Top 10 Richest Men in Dubai | A 2025 List

Dubai is home to some of the wealthiest and most influential business figures in the world. We are talking about visionaries who have transformed the city into a global hub for trade, luxury and innovation. 

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From real estate moguls to retail giants, these entrepreneurs have built empires that shape entire industries. 

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In this blog, we will take a look at the 10 richest men in Dubai and highlight their remarkable journeys, net worth and business ventures, offering an insight into the powerhouses driving the emirate’s economic success.

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Explore the richest countries in the world. 

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Who Are the Top 10 Richest Men in Dubai?

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Curious about the Dubai richest person's income? Check out this table:

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Disclaimer: These figures are estimates and may not reflect the actual net worth. 

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Get to Know the 10 Richest Men Who Rule Dubai

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1. Pavel Durov

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Pavel Durov is the man behind one of the most efficient and private messaging platforms, Telegram. He also made VK (VKontakte), the largest social media site in Russia. The man has earned himself the nickname ‘Russia’s Zuckerberg’ for creating VK at the age of 22.

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His net worth, as of August 2025, is $17.1 billion (₹14.99 lakh crore)! This makes him one of the richest men in Dubai! 

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His main earnings are from his 100% stake in the Telegram app. The app currently has over 1 billion active users, making it a major competitor to Messenger and WhatsApp. 

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2. Hussain Sajwani

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Ever heard of someone gifting a free Lamborghini to apartment buyers? Sounds weird, right? 

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Hussain Sajwani makes it come true. Being the chairman of Damac Properties, a luxury real estate developer, he is known for his extravagant marketing tactics.

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Damac Properties is renowned as one of the largest real estate conglomerates in the Middle East.

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Hussain Sajwani’s net worth in 2025 is $10.2 billion (₹8.94 lakh crore), making him the 2nd richest and self-made man in Dubai! 

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His immense wealth comes through his strategic investments in hospitality, luxury hotels and his business.  

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3. M.A. Yusuf Ali

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Malls and M.A. Yusuff Ali go together in tandem! With 240+ hypermarkets and malls in the Gulf, he is one of the richest men in Dubai. 

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His company, LuLu Retail, generated over 2.1 billion USD (₹18,415 crore) in 2025. Hailing from a small village in Kerala, Yusuff Ali migrated to Abu Dhabi in 1973. 

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Yusuff Ali’s net worth in 2025 is $5.4 billion (₹4.73 lakh crore), making him one of the richest men of Indian origin. He’s also the second vice-chairman of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 

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4. Abdulla Al Futtaim

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Abdulla Al Futtaim and family, a savvy Emirati businessman at the helm of the renowned Al-Futtaim Group, are influential figures in automotive, retail, real estate and more.

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He’s the exclusive UAE distributor for brands like Toyota, Lexus, IKEA, Marks & Spencer and Toys “R” Us. 

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The group’s malls, including Dubai Festival City and Cairo Festival City, are among the region’s biggest draws. 

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As of mid-2025, Forbes places his net worth at around $4.9 billion (₹4.30 lakh crore), reflecting substantial growth in recent years. Abdulla’s leadership turned him into one of the richest men in Dubai. 

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5. Abdulla Bin Ahmad Al Ghurair

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Abdulla bin Ahmad Al Ghurair is a visionary Emirati entrepreneur who founded Mashreqbank in 1967 and later expanded into food and beverages, construction and real estate. 

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His firms were behind landmark projects like the Dubai Metro and the Burj Khalifa's exterior cladding. 

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Now aged 96, he stepped down as chairman in 2019 but remains an influential board member. He championed education across the Arab region through the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation

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His net worth is estimated to be $4.7 billion (₹4.12 lakh crore).

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6. Sunny Varkey

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Sunny Varkey is a super-driven Indian-born education entrepreneur who’s the mastermind behind GEMS Education. It is one of the biggest private K-12 school chains worldwide.

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Born in Kerala in 1957 and raised in Dubai, he turned his parents’ modest school into a global empire and now heads the Varkey Foundation too. 

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He’s a philanthropist, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and part of the Giving Pledge. As of August 2025, Forbes estimates his net worth at around $4 billion (₹3.51 lakh crore).

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7. Ravi Pillai 

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Ravi Pillai is an inspiring Indian-born entrepreneur from Kerala who turned setbacks into success. 

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After his small business tanked due to labour unrest, he moved to Saudi Arabia in 1978 and launched what is now the RP Group. 

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His now massive Dubai-based conglomerate has interests in construction, hospitality, steel, cement, oil & gas, education, healthcare, retail and real estate across nine countries. 

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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.

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8. Joy Alukkas

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Have you ever thought about who's behind the ‘Heart of Every Celebration’?

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JoyAlukkas, a name synonymous with premium gold jewellery, is a self-made entrepreneur who built one of the world’s most recognised jewellery empires. 

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Born in Thrissur, Kerala, he expanded his family’s business overseas in 1987, opening the first store in Abu Dhabi.

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What started as a small venture has since grown to 175+ outlets across India and 11 countries abroad. Beyond jewellery, his ventures span malls, money exchange and silk fashion. 

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Known for his sharp business instincts and eye for quality, Joy’s journey is a true success story. As of August 2025, his net worth, according to Forbes, is approximately $3.2 billion (₹2.81 lakh crore).

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9. Mohammad Khalaf Al Habtoor

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Mohammed Khalaf Al Habtoor is a business leader and CEO, steering the diversely influential Al Habtoor Group, a major force in hospitality, real estate, automotive, publishing, education, insurance and more. 

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Based in Dubai and born in 1968, he spearheaded projects like Al Habtoor City and founded the Dubai Polo Gold Cup (now the region’s top-tier polo tournament).

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As of 2025, most estimates place his net worth at around $2 billion (₹1.75 lakh crore). 

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10. Sunil Vaswani 

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Sunil Vaswani is an Indian-born billionaire entrepreneur who chairs the Dubai-headquartered Stallion Group. 

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Since taking over his father’s trading business at 21, he’s transformed it into a vast, Africa-focused conglomerate dealing in automobiles, commodities, food, steel, petrochemicals, logistics and more. 

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His net worth is around $1.6 billion (₹1.40 lakh crore). Vaswani remains a quietly determined visionary, building infrastructure and industrial capacity across emerging markets while maintaining a low profile.

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Note: The INR numbers are converted based on the current exchange rate. Data taken on 13 August 2025. These figures may change in the future. Use discretion while reading this. 

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Final Words

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The richest men in Dubai are more than just wealthy individuals; they are architects of the city’s rapid growth and global reputation. 

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Their ventures span continents, industries and generations, influencing economies far beyond the UAE. 

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Whether through innovation, diversification or strategic expansion, each has left a unique mark on Dubai’s business landscape. 

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Together, they represent the ambition and resilience that make the emirate a world leader in commerce, luxury and opportunity, inspiring the next wave of entrepreneurs.

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Frequently Asked Questions 

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1. Who is the richest man in Dubai?

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The richest man in Dubai is Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram and VK.

2. How much is the richest man in Dubai worth?

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Dubai’s richest person's net worth is $17.1 billion (₹14.99 lakh crore), according to the latest Forbes report. 

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3. How many billionaires are there in Dubai?

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Dubai, one of the world's wealthiest cities, is home to approximately 20 billionaires. 

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4. Who is the second-richest man in Dubai?

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The second-richest man in Dubai is Hussain Sajwani, with a net worth of $10.2 billion. 

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5. Is Dubai the richest city in the world? 

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No, Dubai is not the wealthiest city in the world. New York is the richest city in the world, while Monaco is the most expensive one.

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