International real estate advisor Savills has further strengthened its management team in the UAE and wider Middle East with a key promotion and new hire.

Shane Breen has been elevated to the position of Head of Sharjah and Northern Emirates after having spent 15 years within the Savills UAE business, reinforcing Savills position as the only established International Real Estate Advisor in Sharjah and the Northern Emirates.

With over 35 years in the UAE, Shane has witnessed several market cycles which has enabled him to build extensive experience in the industry. He has worked across different markets within the Middle East in various functions, from property management to commercial agency. In his most recent job role at Savills, he specialised in commercial valuation services and advisory across a range of asset classes, servicing clients including governments, private investors, and developers.

In his new role, Shane will be responsible for managing Savills current portfolio in Sharjah and the Northern Emirates and will identify and secure emerging opportunities in these markets.

Shane Breen said of his promotion, “I feel proud to have been part of the Savills business for all these years and am excited to lead the Northern Emirates business at a time where the markets are undergoing great change. These markets are unique and with the existing and upcoming enhancements to policies planned, they’re set to benefit further, with real estate and tourism becoming major drivers of growth.” 

Stephen Forbes joins Savills as Head of Abu Dhabi. He has 30 years of global real estate experience across all aspects of commercial and residential property from valuation to strategic consulting to agency services. Stephen has spent the last 10 years of these in Abu Dhabi working with companies such as Al Fahim group, TDIC and Mubadala.

In his new role, Stephen’s primary focus will be to support the daily operations and client management in Abu Dhabi. Stephen will enable teams to deliver best in class advisory, property management, and agency services to clients, and collaborate closely with the regional business to enhance business opportunities.

Speaking on the appointment, Stephen Forbes said, I’m delighted to joins Savills and look forward to working with some of the brightest minds in the industry, regionally and globally. Savills is known for its extensive range of real estate services that are further supported by its global network and I look forward to combining this with my industry knowledge and experience to drive more value for our current and future clients.

Speaking on the leadership team announcements, Steven Morgan, CEO - Middle East at Savills said, “Shane’s commitment to the business through the years has been inspiring for all of us and we are extremely confident in his ability to further strengthen and expand operations in Sharjah and the Northern Emirates.  

“Stephen’s appointment underpins our commitment to enhance our presence in the UAE capital. He brings extensive asset and property management experience which will support our growing portfolio of commercial assets under management in Abu Dhabi.

“These are exciting times at Savills. We’re very excited for the next phase of growth underway within the business and look forward to the support of our new senior management team in achieving results.”