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New kids on the block: inside Sotheby’s UK property arm as it makes a move on London

UK Sotheby's International Realty is making an ambitious move on London’s super-prime market. The man behind it explains the new sink-or-swim approach.

Having previously acquired the Sotheby’s real estate franchises for Dubai and Saudi Arabia, Azar took control of UK Sotheby’s International Realty in January 2023 and immediately set about transforming it. What was once a somewhat sleepy boutique with just a handful of agents and a modest share of the London market has been supercharged by Azar with a vast investment that has been used to unashamedly poach top agents from rival firms, luring them with lavish remuneration packages that far outstrip their deals with previous employers.

Source:Spear's23 January 2024

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Why Sotheby’s International Realty?

George Azar explains why he chose Sotheby’s International Realty, what the business’s early mistakes taught him and how his finance background shaped its direction.

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From Finance to Luxury Real Estate: The Career Change I Never Planned

George Azar reflects on how a career in private banking and asset management shaped his move into luxury real estate.