Forbes Middle East Presents The Middle East’s Most Impactful Real Estate Leaders 2024

Meet The Region’s Leading Developers Building For Tomorrow  

• U.A.E.-based leaders dominate with 33 entries, followed by 23 in Saudi Arabia and 20 in Egypt.  
• Emaar Properties’ Mohamed Alabbar topped the list, with total assets of $37.3 billion as of the end of September 2023.

Dubai, March 28, 2024: Forbes Middle East has revealed its ‘Most Impactful Real Estate Leaders’ ranking, spotlighting the 100 innovation-driven regional developers building for the future. The ranking was developed based on the company’s financials, the value of projects completed, projects under construction, the reputation of project delivery, and the size of the landbank and units held by the developer.

Mohamed Alabbar, Founder and Managing Director of Emaar Properties in the U.A.E. topped the list, with total assets of $37.3 billion as of the end of September 2023. Emaar Properties is one of the largest publicly-listed real estate companies by assets in the GCC. Talal Al Dhiyebi, Group CEO of Abu Dhabi-based Aldar Properties placed second, with $19.3 billion total assets as of September 2023. NEOM CEO Nadhmi Al-Nasr rounded up the top three.

The developers featured on this list represent nine countries in the region. The U.A.E. leads with 33 companies on the list, six of which are in the top 10. 23 are headquartered in Saudi Arabia, followed by 20 in Egypt.

Operating for over 118 years, Egypt’s Heliopolis Company for Housing and Development is the oldest entry. Founded in 1906, CEO and Managing Director Sameh El Said was appointed to his current position in August 2023. In the first nine months of 2023, the company recorded total assets worth $146.7 million and revenues worth $12.9 million. In contrast, Bahrain’s Infracorp, led by CEO Majed Abdulla Al Khan, is the youngest listee established in 2022. It amassed $26.9 million in net profits and had total assets of $1.6 billion, by the end of September 2023.

Top 100 Most Impactful Real Estate Developers In The Middle East 2024: Country Breakdown
U.A.E.	33	Kuwait	7	Oman	3
Saudi Arabia	23	Qatar	6	Jordan	2
Egypt	20	Bahrain	4	Morocco	2

Top 10 Most Impactful Real Estate Leaders In The Middle East 2024

1 | Mohamed Alabbar

Founder & Managing Director, Emaar Properties

Country: U.A.E.

Established: 1997

2 | Talal Al Dhiyebi

Group CEO, Aldar Properties

Country: U.A.E.

Established: 2005

3 | Nadhmi Al-Nasr

CEO, NEOM

Country: Saudi Arabia

Established: 2019

4 | Hesham Al Qassim

CEO, Wasl

Country: U.A.E.

Established: 2008

5 | Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah

CEO, Qatari Diar

Country: Qatar

Established: 2005

6 | Hussain Sajwani

Founder & Chairman, DAMAC Properties

Country: U.A.E.

Established: 2002

7 | David Grover

Group CEO, ROSHN Group

Country: Saudi Arabia

Established: 2020

8 | Naaman Atallah

Group CEO, Nakheel

Country: U.A.E.

Established: 2001

9 | Hisham Talaat Moustafa

CEO & Managing Director, Talaat Moustafa Group Holding  

Country: Egypt

Established: 1970

10 | P.N.C. Menon

Founder & Chairman, Sobha Realty  

Country: U.A.E.

Established: 1976

Click here to view the complete list of The Middle East’s Most Impactful Real Estate Leaders 2024.

About Forbes Middle East

Forbes Middle East is a licensed edition of Forbes for the Arab world, championing inspiring business journalism and entrepreneurial capitalism. Its online and social platforms break news covering billionaires, business, investment, technology, economy, entrepreneurship, leadership, and luxury lifestyles. The monthly magazine, featuring in-depth interviews with the Middle East’s most influential and innovative leaders, is published in print in English and Arabic, with digital versions available to both regional and global audiences online. Forbes Middle East extends the Forbes brand of journalism across the Arab world, conducting its own comprehensive research to publish original lists that adhere to strict methodologies. Its content attracts business leaders, investors, active and potential entrepreneurs, and a wide audience of ambitious and influential executives.