Richest People in UAE & the World 2025: Top Billionaires
While no woman currently ranks in the UAE’s top 10 wealthiest, notable figures such as Renuka Jagtiani, who heads the Landmark Group, are among the most powerful female business leaders in the region. Her late husband, Micky Jagtiani, built the group’s foundation, and Renuka has been credited with scaling its operations and modernizing the business. As of 2025, Changpeng Zhao (CZ) is the richest person living in the UAE with an estimated net worth of $62.9 billion.
Rs 110000000: World’s most expensive dress made of 10 kgs of gold, holds Guinness World Record as.., was made by…
His company operates across the Middle East and beyond, with a net worth of around $3 billion. Saif Al Ghurair’s family fortune is rooted in their diverse businesses, including steel, real estate, and investments. Abdulla Al Futtaim, who owns the richest man in dubai Al-Futtaim Group, has investments in retail, automotive, and real estate.
He started their journey in Abu Dhabi in 1973, he came to do a trim distributed business with his uncle. After this, he became a member of Abu Dhabi’s royal family and started their business with the name LuLu Hypermarket. Their business is the exotic and allocation of frozen products from Europe and the United States.
Top 10 Richest Emirati Citizens in 2025
As of 2025, Forbes estimates his net worth at $3.9 billion (₹3.42 lakh crore). Ravi’s story, from farming roots to global tycoon, resonates as much as a legacy as it does a business triumph. Sunny Varkey is a super-driven Indian-born education entrepreneur who’s the mastermind behind GEMS Education. Damac Properties is renowned as one of the largest real estate conglomerates in the Middle East.
Richest People In Dubai 2025
We will also look into the richest families in UAE and their influence on the country’s economy. Born on September 2, 1953 in Chavara, Kerala, India, Dr. B. Ravi Pillai is a notable Indian billionaire businessman and the founder of the RP Group. While he was still a student at the University of Cochin, he established a chit fund in Kollam. This was the beginning of his adventure into the world of entrepreneurship. After that, he entered the construction industry and was successful in getting contracts with big industrial houses in Kerala. As a result of labor strikes, he was forced to shut down his company, which ultimately led to his relocation to Saudi Arabia in 1978.
However, by using a few key methods and resources, a net worth estimate can be created that creates a research-based estimate. While the exact rank globally can vary, the richest person in the UAE ‘Majid Al Futtaim’ is often considered in the top 200 of Forbes’ Billionaires list. All the bling and glitters in Dubai have resulted in a gap between the haves and the have-nots, which are difficult to bridge.
Meet the Russian-born techie who is richest man in Dubai
The business is likely to remain in the family as Al Ghurair has already started to let his children take the reins. Pillai’s wealth can be traced to his decision to abandon his native India for the United Arab Emirates after his Kerala-based construction business was forced to close down after labor strikes. While some billionaires live very secretive lives, Al Habtoor has shared a lot about himself. He wrote an autobiography that shows how he started as a man of modest means and became a business powerhouse.
Verdana 9 at Dubai Investment Park – Reportage Properties
Property developer P.N.C. Menon embarked on his journey from Kerala, South India, to Oman in 1976, where he launched an interior decorating business in partnership. Recognizing the potential in real estate, Menon established Sobha Developers in Bangalore in 1995, naming it after his wife. Today, Sobha Developers is overseen by his son Ravi, an engineer educated at Purdue University, while Menon resides in Dubai. His construction company played a pivotal role in the exterior cladding of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, and contributed to the construction of the Dubai Metro. His late brother, Saif Al Ghurair, was also a billionaire until his passing in August 2019.
- With his strong visionary business mindset, he has managed to secure a position among the richest people in Dubai.
- He is an Indian businessman from Kerala, who designated Alukkas Jewelry in 2001.
- He is one of the wealthiest individuals in Dubai with an estimated net worth of $4 billion.
- The Al Ghurair Group is one of the most diversified conglomerates in the United Arab Emirates.
- In 2025, Forbes estimated his net worth to be $1.5 billion, mostly from his stake in Dabur.
Through his imaginative leadership, the company was turned into a multi-billion dollar enterprise that operates in a variety of industries, including retail, hospitality, healthcare, and online commerce. By the time he passed away in May 2023, Jagtiani had acquired a fortune that was estimated to be worth $4.8 billion, which placed him among the wealthiest individuals in Dubai. Sunny Varkey is the creator and administrative chairman of the global advisory and educational management, GEMS Education.
Abdulla bin Ahmad Al Ghurair’s Net Worth
The crypto mogul and founder of Binance relocated to Dubai, solidifying the UAE’s growing status as a global blockchain and fintech hub. Majid Al Futtaim built a business empire focused on shopping malls, retail outlets, and leisure facilities across the Middle East. While he passed away in 2021, his family continues to run the group under the same name. Is the founder of Lulu Group International, one of the Middle East’s largest retail chains. With hundreds of hypermarkets and malls across the GCC, India, and Southeast Asia, his influence in the retail space is unmatched. As founder of DAMAC Properties, he has built luxury skyscrapers, golf communities, and hotel partnerships across the Middle East and Europe.
In 2010, he was acquitted of all charges, which marked a turning point in his life. Below is a list of Emirati billionaires based on an assessment of wealth and assets compiled and published by Forbes magazine. In this article, we’ll explore UAE’s wealthiest individual, uncover their net worth, and take a closer look at how they built their fortune. From Dubai’s skyscrapers to Abu Dhabi’s luxurious lifestyle, the UAE is a playground for billionaires—so let’s dive into the story behind the wealthiest of them all. Ravi Pillai may have been born in India, but he has made Dubai his home base and has used careful investments to bolster his wealth.
UAE: Two young boys drown at Ras Al Khaimah’s Old Corniche
- Their success stories are deeply tied to the country’s own rise, and they continue to shape its economy from the inside out.
- Today, the group operates in 17 countries and employs over 43,000 people.
- His now massive Dubai-based conglomerate has interests in construction, hospitality, steel, cement, oil & gas, education, healthcare, retail and real estate across nine countries.
- The top 10 richest people in the country are far more than just wealthy — they are visionaries shaping industries, empowering communities, and driving economic resilience.
The Al Ghurair Group is one of the most diversified conglomerates in the United Arab Emirates. Saif Ahmad Al Ghurair, who was born in 1924 and passed away on August 27, 2019, was a pioneering Emirati businessman. He was the eldest of five boys that Ahmad Al Ghurair had, and he was born in 1924 with his birthplace being along the shores of Dubai Creek.
Best Startup Story is a leading historian and promoter of positive change. We believe in the power of listening to people, and the power of stories to inspire and empower. Through the stories of thousands of changemakers crossing multiple boundaries, Best Startup Story has acted as a catalyst for a better country. Pavel Durov is the richest person in Dubai, with a net worth of $17.1 billion in 2025 making him number one on the list of Top 10 Richest People in Dubai UAE. He discovered the messaging app Telegram in 2013 which has more than 700 million monthly active users across the globe.
Being the chairman of Damac Properties, a luxury real estate developer, he is known for his extravagant marketing tactics. From real estate moguls to retail giants, these entrepreneurs have built empires that shape entire industries. Fineducke offers the youth financial education; tips to build wealth and gain financial freedom. I am Eddah, a professional blogger specializing in wealth analysis and financial insights. As a contributor to Fineducke.com, I explore the world’s richest individuals, their net worth, and financial moves shaping economies. With a keen eye for detail, I turn complex data into engaging, easy-to-read content that informs and inspires