Hussain Sajwani, founder of the DAMAC Group. Image by Mustapha Azab for Forbes Middle East
As the UAE celebrates its National Day in early December, the nation’s six billionaires showcase their enduring strength, collectively holding a net worth of $27.3 billion as of November 27, 2025, reflecting the resilience and dynamism of the country’s wealthiest.
Leading the list is DAMAC Properties founder Hussain Sajwani with $10.2 billion, followed by Abdulla Al Futtaim & family and Abdulla bin Ahmad Al Ghurair & family. The real-time Forbes ranking also features Waleed Mohammad Al Zaabi as a newcomer with $3.4 billion, underscoring the evolving landscape of Emirati billionaire wealth.
Here’s how the UAE’s billionaires’ fortunes have fared since March 7, 2025.
1. Hussain Sajwani
Net worth: $10.2 billion
Change since March 7, 2025: No change
Hussain Sajwani is the chairman and founder of DAMAC Properties, the Dubai-based luxury real estate developer he launched in 2002. He began his career in the food services industry, supplying meals to clients such as the US military and construction firm Bechtel, before shifting into property development in 2001 when Dubai opened its real estate market to foreign buyers. His first residential project sold out in less than six months, setting the stage for DAMAC’s rapid ascent. Over the years, the company has partnered with global names, including a 2013 collaboration with Donald Trump to develop two Trump-branded golf courses in Dubai, and co-branding deals with Versace and Bugatti. In January 2025, EDGNEX Data Centers by DAMAC is expanding into the US market with a projected 2000MW capacity and an initial $20 billion investment, marking a major phase in its global digital infrastructure growth.
2. Abdulla Al Futtaim & family
Net worth: $4.8 billion
Change since March 7, 2025: $100 million ↑
Image by Abdulla Al Futtaim / Facebook
Abdulla Al Futtaim owns the Al Futtaim Group, a major UAE conglomerate run by his son Omar, who serves as vice chairman and CEO. The group became Toyota’s exclusive distributor in the UAE in 1955, a partnership that continues to this day. It also holds the UAE licenses for Hertz, Ikea, Toys “R” Us, and Marks & Spencer. These retail brands anchor the group’s malls, including Dubai Festival City, Dubai Festival Plaza, Doha Festival City, and Cairo Festival City. His cousin, the late Majid Al Futtaim, who passed away in 2021, was also a billionaire. In October 2025, on the opening day of FII in Riyadh, Al-Futtaim announced a $2.72 billion (SAR 10 billion) investment commitment in Saudi Arabia over three years, building on its existing $1.3 billion portfolio.
3. Abdulla bin Ahmad Al Ghurair & family
Net worth: $4.5 billion
Change since March 7, 2025: $100 million ↓
Image by The Founders / website
Abdulla bin Ahmad Al Ghurair founded Mashreq, a UAE bank, in 1967 and stepped down as chairman in 2019. In September 2025, the bank’s total assets surpassed $83.1 billion (AED 305.5 billion) for the first time, while its net profit fell 11.3% in the first nine months of 2025 to $1.4 billion (AED 5.2 billion). Its share price declined by 6.3% from March 7, 2025, to $65.4 (AED 240) on November 27, 2025.
According to Forbes, Al Ghurair’s eponymous holding company has interests in food, construction, and real estate, with non-family executives in leadership roles. His construction firm handled the exterior cladding of the Burj Khalifa and contributed to building the Dubai Metro. His brother, the late Saif Al Ghurair, who passed away in 2019, was also a billionaire.
4. Waleed Mohammad Al Zaabi
Net worth: $3.4 billion
Change since March 7, 2025: Newcomer
Waleed Mohammad Al Zaabi is the founder and owner of Tiger Group, a UAE-based real estate developer with offices in Dubai and Sharjah. A civil engineer by training, he started Tiger Group in 1976 as a construction firm and expanded into real estate development in 1996, later diversifying into hospitality, manufacturing, agriculture, and education in 2006. By 2014, Tiger Group had become a leading developer in Dubai and Sharjah, having built 50,000 apartments and currently constructing another 20,000 units along with office and retail space across the UAE. In 2024, the group launched Sky Tower, set to become the world’s tallest residential tower at 1,745 feet upon completion in late 2029.
5. Hussain Binghatti Aljbori
Net worth: $2.5 billion
Change since March 7, 2025: No change
Hussain Binghatti Aljbori is the founder and former chairman of Dubai-based luxury real estate developer Binghatti Properties. He established the company in 2008 and grew it into one of the UAE’s largest property developers, maintaining full ownership. Binghatti launched branded luxury developments in partnership with Mercedes-Benz, Bugatti, and jeweler Jacob & Co. In 2024, Binghatti Properties raised $500 million through Islamic bonds, or sukuk. His son, Muhammad Binghatti, now serves as the company’s chairman.
6. Mohamed Alabbar
Net worth: $1.9 billion
Change since March 7, 2025: $400 million ↓
Image by PATRICK BAZ / Enigma Magazine / AFP
The $400 million drop in Alabbar’s net worth since March 7 is closely tied to the performance of Americana Restaurants, where he holds a 33% stake. According to Forbes, most of his wealth comes from the company, which is dual-listed in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi and operates major fast food franchises across the Middle East. Since March 7, Americana’s share price has fallen 24.2% on the Saudi Exchange to $0.5 (SAR 1.8), while its stock on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange declined 22.6% to $0.5 (AED 1.75). Additionally, Emaar Properties, which he founded in 1997 and took public in 2000, saw its share price slip 3.6% over the same period to $3.6 (AED 13.2).
In 2020, he stepped down as chairman of Emaar Properties, the developer behind the world’s tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa. In 2014, Alabbar founded Eagle Hills in Abu Dhabi, developing luxury real estate across 10 countries, and he also holds stakes in Riyadh-based Noon.com and Dubai-based Zand Bank.
