Name: Riz Ahmed
Designation: Chief Executive Officer
Company: SmartCrowd
Category: PropTech Powerplayers
Riz Ahmed’s journey with SmartCrowd is anything but conventional. What began as a client relationship soon evolved into angel investment, and eventually, a pivotal leadership role. Now serving as CEO, Riz brings a rare blend of financial expertise, operational excellence, and social impact to the helm of the region’s leading digital real estate investment platform.
Prior to joining SmartCrowd, Riz held executive leadership roles at GEMS Education, the world’s largest private school group, as COO and CFO. His early career at PwC London, where he specialised in assurance, corporate finance, and restructuring, laid the groundwork for a global track record of over $5 billion in transactions. From leading one of the Middle East’s largest private investments to driving strategic acquisitions across Europe and the MENA region, Riz has consistently delivered high-impact results, particularly in education and EdTech.
But Riz’s ambitions go far beyond the boardroom. As the founder of EqualEd, an education-focused charity, he has created a global platform that connects volunteer teachers with underserved schools and offers free training for educators worldwide. It’s a testament to his belief that access and opportunity should be universal. Academically, Riz is equally accomplished. A qualified chartered accountant, he holds a first-class Economics degree from UCL, a Certificate of Management Excellence from Harvard Business School, and an Executive MBA from the University of Oxford.
At SmartCrowd, a Dubai-based proptech startup launched in 2018, Riz leads a platform that is changing the way people invest in real estate. By enabling individuals to purchase fractional shares in rental properties, SmartCrowd is making real estate investment more accessible, transparent, and inclusive. Under Riz’s leadership, the company is poised for its most ambitious growth phase yet.
Blending financial acumen with a passion for democratizing opportunity, Riz Ahmed is shaping the future of real estate investment in the region.
