The Middle East has been a hub for global entrepreneurs and business owners, and Indians have made a prominent influence in its competitive business environment. These richest Indian businessmen, through their visionary and strategic business minds, have transformed their startups into the most successful business empires across the region. The top-ranked real estate company in Dubai, UAE, Miva Real Estate, has brought to you a curated list of the top 10 richest Indians in Middle East. Let’s start exploring the richest Indian businessmen in the Middle East.
Table of Contents
List Of Top 10 Richest Indians in Middle East:
1. M.A. Yusuff Ali
The founder of the LuLu Group, a global chain of supermarkets, hotels, and shopping malls, M.A. Yusuff Ali, secures the first rank in the list of the top 10 richest Indians in Middle East. The Indian businessman and billionaire has gained a reputation as the Middle East Retail King. He has transformed his uncle’s small distribution business into a billion-dollar empire, LuLu Hypermarket, established in the Emirates’ capital city 35 years ago. Apart from his business achievements across the Middle East and beyond, he is well-known for his philanthropic work and support to Dubai Cares, which is an organization providing primary education in developing countries.
Essential Information
- Net Worth: $7.4 billion
- Position: Chairman and Managing Director of LuLu Group International
- Industry: Retail
- Stellar Achievement: Built LuLu into a leading retail giant with hypermarkets and retail chains across the Middle East and beyond.
2. Renuka Jagtiani
The chairwoman and CEO of Landmark Group, Renuka Jagtiani, is the most influential businesswoman and the wealthiest billionaire in the Middle East. She has led the group founded by her husband for 20 years and it transformed into a multinational conglomerate. She has contributed significantly in transforming a single Landmark store started in Bahrain 55 years ago into a global business empire with 2,200 stores spread across 24 countries worldwide.
Essential Information
- Net Worth: $5.6 billion
- Position: Chairwoman and CEO of Landmark Group
- Industry: Retail
- Stellar Achievement: Has expanded Landmark Group into a multinational conglomerate with various well-known brands.
3. Sunny Varkey
The third spot in the list of the top 10 richest Indians in Middle East is secured by Sunny Varkey, the billionaire who has been dominating the Middle East’s education industry for years. The founder and chairman of Dubai-based GEMS Group, Varkey established GEMS Education 25 years ago. At present, the Indian education entrepreneur is reputed worldwide for being the owner of the world’s largest private K-12 school operator, GEMS Education. Apart from being a successful businessman, he is serving the designation of education advisor in the UAE government.
Essential Information
- Net Worth: $3.9 billion
- Position: Founder and Executive Chairman of GEMS Education
- Industry: Education
- Stellar Achievement: Varkey’s GEMS Education is one of the largest operators of private schools globally, focusing on accessible quality education.
4. Ravi Pillai
An honorary doctorate from Excelsior College, New York, Ravi Pillai is among the most dominating Indian billionaires and businessmen in the Middle East. He founded RP Group, under which 20 companies are working presently. The global business conglomerate is known for its construction, hospitality, and real estate projects. The Dubai-based Indian billionaire has been awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman and Padma Shri civilian honor by the Indian government in 2008 and 2010, respectively.
Essential Information
- Net Worth: $3.5 billion
- Position: Founder and Chairman of RP Group
- Industry: Construction and Services
- Stellar Achievement: Leads a diversified conglomerate with interests in construction, hospitality, and healthcare.
5. Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil
The Indian radiologist and entrepreneur, Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil, has 5th rank in the list of the top 10 richest Indians in the Middle East. At present, the founder of Burjeel Holdings is reputed among the most influential Indian businessmen in the Middle East. He has greatly contributed to increasing access to healthcare facilities across the region through his business empire, which features a network of hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies. Due to his great contributions to healthcare, he was awarded the Pravasi Bhartiya Samman in 2014.
Essential Information
- Net Worth: $3.3 billion
- Position: Founder and Chairman of Burjeel Holdings
- Industry: Healthcare
- Stellar Achievement: Vayalil’s Burjeel Holdings is a major player in the healthcare sector, operating numerous hospitals and clinics.
6. Joy Alukkas
The wealthiest Indian Jeweller and Joyalukkas Group’s Chief MD, Joy Alukkas, is next on this list of the wealthiest Indian businessmen in the Middle East. His jewelry brand is renowned globally for its excellent customer service, high quality, and competitive prices. At present, the jewelry brand has a strong presence worldwide with over 100 and 60 retail outlets in India and overseas, respectively. He has expanded the jewelry business into other businesses, including Jolly Silks, Joyalukkas Exchange, and Joyalukkas Lifestyle Developers.
Essential Information
- Net Worth: $3.3 billion
- Position: Chief Managing Director of Joyalukkas Group
- Industry: Jewelry Retail
- Stellar Achievement: Has established a vast jewelry business with outlets across the Middle East, India, and the USA.
7. PNC Menon
Kerala-born, Indian businessman, PNC Menon is among the most dominant billionaires in the Middle East’s real estate industry. He started his business journey in 1976 with interior decoration in Oman and established Sobha Group in Bangalore in 1995, which has greatly contributed to revolutionizing the Middle East’s real estate and construction industries.
Essential Information
- Net Worth: $3.17 billion
- Position: Founder and Chairman of Sobha Group
- Industry: Real Estate
- Stellar Achievement: Known for his luxury real estate developments in the UAE, focusing on quality and innovation.
8. Rizwan Sajan
The founder of Danube Group, the multi-billion dollar UAE conglomerate, Rizwan Sajan, is next on the list of the top 10 richest Indians in Middle East. He has transformed the business, which started with a small amount of money into a company, that presently has operations in multiple countries, including UAE, China, Bahrain, Qatar, India, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. From the affordable luxury property segment, his group has now expanded into home decor, hospitality, and healthcare.
Essential Information
- Net Worth: $2.5 billion
- Position: Founder and Chairman of Danube Group
- Industry: Building Materials and Home Improvement
- Stellar Achievement: Sajan’s Danube Group has grown into one of the largest building materials companies in the UAE.
9. Dr. Azad Moopen
Founder of the UAE healthcare conglomerate, Aster DM Healthcare, Dr. Azad Moopen is a physician and the most successful Indian entrepreneur in the Middle East. Under his leadership, his business has grown into a healthcare empire with a network across multiple countries. He is also renowned for his philanthropic works and has dedicated 20% of his wealth to philanthropic causes.
Essential Information
- Net Worth: $5.9 billion
- Position: Founder and Chairman of Aster DM Healthcare
- Industry: Healthcare
- Stellar Achievement: Moopen’s Aster DM Healthcare provides comprehensive healthcare services across the region.
10. Micky Jagtiani
The late, most influential Indian businessman, Micky Jagtiani, secures the last spot in the list of the top 10 richest Indians in Middle East. The genius entrepreneur founded the Landmark Group with his wife as a small baby product retail store, which is presently globally renowned as one of the most successful retail businesses in the world. He achieved great recognition among the world’s billionaires by debuting in the Forbes’ 2014 list of billionaires.
Essential Information
- Net Worth: $5.2 billion (posthumously recognized)
- Position: Co-founder of Landmark Group (alongside Renuka Jagtiani)
- Stellar Achievement: Played a pivotal role in building Landmark Group into a retail powerhouse before his passing.
Conclusion
The top 10 richest Indians in Middle East featured in this article have transformed their visions of owning business empires through their firm determination and resilience. They consistently worked towards achieving their aspirations and became inspirations to countless future entrepreneurs and business owners. Presently, their names do not just dominate the Middle East’s business industry but also have a great influence among wealthiest businessmen worldwide.