Five Indian expats from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have featured in the prestigious Forbes’ Billionaires List this year with a combined worth of USD15.1 billion (AED55.46 billion).
Retail magnate Yusuff Ali MA, managing director and chairman of Lulu Group International takes the crown as the top Indian business owner in UAE with assets worth over USD4.7 billion (AED17.26 billion). He ranks at 394 on the list.
He hails from Nattila in Kerala’s Thrissur district and owns the Lulu Hypermarket chain worldwide and Lulu International Shopping Mall.
Micky Jagtiani, owner of the Dubai-based Landmark retail stores group is next in the list.
His roller-coaster ride on the path of wealth started from being a London cabbie to becoming the Emirati billionaire businessman. The retail magnate is worth nearly USD4 billion (AED14.69 billion). His overall rank is 478.
Born in Kuwait, Micky Jagtiani did his schooling in Chennai, Mumbai and Beirut, before moving to London.
Third in the Forbes’ Billionaires List is BR Shetty, founder and chairman of Abu Dhabi-based NMC Healthcare, having assets worth USD 2.8 billion. His overall rank is 804.
He is famously known for owning two floors in the world's tallest structure, Dubai's Burj Khalifa.
The fourth richest Indian expat in UAE is Sunny Varkey, education entrepreneur and philanthropist from Kerala. He boasts of assets worth USD2.4 billion (AED10.28 billion) ranking 962 on the list.
He is the founder and chairman of the global advisory and educational management firm GEMS Education, which has a network of over 130 schools in over a dozen countries.
Rounding off the list is PNC Menon, a property developer from Thrissur in Kerala with assets worth USD 1.1 billion (AED4.01 billion). He ranks at 1,941 in the overall list.