre at Aldar Square or the Aldar Sales Centre in Dubai, next to Kite Beach on Jumeirah Beach Road. Customers can also reach out via email at customermanagement@aldar.com or call 800-ALDAR (800-25327).
About Aldar
Aldar is the leading real estate developer, manager, and investor in Abu Dhabi, with a growing presence across the United Arab Emirates, the Middle East and North Africa, and Europe. The company has two core business segments, Aldar Development and Aldar Investment.
Aldar Development is a master developer of a 62 million sqm strategic landbank, creating integrated and thriving communities across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ras Al Khaimah's most desirable destinations. The delivery of Aldar's developments is managed by Aldar Projects, which is also a key partner of the Abu Dhabi government in delivering housing and infrastructure projects across the UAE's capital. Internationally, Aldar Development wholly owns UK real estate developer London Square, as well as a majority stake in leading Egyptian real estate development company, SODIC.
Aldar Investment houses a core asset management business comprising a portfolio of more than AED 46 billion worth of investment-grade and income-generating real estate assets diversified across retail, residential, commercial, logistics, and hospitality segments. It manages four core platforms: Aldar Investment Properties, Aldar Hospitality, Aldar Education, and Aldar Estates.
About Gaw Capital Partners
Gaw Capital Partners is a uniquely positioned private equity fund management company focusing on real estate markets in Asia Pacific and other high barrier-to-entry markets globally.
Specializing in adding strategic value to under-utilized real estate through redesign and re-positioning, the firm's investments span the entire spectrum of real estate sectors, including residential development, commercial offices, retail malls, hospitality, logistics warehouses and IDC projects.
Since its inception in 2005, Gaw Capital has raised seven commingled funds targeting Asia Pacific regions. The firm also manages value-add/opportunistic funds in the US, a Pan-Asia hospitality fund, a European Hospitality Fund, a Growth Equity Fund, and it also provides services for credit investments and separate account direct investments globally.
Gaw Capital has raised equity of US$23.8 billion since 2005 and commanded assets of US$34.4 billion under management as of Q4 2024.
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