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Edinburgh entrepreneur’s Dubai success story as revenue hits £63m
Edinburgh entrepreneur Calum White is celebrating the fifth anniversary of Dubai-based White & Co. Real Estate, with a record turnover of £63m (307 million UAE dirhams) in 2025.
The company has enjoyed five years of successive growth since being set up by the 32-year-old in January 2021. The most recent financial figures see revenue up 75 per cent.
White & Co now occupies four floors of 56,000 square feet of office space in Control Tower in its Motor City headquarters. The firm opened its doors with eight employees: staff numbers now sit at 600, with 90 per cent of the team from the UK. Almost a third (200) of the team are salaried, with the company’s 400 brokers working on a commission-only basis.
Reflecting on the firm’s achievements to date, Calum said:
“I knew we were going to do well; I just didn’t know quickly we would get there.
“We have had five years of sustained growth, invested a lot into the expansion of the company and it’s pleasing to see the results.
“Growing up in Scotland, I was determined to get out into the world. I had become disillusioned with life in the UK and wanted to leave, so moved to Dubai 10 years ago, initially as a leasing broker.
“If anyone in the UK is feeling like I was 10 years ago, I want them over here so I can help change their lives.
“There’s a blame culture in the UK with too many people dragging each other down and that doesn’t exist in Dubai. In my opinion the UK is set up for business owners not to be successful. It’s effectively based on experience and length of time served, whereas in Dubai it’s based on performance.
“Yes, the politics are the complete opposite of the UK’s but every year my life gets better. How many people can say that about living in the UK?
“Over here it’s a different world. They say “well done” when you’re doing well and genuinely mean it.
“We have a government that helps and encourages entrepreneurs looking to better themselves instead of one which seems intent on penalising success.
“If people like the UK and it’s great for them, that’s great. I just want to make a difference to people’s lives. Our top broker last year took home £4m in tax-free earnings. It’s commission-only for all the brokers so they know what they have to do when it comes to selling or renting property and we give them all the tools they need to do that.
“We have making people successful down to an exact science and the only way it won’t work for people joining us is if they get distracted by the flashy lifestyle. Dubai is the best place in the world for opportunity, but it is also the best place for distractions.”
Calum is eyeing further growth in the coming year, with a revenue target of £83m (400m dirhams). It’s something he believes is well within reach given how buoyant the property sector remains:
“Dubai real estate is a brilliant sector to be involved in at the moment. More and more people are coming here and seeing success quicker than ever before as the market is so strong,” he said: "Add that to our management team, our training and our staff, and it’s a recipe for success.
“We are now easily the biggest western brokerage in Dubai, eclipsing some businesses which have been here for 20 years, and our aim is to keep growing.
“We have ambitious targets for the coming year, but they are ones I’m confident of hitting.
“The population is growing 10 per cent each year and people still need houses to live in. With the infrastructure and plans for the future, there is no chance of the real-estate sector slowing down soon.
“The common thought is that Dubai is full of property investors but there are a lot of people setting down roots and buying their first proper home. We do sell to a lot of investors, and we are seeing an increasing number of first-time buyers as well.”
Pictured: Calum White (centre) and members of his team
