The decision, communicated in a bourse filing, was taken to comply with regulations that prohibit combining the position of chairman of the board and any executive position, Emaar said.

The board also decided to elect Ahmed Jawa as vice-chairman.

Emaar Properties has halted new building work after a construction boom in recent years led to oversupply in the Gulf city, Alabbar said last week.

Dubai's real estate market, where supply has outstripped demand for much of the past decade, has come under additional pressure this year from the coronavirus crisis.

(Reporting by Davide Barbuscia; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)