A decade ago, Nikita Protsenko earned Dh1,836 a month working in hospitality. Today, at 33, he oversees real estate portfolios worth up to Dh1.28 billion for private investors in Dubai.
The Russian expat now leads Percent&Co, a Dubai-based real estate agency and investment club launched this year with backing from Mira Developments. The firm generates approximately Dh367,250 in monthly revenue with a compact team of eight.
From Hospitality to High-Value Real Estate
Protsenko began his career in hospitality, where he learned to manage clients, navigate pressure, and read people quickly. He credits that environment for sharpening instincts he later applied in finance and real estate.
He moved to the UAE in 2019, drawn by Dubai’s pace and ambition. The city offered what he describes as a reset. He entered real estate with limited capital but clear intent, gradually expanding from brokerage into advisory and structured investment services.
Before Dubai, Protsenko built experience in Russia’s largest bank, handling customer service, then sales, and eventually managing a branch. In 2017, he launched a boutique hotel in St. Petersburg. Later, he joined a major real estate agency and rose to Head of Sales. Each role added operational discipline and financial understanding.
Building Percent&Co
Percent&Co focuses on brokerage, investment advisory, and technology integration. The company operates with a lean structure while managing significant capital allocations for clients.
Operational expenses now reach roughly Dh330,500 per month. Early costs of around Dh183,625 went into branding, legal structuring, and high-quality production to build credibility in a competitive market.
Marketing now absorbs the largest share of spending. Protsenko views it as long-term brand equity rather than short-term promotion. The strategy prioritizes positioning and visibility among high-net-worth investors.
The company plans to introduce AI tools to personalize investment guidance and automate analytics, marketing, and internal processes. The objective is to scale output without increasing headcount. “Scale results, not headcount,” defines the operating model.
Managing Other People’s Capital
Handling Dh1.28 billion in real estate portfolios demands discipline. Protsenko emphasizes that managing investor funds requires emotional control and structured forecasting.
“You can lose your own money. But when investors trust you, every decision matters,” he says.
He treats pressure as a performance enhancer rather than a burden. Every miscalculation carries reputational risk, so systems and due diligence remain central.
Early Money Lessons
Financial awareness began early. As a child, he received Dh1.84 per day from his parents and managed it independently. Saving for small goals trained him to prioritize and delay gratification.
Those habits, he says, scale upward. Budget control at Dh1.84 is not different from discipline at Dh1.28 billion. Only the zeros change.
Wealth-Building Principles
1. Hire specialists and delegate fully.
Protsenko avoids micromanagement. He sets strategic direction and empowers professionals to execute. He believes control slows growth, while trust multiplies capacity.
2. Spend strategically before growth arrives.
Hiring experienced agents and expanding into new markets required significant upfront spending. Revenue followed scale. He sees calculated expenditure as an investment, not a cost.
3. Upgrade your environment deliberately.
He intentionally stretched his comfort zone, from better living spaces to premium travel when possible. He believes the environment shapes ambition and decision-making capacity.
Life Beyond Business
Protsenko lives in Dubai with his wife, four children, and their dog. Travel plays a central role in family life. Since 2022, they have visited more than 20 countries.
He explores local cuisines as a way to understand culture. He attends live sporting events and takes spontaneous road trips. Experiences, he says, sharpen perspective and prevent tunnel vision.
A Structured Ascent
Protsenko’s trajectory did not hinge on a single breakthrough. It evolved through structured learning, calculated risk, disciplined capital management, and deliberate team building.
From Dh1,836 per month to overseeing Dh1.28 billion in assets, the shift reflects consistent scaling rather than an overnight transformation.
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