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Thimar Al Arabiya
Founded in 2008 and based in Riyadh, Thimar Al Arabiya serves as the single-family office for Yousef Al-Shelash. The firm deploys capital primarily through...
Thimar Al Arabiya
Founded in 2008 and based in Riyadh, Thimar Al Arabiya serves as the single-family office for Yousef Al-Shelash. The firm deploys capital primarily through direct real estate development, often partnering with international luxury hospitality and fashion brands to create residential and mixed-use projects across the Middle East and North Africa. The office operates a dual strategy: direct development of branded luxury real estate and a diversified holding-company portfolio. Its development arm, executed largely through the publicly-listed Dar Global—where Al-Shelash is a major shareholder—has launched projects co-branded with Trump, Missoni, Pagani, and W Hotels. Confirmed positions include Trump Tower Jeddah, the $4 billion AIDA master-planned community in Oman developed with the Trump Organization, DaVinci Tower by Pagani in Dubai, and Urban Oasis by Missoni in Dubai. The holding-company portfolio extends into automotive dealerships, including the Al Jazirah Vehicles Agencies, and interests in banking and insurance across the GCC. The firm operates from its Riyadh base with project-specific teams across the GCC, Oman, Jordan, and Bosnia—where its Sidra residential development is located. In May 2024, Dar Global and the Trump Organization formally broke ground on Trump International Oman, a $4 billion integrated tourism complex 30 minutes from Muscat that includes a golf course, hotels, and thousands of residential units, signaling the Al-Shelash network's deepening bet on branded luxury as an asset class. Thimar Al Arabiya's architecture differs from most Gulf family offices in its reliance on publicly-listed operating platforms rather than purely private holding structures. Dar Global—listed on the London Stock Exchange—serves as the primary real estate deployment vehicle, giving the office a semi-public governance layer that most single-family offices lack. This structure allows the Al-Shelash family to access international capital markets for project financing while retaining operational control.
General information
Firm type
Single Family Office
Year founded
2008
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
Middle East
Country
Saudi Arabia
City
Riyadh
Corporate office
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Principals
Yousef Al-Shelash
Founder & Chairman
Sachin Sharma
CEO
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who controls investment decisions at Thimar Al Arabiya?
Yousef Al-Shelash, the founder and chairman, maintains control over the family office's strategic capital allocation. Day-to-day operations and execution are led by CEO Sachin Sharma. The office does not publicly disclose an investment committee structure or formal delegation of authority.
How is Thimar Al Arabiya related to Dar Global?
Dar Global is the publicly-listed real estate development platform through which Thimar Al Arabiya and the Al-Shelash family execute their largest branded luxury projects. Yousef Al-Shelash is a major shareholder in Dar Global, and the London Stock Exchange-listed company serves as the primary deployment vehicle for the family's international real estate development strategy, including Trump-branded projects in Oman and Saudi Arabia.
What is the scope of the partnership with the Trump Organization?
The Al-Shelash family, through Thimar Al Arabiya and Dar Global, has a strategic partnership with the Trump Organization for luxury real estate branding in the GCC. Confirmed projects include Trump International Oman, a $4 billion mixed-use development in Muscat, and Trump Tower Jeddah. The partnership functions as a licensing and branding agreement where the Trump Organization provides brand equity and management expertise while the Al-Shelash entities handle development, financing, and ownership.
Does Thimar Al Arabiya take outside capital or operate as a multi-family office?
Thimar Al Arabiya operates as a single-family office managing the Al-Shelash family's capital. However, its use of Dar Global as a publicly-listed platform means project-level capital often involves institutional and retail investors alongside family equity. The office does not market itself as a multi-family office or offer wealth management services to external families.
What asset classes does Thimar Al Arabiya avoid?
The office has not publicly disclosed explicit avoidance criteria. Its portfolio is concentrated in real estate and closely-held operating businesses within the GCC. There is no public evidence of significant venture capital, technology startup investing, or liquid public-market strategies beyond potential treasury management functions.
Who is the underlying wealth source for the Al-Shelash family?
The specific origin of the Al-Shelash family wealth has not been publicly disclosed in detail. The family's holdings include automotive dealerships (Al Jazirah Vehicles Agencies), commercial real estate (Qasr Mall in Riyadh, Taj Lifestyle Center in Amman), and interests in regional banking and insurance. The scale and vintage of the automotive and real estate operations suggest multi-generational business holdings in Saudi Arabia.
What is Thimar Al Arabiya's approach to philanthropic giving?
Thimar Al Arabiya has not publicly disclosed a formal philanthropic foundation or structured giving program. The office's public profile is heavily weighted toward commercial real estate development and operational business holdings rather than charitable foundations, unlike some peer GCC family offices that maintain separate DAFs or philanthropic entities.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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