Additionally, Michael Edward Platt, British billionaire and hedge fund veteran, Michael Platt, co-founder of BlueCrest Capital Management, has also shifted his base to the UAE. The firm, once Europe’s third-largest hedge fund, has managed assets exceeding USD 35 billion at its peak. In June 2025, Platt moved his primary residence and family office to Dubai, continuing a UAE expansion that began in 2022 following regulatory approval for BlueCrest’s operations in the region. Once ranked the UK’s ninth-richest individual, Fredriksen cited the British government’s decision to scrap the long-standing «non-dom» tax regime as a major catalyst for his relocation. Known for building one of the world’s largest oil tanker fleets, his move is seen as symbolic of a broader trend of wealth migration from Britain to the Gulf. Norwegian-born shipping tycoon John Fredriksen is among the several high-profile billionaires from around the globe who made the move to the UAE.
Top 10 Richest People in Dubai 2024
Thaksin Shinawatra is a businessman, politician, and academic from Thailand. He founded Advanced Info Services and Shin Corporation, transforming Thailand’s telecommunications sector. Shinawatra served as Thailand’s Prime Minister from 2001 to 2006, but his tenure was overshadowed by corruption allegations, leading to his ousting and exile in 2008. Despite the controversies, he remains an influential figure in Thailand’s economy and society. With a net worth of $1.7 billion, Saif Al Ghurair is a key figure in Dubai’s corporate world, with a legacy that spans across several industries. His philanthropic initiatives focus on community development and improving living standards in the UAE.
How does Dubai’s wealth compare to other cities in the UAE?
As of the year 2025, it is now projected that his net worth is over $3.9 billion, which places him among the wealthiest individuals in Dubai. Divyank Turakhia, an Indian-born entrepreneur and computer programmer, is one of Dubai’s most successful self-made billionaires. He is the founder of Media.net, a leading global advertising technology company. Media.net was sold to a Chinese consortium in 2016 for $1.9 billion, one of the largest ad-tech deals in history. But he has been responsible for large-scale efforts, including Al Habtoor City, that have recast the skyline of Dubai.
Top 10 Richest People in Dubai
HNWIs in the Middle East are showing strong demand for both experiential and material luxury. Premium hotel stays, fine dining, designer menswear, and high-end accessories remain popular among affluent residents. Meanwhile, wellness, longevity, and sustainable living richest man in dubai are becoming top priorities for the region’s elite. Dubai has risen to the seventh place globally and fourth in the EMEA region as a preferred destination for high-net-worth individuals. This Indian multinational company owns the Lulu International Shopping Mall and the Lulu Hypermarket chain worldwide. Under his leadership, the company has been able to increase its operations over the past few years extensively and now has interests in both food and non-food categories.
- B.R. Shetty is the founder of NMC Health, BRS Ventures, Neopharma, and Fnablr, and is the sixth richest person in Dubai with a net worth of $3 billion in 2025.
- Interiors designed by his wife, Gauri Khan who emphasized creating a casual yet elegant atmosphere, the home is known for its elegant interiors with her personal touches.
- Although the price of the famous property hasn’t been disclosed in any media report, it is expected to be in crores.
- He is known for buying two buildings in Emaar Square in Dubai downtown in 2009 for $205 million.
- Other than that, he is responsible for Al Habtoor City, that recast the skyline of Dubai.
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It possesses a high concentration of wealthy individuals and many of its billionaires rank among the world’s rich men in Dubai. Saif Al Ghurair holds the tenth spot among Dubai richest man individuals with a net worth of $1.7 billion. He owns the Al Ghurair Group, which operates in real estate and manufacturing and has significant investments in private banks in the UAE. Hussain Sajwani is a Founder and Chairman of a global property development company, DAMAC Properties, and founder and chairman of the DAMAC Group. In 2002, he took a chance and selected DAMAC Properties, which the boost to become one of the most considerable property growth companies in UAE. In 1967, Abdulla bin Ahmad Al Ghurair founded Mashreqbank, which has since grown into one of the leading banks in the United Arab Emirates.
Dubai comes across as a leading hub of luxury, invention, and wealth, which attracts a range of billionaires and aspiring leaders. From Pavel Durov to Abdullah Al Futtaim These are the top 10 richest people in Dubai who solidify the city’s economic landscape. They have made several contributions to sectors like real estate, retail, banking, education, healthcare, and entertainment. Their comprehensive accomplishments highlight Dubai’s role as an international hub for entrepreneurs and wealth creation. Moreover, their stories are the key examples of opportunities that Dubai offers for those with ambition, perseverance, and the drive to succeed on a global stage.
- His companies play a critical role in global food and energy supply chains.
- He has professionally speculated in many areas like banking and real estate business and he is a great donor to the course of education and health care facilities.
- Ravi is amongst renowned listed Indian businessman in Dubai, investing in the most important projects in the Middle East and India.
- Dubai has risen to the seventh place globally and fourth in the EMEA region as a preferred destination for high-net-worth individuals.
- With hundreds of hypermarkets and malls across the GCC, India, and Southeast Asia, his influence in the retail space is unmatched.
Early Life and Career
Besides his industrial ventures, he has made tremendous contributions to sports in the UAE, serving since 2010 as the chairman of Al Ahli Club and Al Ahli Football Company. Forbes estimates that in February 2025, he had a net worth of $1.5 billion and he is one of the richest men in Dubai. Sunny Varkey, born April 9, 1957, in Kerala, India) is a Dubai-based entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is the founder and executive chairman of GEMS Education, the largest private K-12 school operator in the world. He was raised by teacher parents who moved to Dubai in 1959; after spending some time in banking, trading, and health care, he began to develop his family school.
Pavel Durov
According to Glusea, Micky Jagtiani is married to Renuka Jagtiani, and they have three children. GEMS Education is also the largest operator of private kindergarten schools worldwide, with more than 80 schools in about seven countries. Robert Willet was the CEO of Al-Futtaim Group until he resigned in January 2011. The conglomerate currently holds the franchise right to IKEA stores in Qatar, Oman, UAE, and Egypt. The group is also the distributor of major car brands, such as Lexus, Hino, and Toyota.
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This real estate mogul owns the DAMAC Properties, which he established in the year 2002. Sajwani enjoys a lavish lifestyle, owning luxury properties and yachts. However, he is also deeply committed to philanthropy, supporting education and community development projects across the UAE.
Pavel Durov, who was born on 10th October 1984 in Russia, an IT entrepreneur, is a person known for founding Telegram. He was ranked 120th on the billionaire’s list of Forbes in 2023, with a personal worth of $15.5 billion as of 25th August 2024, and is one of the richest man in Dubai. Stock prices fluctuate routinely, so these net worths may change on a daily basis. Abu Dhabi is also making strides, with its non-oil economy growing 8.6 per cent in 2024 and contributing over 55 per cent to the emirate’s GDP. Dubai is also adapting to this shift by developing ecosystems that cater to all stages of life.
It has huge weight in a range of industries, including oil and gas, real estate, travel, healthcare, tech, finance, and tourism. As of 2025, Changpeng Zhao (CZ) is the richest person living in the UAE with an estimated net worth of $62.9 billion. The crypto mogul and founder of Binance relocated to Dubai, solidifying the UAE’s growing status as a global blockchain and fintech hub.
It is when he took full control of the Our Own English High School in 1980 that his merit as an entrepreneur and true visionary started coming to light. This is what this self-made billionaire believes in, and it is what shows in his legacy. Sunny Venky is the founder of GEMS Education, which is the largest operator of private kindergarten to-grade-12 schools in the world. Eldest of five children, he had an entrepreneurial mindset ever since he was a kid and studied Industrial engineering at the University of Washington. You will be able to assert his success with the fact that DAMAC Properties topped the Forbes 2017 Global 2000 list for fastest-growing global companies. This self-made retailer of Indian origin shifted to Dubai in the year 1973 and is the grandson of M.
