Ed and Simon are joined by Dubizzle Group co-founder & CEO, Imran Ali Khan.
Imran and his brother Zeeshan started off their entrepreneurial journeys by experimenting with things like gyms and ice cream shops.
These days the brothers run a Dubai-based online marketplace operator which was declared a unicorn in 2020 and is rumoured to be planning an IPO.
In this episode, Imran tells us about the challenges faced along the way, different business models and what AI will bring to the industry in the future.
00:00 - Introduction
00:05 - Starting Zameen and Bayut
06:00 - Zameen as an End-to-End Business
10:04 - Managing a Large Sales Team
13:44 - Providing Data to Developers
15:28 - Placing Zameen in the Ecosystem
18:47 - Geopolitical Impact on the Business
20:20 - Building a Strong Brand
20:55 - Building a Culturally Significant Brand
22:16 - Attracting Outside Investment
24:48 - Expansion to Dubai and Growth in the UAE
27:30 - Expansion into Southeast Asia and Subsequent Divestment
30:10 - Business Models in the UAE
33:08 - The Role of AI in the Classifieds Space
35:33 - Competition and Market Leadership in the UAE
40:17 - Potential IPO and Future Options
41:47 - Lessons for Younger Self
