Sotheby’s International Realty Canada has appointed Mustafa Abbasi as president, a move that brings entrepreneurial leadership and innovation to Canada’s most established luxury real estate brand.
Abbasi brings extensive experience building and leading technology-enabled brokerages and businesses across Canada’s real estate and financial services sectors. As founding president of Zolo, Abbasi built a technology-driven real estate platform delivering comprehensive brokerage services with offices and agents operating across Canada. He led the successful exit of Zolo to Questrate Financial Group where he served as president and chief operating officer of Zolo Ventures overseeing platform development and operational strategy.
“Mustafa’s distinctive blend of entrepreneurial and corporate real estate leadership, deep digital expertise, and Canadian market insight uniquely positions Sotheby’s International Realty Canada to meet the evolving expectations of clients and advisors, while strengthening our leadership in Canada’s luxury real estate market now and in the future,” said Tara Brown, chief executive officer, Peerage Realty Partners and president, Peerage Group Sotheby’s International Realty.
As president, Abbasi will focus on accelerating strategic growth by enhancing the brand’s capabilities, marketing and technology platforms, attracting premier real estate professionals and positioning the company at the forefront of luxury real estate.
“Sotheby’s International Realty Canada represents one of the most respected names in global real estate,” said Abbasi, “What drew me to Sotheby’s International Realty Canada was clear: an iconic brand with a genuine commitment to the independent advisors across Canada who have chosen to build their businesses here, and to the clients they serve. That kind of alignment is rare. Having spent my career building companies at the intersection of real estate and fintech, I’ve seen what’s possible when talented entrepreneurs are supported by the right platform, tools, and leadership. I’m excited to bring that perspective here to foster a culture of excellence and innovation, and to continue raising the bar for what our advisors and their clients can expect from us.”
Abbasi succeeds Effi Barak, who has served as interim president since April 2025. During this period, Barak provided dedicated, steady, and strategic leadership for the organization and will step down following the successful completion of a structured and seamless transition.
About Sotheby’s International Realty Canada
Combining the world’s most prestigious real estate brand with local market knowledge and specialized marketing expertise, Sotheby’s International Realty Canada is the leading real estate sales and marketing company for the country’s most exceptional properties. With offices in over 35 residential and resort markets nationwide, our professional associates provide the highest caliber of real estate service, unrivalled local and international marketing solutions and a global affiliate sales network of approximately 1,100 offices in over 83 countries and territories to manage the real estate portfolios of discerning clients from around the world. Sotheby’s International Realty Canada is owned by Peerage Realty Partners. For further information, visit www.sothebysrealty.ca.
About Peerage Realty Partners
Peerage Realty Partners is a leading residential real estate services firm, serving luxury markets across North America. Its brokerage partners include leading Sotheby’s International Realty franchisees, CENTURY 21 New Millennium, and renowned independent firms in both re-sale residential real estate brokerage, and new construction marketing. Peerage Realty Partners’ core service activities include real estate financing and transaction services. Peerage Realty Partners has the unique benefit of being a privately-owned enterprise that is positioned to commit to long-term partnerships and investments.
Peerage Realty Partners transacted about US $34.8 billion (C$47.7 billion) in sales in 2024 through its partner firms and in partnership with over 6,100 best-in-class sales representatives and employees with 206 offices in Canada and the United States.
To support growth and expansion among partners, Peerage Realty Partners consistently provides strategic input, capital, technology, operational expertise, marketing, communications, and value-added products and services that differentiate and strengthen its partner firms in competitive markets. Its goal is to expand the suite of services that its partner firms can offer to enhance the client experience through all phases of a real estate transaction and beyond.
